Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Cilantro Lime Chicken is a flavorful chicken breast recipe marinated in olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and Mediterranean seasoning and grilled indoors or outdoors.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 224kcal
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6-8 thighs
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 limes zested and juiced (3-4 tablespoon juice)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnishing
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne optional for heat
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- Whisk together olive oil, lime juice and zest, honey, salt, paprika, nutmeg, black pepper to taste, and finely chopped cilantro. You can also use a food processor or blender for a quick and easy marinade that doesn't require chopping—reserve ¼ cup for drizzling over cooked chicken.
- Add the remaining marinade to a bowl or gallon-size bag. Add the chicken, turn to coat, and marinate for 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
To Cook in a Skillet:
- Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drain chicken from the marinade, and place in the hot skillet.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until browned on one side. Turn the chicken over, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for another 5-6 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) or until it's cooked through and its internal temperature is 165℉.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, squeeze additional lime juice over the top if desired, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
To Grill
- Grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F. Drain chicken from marinade, and grill for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until it's cooked through and the internal temperature reads 165℉.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board, squeeze additional lime juice if desired, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Air Fryer
- Air fry the marinated chicken in a single layer at 380℉ for 5 minutes on each side.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 716mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 619IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg