Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken

4.92 from 49 votes

Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken

Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken is full of the bright fresh flavors of summer. Cook it quickly in a skillet or throw it on the grill for a fast dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Marinate Time30

Total Time55

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southwest

Total Cost: $6.67 recipe / $1.11 serving

Servings: one thigh each

Calories: 238.82kcal

Author: Beth Moncel

Equipment

Grater
Small Roasting Pan
Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
1/2 tsp cumin $0.05
1/2 tsp salt $0.02
freshly cracked pepper $0.05
2 limes, divided $0.40
1/2 bunch cilantro, divided $0.40
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1.5 to 1.75 lbs. total) $5.11

Instructions

Combine the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill) in a small bowl.
Zest one of the limes and then squeeze the juice. You'll need 2-3 Tbsp juice, so if needed, juice half of the second lime. Cut the remaining lime into wedges to garnish the chicken once cooked. Roughly chop the cilantro.
Add 1 tsp of the lime zest, 2-3 Tbsp of the lime juice, and half of the chopped cilantro to the marinade. Stir to combine. (The remaining cilantro will be added fresh after cooking the chicken.)
Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or a large zip top bag. Add the marinade and toss the chicken to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours (refrigerated), turning it once or twice as it marinates.
When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until well browned and cooked through. My chicken had enough of an oil coating from the marinade that I did not need to add any extra to the skillet.
Top the cooked chicken with more fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with any extra lime wedges.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Nutrition

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