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Overhead view of cooked cilantro lime chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Author: Marsha McDougal
Prepare to be blown away with this easy Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe! The chicken is tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs*
  • 3 ½ Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice**
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Clean the chicken thighs and remove any excess fat.
  • Zest then juice one lime, chop the cilantro and mince the garlic or use a garlic press.
  • In a large bowl add 3 tablespoons of olive oil along with the rest of the marinade ingredients (lime zest, lime juice, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, Adobo seasoning, salt, and black pepper). Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
  • Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss together until the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • When you are ready to cook, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. The chicken will be well coated in oil, so you don’t need to add a lot to the skillet. Once the skillet is hot add the chicken thighs, smooth side down first, and cook for 6-7 minutes on both sides until the chicken is well browned and cooked through.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and finish the dish by adding extra chopped cilantro on top and a few squeezes of lime juice. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Marinate the chicken breasts and cook for roughly 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown.
  2. You’ll need to purchase 2 limes. One to zest and juice for the marinade and the second lime is needed for serving. Adding extra fresh squeezed lime juice over the cooked chicken right before serving is a key step!😉

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 22gFat: 13gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 499mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.1g
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American, Mexican
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