Cilantro-Lime Chicken
A simple chicken dish packed with bright flavors! This Easy Cilantro-Lime Chicken recipe is full of fresh ingredients that will leave your tastebuds wanting more! Plus, it is paired with a homemade cilantro yogurt sauce. Made with an easy marinade full of cilantro and lime, this recipe will easily become a fan-favorite!
BRIGHT & FRESH
It’s nothing like fresh ingredients! I know sometimes they can be more of a hassle, but they make recipes so much more flavorful. There are certain times where I cannot use canned or dry ingredients. Making a marinade is one of those times!
My Easy Cilantro-Lime Chicken Recipe is an example of that! It is full of fresh ingredients. The marinade tastes like Spring! It is bright and refreshing on your palette. Trust me, you won’t regret taking the time to make it!
MY TOP SUGGESTIONS FOR CILANTRO-LIME CHICKEN
There are so many ways that you can use this chicken recipe! Check out some of my favorite ways below:
Make Cilantro-Lime Chicken Tacos! This recipe would be great with some flour tortillas, chopped red onions, lettuce, avocado, and spicy peppers.
Use it to Meal Prep! This recipe is so simple to make and takes no time at all. You can easily make a lot of it and meal prep with it.
Make a Cilantro-Lime Chicken Salad! This chicken would be great over a hearty salad full of freshly chopped ingredients.
Try grilling the Chicken! The grill will bring out the flavors of the marinade even more! With a splash of fresh lime juice, they will be even more delicious.
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Ingredients:
The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them.
This recipe is full of fresh and simple ingredients. The marinade is really what sets this marinade off! Plus, it’s super simple to prep!
Boneless Chicken Thighs: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts because that is what I had on-hand at the time. But, bone-in will work just fine! Chicken breasts will work as well. The biggest thing to remember is to make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees internally.
EVOO: I used extra virgin olive oil in the marinade. It adds more flavor to the marinade than regular vegetable oil. I also suggest using it to sear, just make sure to replace the oil if it gets overused.
Garlic: Minced garlic pretty much makes everything better. I love it in this marinade. It goes great with the lime and cilantro flavors.
Limes: Make sure to zest the limes before you juice them. It makes life a lot easier. What a lot of people don’t realize is that citrus zest has more flavor than the actual juice.
Honey: I used honey as a sweetener in the marinade and in the yogurt sauce. Along with the brown sugar, you get just the right amount of sweetness on the back of your tongue.
Brown Sugar: I also used brown sugar because of the molasses flavor that it adds. Plus, with the honey, it is a great combo!
Ground Cumin: I used about a teaspoon of ground cumin. Cumin is a very warm and earthy spice. If using whole seeds, I suggest toasting them before grinding. Toasting spices allows them to reach their optimal flavor.
Paprika: I added a little bit of paprika to the marinade as well. It adds a little bit of smokiness to the marinade.
Cayenne Pepper: The cayenne pepper gave me the spice that I needed in this marinade. Now, do not go crazy with this because a little goes a long way. You don’t want to burn your tongue unless you like extra spicy food.
Salt: I used good old kosher salt in this recipe. I kept a little on-hand outside of the required measurement. I had it just in case I needed a little extra seasoning before baking.
Ground Black Pepper: You can’t have salt with ground black pepper! I used a small amount in the marinade and to season the chicken just in case.
Fresh Cilantro Leaves: Some people like cilantro and some don’t. But, it goes great with limes! Please make sure to get fresh cilantro. It makes the difference in the marinade.
Plain Greek Yogurt: I think Greek yogurt is an amazing ingredient to use in so many recipes. It makes the sauce fresh, rich, and creamy. When I mixed it with the fresh cilantro, I was in heaven!
How to Make Cilantro-Lime Chicken
Now that we understand what goes into the recipe, let’s get started! The great thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make! This marinade is amazing on pretty much any protein.
This is a great recipe for anyone who does meal prepping! You can literally marinate the protein overnight and get started with cooking it the next day.
The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.
Step 1: Preheat the Oven. If I have said it once, I have said it before, make sure to preheat the oven first. I set my oven to 400°F.
Step 2: Make the Marinade. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tbsp of EVOO, minced garlic, lime zest, lime juice, honey, brown sugar, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground black pepper.
Step 3: Marinade the Chicken. Mix the boneless chicken thighs with marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate in a plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes or overnight.
Step 4: Sear the Chicken. Heat a skillet with 2 tbsp of EVOO on medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Keep the marinade for later use. Sear the chicken thighs on both sides until golden brown.
Step 5: Reduce the Marinade. While the chicken is searing, take the remaining marinade and add it to a small pan and allow it to reduce on medium-high heat for 3 - 5 minutes.
Step 6: Finish the Chicken in the Oven. Transfer the chicken thighs to a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake the chicken thighs until they reach 165°F internally (about 8 - 10 minutes). Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper if necessary.
Step 7: Make the Yogurt Sauce. While the chicken is baking, make the yogurt sauce by combining all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 8: Garnish, Serve, and Enjoy! Remove the chicken from the oven. Plate and top with heated marinade and some extra cilantro leaves. Serve the chicken hot with the chilled yogurt sauce. Enjoy!
I’d love to hear your feedback about this Easy Cilantro-Lime Chicken Recipe. Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!
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