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Cilantro Lime Chicken only takes a few minutes in this simple marinade for tons of flavor! Made with fresh cilantro, lime, and a few other special ingredients, this is a chicken recipe you’ll love.
Simple suppers are absolutely a necessity around my house most of the time. Is it the same way at yours? From rushing to Scouts and church youth activities and then just the normal everyday life events that cause some days to feel more like a blur than they should. That’s when I turn to an arsenal of quick, simple, yet still delicious recipes for meals, like this cilantro lime chicken.
It seriously couldn’t be much easier to prepare and have on the table in a jiffy! Ready in less than 30 minutes, it is one of those chicken recipes that is packed with flavor as if you’ve had it marinating overnight.
First, you toss the chicken breasts (you could also use thighs, legs, or quarters if you prefer) into a large baking dish, about a 9×13. Then, you stir together the ingredients for the marinade, pour it over top, top the chicken with lime slices, wrap tightly and then refrigerate for about 5 minutes. That’s all it takes for the chicken to absorb so much of the cilantro lime flavor.
Then, just remove your chicken from the marinade, grill or bake it and watch it disappear. It is delicious served with a bit of avocado salsa piled on top with a fresh squeeze of lime.
How to Freeze Cilantro Lime Chicken
Once cooked, allow to cool completely. Portion into freezer-safe container(s) and freeze up to 3 months.
To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat and serve.
Alternately, prep the cilantro lime chicken without cooking, portion into freezer-safe container(s) and freeze up to 3 months. To cook, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, cook as instructed.
Here’s my quick Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-6 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped or 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
- 2 limes zest and juice or 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 lime sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat grill or oven to 375º F. Place chicken into a large baking dish, about a 9×13. Stir together cilantro, lime zest and juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper, if using. Pour over chicken. Top with lime slices, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5 minutes.
- Remove chicken from marinade and place onto grill or in oven for 20 minutes. Grill or bake until chicken registers 165º F when checked with an internal temperature probe. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I meant limes.
I followed this recipe to the letter and am afraid it did not work out for me. I am very good with recipes and am generally successful. I baked mine and covered it for a while bc my chicken was a bit on the thicker side, but the rind from the lime slices made the chicken bitter. I had to whip up a quick sweet dipping sauce to make it work. I won’t be making again. 🙁
I’m sorry this did not work out for you, Maria. I have never had this happen to me. However, I never cover the chicken when I bake it in the oven. That could account for the more bitter taste of the lime.