Cilantro lime chicken thighs are a quick, easy, and incredibly flavorful dinner recipe. The chicken thighs marinade ingredients work great in this recipe, making the chicken juicy and tender. This cooked chicken has a delicious juicy flavor within and is crispy outside. Check how to make cilantro lemon chicken thighs at home with baked, grilled, or pan-seared methods.
These cilantro lime chicken thighs are an excellent weekend dinner, especially if you have visitors coming over. Chicken breast also can be used in this recipe.
I often prepare these chicken thighs with cilantro lemon at home on different occasions. It's also my family, friends, and my favorite chicken dish.
Cilantro and lime work together in a simply sensational way. The combination of flavors is sure to excite anyone who enjoys bold, vibrant flavors.
Also, check out our other soup recipes like creamy tomato soup with fresh tomatoes, grandma's chicken noodle soup, cabbage and sausage soup, creamy sausage gnocchi soup, and creamy tomato basil soup.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs Recipe
Chicken thighs with cilantro and lime are a wonderful explosion on your dish. This Cilantro lemon chicken is basically marinated with zesty lime, fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, and other simple ingredients. The best surprise about this dish is that it uses fewer ingredients while producing a large delectable flavor.
Tips For Perfect Chicken
These few tips and tricks help you to make the perfect cilantro lime chicken. This recipe is simple, quick, and versatile to your personal taste.
- Don't overcook: To enjoy the tender and juicy chicken, cook the chicken till it reaches the internal temperature of 145 deg Celsius before serving. If overcooked, the chicken will become dry and tough.
- Marinate for optimal flavor: Marinate the chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes. It will extract the delightful flavors of cilantro and lime. And also get the best taste and tenderness of the meat.
- Fresh Ingredients Better: ingredients like cilantro and fresh lime juice used should be fresh it will get a better taste and improve the quality.
- Adjust to your taste: It's very versatile and adjust the marinade added to your taste. If you want a little spicy, add red chili flakes, or honey for little sweetness. Make changes of your choice very easily
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
Chicken thighs or breast marinade used in this recipe can tenderize the chicken with a better flavor. It's very easy, as we add simple chicken marinades like cilantro leaves, lime juice, and other seasonings of your choice. For a little spicy kick, add little red pepper flakes to lime cilantro chicken.
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What To Do With Leftover Chicken
The leftover chicken cooked with cilantro lime, used for:
- Sandwiches: Layer the bread or roll with the chicken and add layers of lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise sauce. You can add any layering of your choice for it to become a more flavorful chicken sandwich.
- Salads: Take the shredded chicken thighs and mix them with mixed greens, tomatoes, avocado, corn, and a little lime juice for a delicious chicken salad.
- Others: Use leftover chicken with cooked rice and pasta. Also use as fillings for tacos or wraps.
How To Store And Reheat The Leftover Chicken
Store the leftover cilantro lime chicken in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To store longer, freeze the chicken for up to 2 months. Before storing let the chicken get cooled completely and store it in an air-tight container.
Reheat the cooked chicken for 2 – 3 minutes or till hot in the microwave. Also, reheat it in the skillet on medium heat on the stovetop.
Ingredients For Cilantro Lemon Chicken Marinade
The required ingredients are readily available at stores. These simple marinade ingredients enhance the flavors of the recipe after marination.
- olive oil – the base ingredient for the marinade. Another oil like vegetable oil, or avocado oil can also be used.
- fresh lime juice – it's the main star ingredient, for the best brightness and flavor. Also, use lemon zest as it boosts the lime flavor. Avoid bottled lime or lemon juice they lack the zingy flavor and disturb the taste.
- cilantro leaves – included in the marinade, these fresh cilantro leaves give a delicious herbal punch and taste to the dish
- garlic – fresh minced garlic cloves add better flavor. Substitute with half a teaspoon of garlic powder for every clove.
- brown sugar (optional) – it's my favorite and also balances the lime juice acidity
- red chili flakes(optional) – you can add this if you want a little hot flavor according to your taste.
- cumin, salt, pepper – use other ingredients like cumin, salt, and pepper.
- chicken thighs – with bone-in and skin-on. Other chicken pieces like chicken breast, also can be used. If you like boneless and skinless chicken pieces also can be used.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
In this recipe, the chicken has to be first marinated, and then cook on a grill, oven, or pan-seared.
- Prepare the marinade and marinate: Add all the cilantro lime chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix them well. Then toss the chicken well with the marinade prepared. Marinate the chicken pieces for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook chicken: Cook the chicken pieces with grilled, oven-baked, or pan-seared methods. (check the cooking here).
- Garnish the chicken: The chicken with cilantro and lemon can be garnished with lemon slices/wedges and cilantro.
It is an easy, quick, and delicious cilantro-lime chicken prepared with thighs, breast, or drumsticks and simple chicken marinade. These chicken pieces can be made on a skillet, grilled, oven-baked, or pan seared.
What To Serve With Cilantro Lime Chicken
This chicken dish can be accompanied by cauliflower rice, cilantro lime rice, taco rice, or simple steamed rice. While making salads, this chicken combination goes well. It is also served with mashed potatoes. It is also topped with sliced avocado, garlic butter roasted mushrooms, and served along with rice.
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F.A.Qs
Can I Cook Cilantro Lime Chicken On Grill
Yes. Marinate the chicken first, then cook it on the grill. Cook till it gets well browned on both sides. This cooking on the grill gives the chicken a better flavor.
Which Chicken Pieces To Use In This Recipe
I used bone-in and skin-on chicken thigh pieces for this recipe. Boneless and skinless chicken pieces also can be used in this recipe. Different chicken pieces used are chicken breast, chicken thighs, or chicken drumsticks in this recipe. Adjust the cooking time based on the chicken thickness.
Can Chicken Breasts Be Used?
Yes, chicken breast can be used and goes great with this recipe. The chicken breasts also can be grilled, oven baked, or pan-seared.
Can Bottled Lime Juice Be Used
Use fresh lime juice, it's the best choice as it gives the chicken a better flavor. If fresh lime is not available then bottled lime juice can be used, but it can be bitter and makes it difficult to enjoy the dish with any enjoyment.
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How Long To Marinate The Chicken
Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes at least in order to enhance its flavor. It is better not to marinate the chicken pieces for more than 2 hours, because of lime's citric acid.
What Veggies Go Well With Cilantro Lime Chicken
Here the chicken goes well with a variety of veggies like cauliflower, avocado, broccoli, and potatoes mashed. The perfect side dish for cilantro lime chicken is green salads.
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Equipments For Cilantro Chicken (BAKED, GRILLED, SKILLED)
- Oven – to bake cilantro chicken
- Mixing Bowl – to mix the ingredients
- Baking Sheet – add chicken pieces to this baking sheet and bake in oven
- Oven Proof Skillet – to cook the chicken pieces in the skillet / pan seared
- Grill Pan – to grill chicken breast or thighs
- Food Thermometer – to check the internal temperature of chicken pieces
Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs Recipe (Grilled, Oven Baked, Pan Seared) – Debz Delicious
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs or breast bone-in and skin-on
- lime slices or wedges for serving optional
- fresh cilantro leaves for serving optional
Mariande
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves freshly chopped
- 2 limes juiced and zest
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- salt and pepper according to taste
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Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: First, prepare the marinade, whisk all ingredients in the marinade (2 tablespoons oil, cilantro leaves, lemon juice and zest, garlic, cumin, brown sugar, red chili flakes, and salt, pepper) in a bowl.
- Marinate Chicken: Add the chicken pieces (thighs or breasts) to the marinade prepared. Toss it well to get evenly marinated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge. After marination take the chicken pieces out. Let it settle at room temperature.
To Cook
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425 deg F (220 deg C)
- Sear Chicken: Keep the ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken pieces along with the marinade. Sear for 4 – 5 minutes with the skin down until golden brownish and crispy. Flip the chicken pieces and sear for another 2 -3 minutes.
- Bake in Oven: Transfer the ovenproof skillet to the oven. Bake the chicken pieces for at least 15 – 20 minutes or till the internal temperature is 165 deg F.
- Serve: Garnish the cilantro lime chicken thighs with cilantro leaves and extra lemon wedges / slices.
To Bake
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 425 deg F (220 deg C)
- Oven Baked: Apply the remaining oil to the baking sheet, add the chicken to it in an even layer. Transfer the baking sheet to the center of preheated oven. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or till the internal temperature is 165 deg F.
- Serve: Let the it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Garnish the baked cilantro lemon chicken thighs with cilantro leaves and extra lime wedges / slices.
To Grill
- Preheat Grill: Preheat the grill /grill pan to medium-high heat, and add the remaining oil to it.
- Grilled: Add the chicken and grill for 6-7 minutes. Then turn over the chicken pieces and grill for another 6 – 7 minutes until golden brown or till the internal temperature shows 165 deg F.
- Serve: Garnish the grilled cilantro lime chicken thighs with cilantro leaves and extra lime wedges / slices.
Notes
- the longer duration the chicken pieces (thighs or breasts) are marinated, the better taste they get.
- To confirm the cooking, take the meat thermometer and check the thickest part of the meat, the interanl temperature should be 165°F.
- if preferred food processor or blender can be used to mix the marinade ingredients.
- it is better to use fresh lime than bottled lime juice. The bottled lime can be bitter.
- little red chili powder or red pepper flakes can be used, to get little heat, its optional.
- honey can be substituted with brown sugar, both are optional.
Delicious cilantro lime chicken, I baked in oven, my family and me enjoyed it.
Thank you very much, it was easy and delicious recipe
Nice and delicious chicken recipe
So easy to make this cilantro lime chicken, we prepared with chicken thighs and the whole family enjoyed it.
We enjoyed this cilantro lime chicken recipe, I made it using a pan.
Nice baked cilantro lime chicken recipe. My Favorite and loved preparing it.
Made this and it was absolutely fantastic. Can’t wait to make it again!!! Try it! You won’t be disappointed. Juicy and so flavorful!
I pan seared the cilantro lime chicken. The food was more tasty than expected. THANKS
This dish has a great delicious flavor.
I baked and prepared this cilantro lime chicken, and we all enjoyed having it.