This bold, saucy cilantro lime chicken takes on a delicious Mediterranean twist. Chicken thighs rubbed in warm spices and cooked to tender perfection in a garlic, lime and cilantro sauce. Word to the wise, make every use of the tasty sauce!
Make in the oven or the crockpot! And serve over rice your favorite grain. Be sure to grab my tips and watch the video for how to make it.
Of the many chicken recipes I've shared with you here, this cilantro lime chicken recipe is one that is regularly requested by my family. They love this saucy, fall-apart tender chicken!
Fresh cilantro and lime juice are the perfect duo that many associate them with Mexican cuisine. But they are also gloriously used in Mediterranean cooking--often combined with garlic and a host of warm spices (wait till you taste these chicken thighs!)
If you're a fan of these flavors, you'll want to also check out this grilled shrimp recipe with roasted garlic cilantro, and my spicy cilantro pesto--I've been adding this pesto on my soups and labneh cheese a lot lately.
So much to love about this cilantro chicken
- Bold, comforting flavors. The first step is seasoning the chicken well with a few warm spices including sweet paprika, nutmeg, along with a dash of seasoned salt and natural garlic powder.
- A million-dollar sauce! White wine, lime juice, chicken broth, garlic and fresh cilantro--a sauce you'll want to pour over some tasty rice or your favorite grain (definitely make every use of it!)
- Takes one pan to make.
- Baked and crockpot options! Either option will result in fall-apart tender chicken thighs, but my preference is baked.
How to make cilantro lime chicken
(print-friendly recipe and video below)
1. Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry. Mix the spices together (1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt; 1 teaspoon each sweet paprika and black pepper; and ½ teaspoon nutmeg).
Season the chicken all over, and be sure to lift the skins up and apply the spice mixture underneath.
2. Brown the chicken. Heat up a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a large cast iron skillet (be sure the skillet has a lid, you will use it later). Brown the chicken well on both sides (this is another opportunity to create great flavor)
3. Make the sauce. Remove the chicken briefly from the skillet. Lower the heat. Add white wine and cook to reduce then add the broth. Add in the lime and garlic.
4. Cook chicken with the sauce (first on stovetop briefly then bake). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add the chicken back into the skillet and nestle it in the sauce. Add the fresh cilantro (we're using 1 bunch of cilantro here). Bring this party to a high simmer for 5 minutes, then cover the skillet and transfer it to the oven. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 45 minutes (the chicken should be well cooked through and pretty much falling apart!)
Cilantro lime chicken recipe in the crockpot
If you're wondering, can I make this in the crockpot or slow cooker, the answer is YES! Here's what you do:
- Season and brown in the pan as directed.
- Make the sauce.
- Transfer the sauce to the bottom of a large slow cooker or crockpot (affiliate link)
- Add the chicken to the crockpot and nestle it into the sauce. Add the cilantro.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours (internal temperature should register 165 degrees F.)
Like I said earlier, I do prefer baked cilantro lime chicken, but the slow cooker option is wonderful as well.
Serve it with
Lebanese rice makes a perfect bed for this saucy chicken thighs recipe, or, try couscous or plain orzo pasta. If all you have is some crusty bread, that will work to sop up the tasty sauce!
Other side and salad options for a complete meal:
Sides: Greek potatoes; Skordalia (mashed potato and garlic dip); Baked Zucchini; Olive Oil Fried Brussels Sprouts;
Salads: Greek green bean salad; Mediterranean Three Bean Salad; Tabouli
Leftovers and Storage
If you have any leftover cilantro lime chicken, allow it to cool completely. Transfer to tight-lid container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
You may also like
Mediterranean Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 limes juice of
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch cilantro stems removed, chopped; more for garnish
Spice mix:
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp seasoned salt like this one
- 1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika or hot paprika, if you like
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix the spices. Pat the chicken thighs dry, and season each thigh on both sides with the spice mix. Be sure to season underneath the skin as well. Let the chicken thighs sit in room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Brown the chicken. When ready, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet (with a lid). Brown the chicken thighs deeply on both sides in the heated oil. Remove from skillet and set aside briefly. Brown the chicken thighs deeply on both sides in the heated oil. Remove from skillet and set aside briefly.
- Lower the heat and deglaze the skillet with the white wine. Let cook to reduce and then add the broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer then add the lime juice and garlic.
- Now. return the chicken to the skillet and toss in the cilantro. Bring to a high-simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
- Cover the skillet with the lid and transfer to the heated oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with more cilantro, if you like.
Video
Notes
- Cook's Tip: Do not skip step #3. Browning the chicken thighs here provides more appealing crispy skin and adds great flavor.
- Slow Cooker/Crockpot Instructions: Once you've browned the chicken and prepared the sauce, transfer the sauce to the bottom of a large slow cooker or crockpot. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and add the fresh cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours (internal temperature should register 165 degrees F.)
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including spices and extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe
Nutrition
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has recently been updated with new information and media of readers' benefit.
I made this yesterday evening. It was delicious and easy. Everyone enjoyed it.
I have been eyeing this recipe for months and made it last night.! So happy I did, it was delicious and a huge hit with my husband (who rarely raves about dishes unless he thinks they’re really special). Will be making this regularly!
Awesome! Thank you Kathy!
Looks amazing but no one in my home likes Cilantro. Is there a substitute? Do you think I could leave it out?
Rosanna
Hi, Rosanna! The cilantro is essential to this particular recipe. You may want to try this one instead: Wine Braised Chicken Thighs
I tried this recipe for dinner last night. It was amazing! It will be a regular for our family. Instead of making a seasoned rice dish, I just steamed a batch of Basmati rice and drizzled the sauce on over it. So easy and delicious!
Hi, Suzy...I made this dish the other night and my husband helped. It was delicious and that sauce is so flavoursome. Thank you for a fantastic dish. Oh, and Cilantro (Coriander is my favourite herb)
Thanks, Angela!
I should have paid more attention to the video, where Suzy says 1 - 1.5 cups of broth. I followed the list of ingredients, adding 2 cups of broth, well it way too much liquid, the browned chick was swimming in chicken broth. I end up draining some and moving the chicken up to the broiler for 3-5 minutes to return the crispiness to the chicken skin. Her recommendation to rub the spice under the skin is spot on. The rub is key to this whole dish working. I am confident with less broth this dish will work. Also, instead of paprika, I think Ras EL Handout spice would be nice to also try.
I got a staub dutch oven for my birthday and this was the first recipe I tried. Delicious.....simple and easy to make. The skin was cripsy and flavorful searing on the stove top. I only left the lid on in the oven for a short period of time to let the flavors and juice soak in and then finished cooking wiht lid off. I've also tried an alternative by just using the sumac spice I got from the Spice House along with a little salt/pepper and fresh garlic. Sumac is an amazing spice!! I'm learning so much from this site on use of spices and how to prepare!! Thanks Suzy for the videos and helpful links to find ingredients!!!
Thank you for sharing, Julie! So glad you enjoyed it!
I never leave reviews unless they are outstanding, so this is a complete 180 for me. This had zero flavor and I should have trusted my instincts and not covered the chicken when it went into the oven. The gorgeous crispness that we worked hard on while browning the chicken turned to rubber and the sauce lacked any flavor. It was chicken water. Such a bummer to work on this for well over an hour on a work night only to eat the bread that you made to mop up the sauce - the bread didn’t need any sauce as it didn’t add anything. A huge waste of time and money - such a bummer.
Can I make this with boneless chicken breasts?
Sure!
Help! I don't have a cast iron skillet or a slow cooker, and I live in a place where neither of these items are available! Can I cook on the stove top in a normal frying pan or saucepan and then transfer to an oven proof Pyrex dish with a lid?
Hi, Salwa! Sure! That'll work :).
I have made this recipe several times, and it's always a hit! For those not wanting to use wine, I've found replacing it with 3/4 cup chicken broth works well. It doesn't reduce quite as much, but it still produces delicious results!
Hi! Wondering if enameled cast iron will work as well as cast iron. I have both but have a lid for the enameled pan.
Sure, Mike. I think that would be just fine here.
This recipe is just amazing—the chicken is bold and tender. The sauce light but flavorful. I will definitely make this again for friends :).
Yay! I love hearing that! Thank you!!
Can I use regular paprika with this recipe?
Sure! Enjoy!
Prepared this for dinner last night. Wow! So delicious. Served it with a salad and crusty ciabatta rolls to mop up the sauce. Heaven. Trylu outstanding flavors.
Can you out the wine. what would be a substitute.
Hi, Alison! I have substituted more broth for the wine before. A little different taste, but still delish!
How big is your cast iron skillet, I feed 4 men and myself and I'm always cooking big healthy meals.
Hi, Carolyn! I typically use a 12" cast iron skillet for my family of 4.
How much do you reduce the sauce before adding the chicken broth? The chicken thighs seemed to be swimming in the wine/lime juice/chicken broth sauce.
Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes!
Hi, Eileen. Unfortunately, I've never measured it exactly... it's something I just eyeball. This recipe does make a lot of sauce, so that is normal.