Zippy, garlicky, and bursting with fresh herby flavor, this cilantro lime chicken is an easy dinner you’ll make on repeat!
It’s a blessing that this recipe is so easy, as it is one of my family’s most requested dinners. While many cilantro lime chicken recipes rely on an overnight marinade, I’ve found that a bold spice blend brings so much flavor that you don’t need to plan ahead!
It’s the same trick I use for my Balsamic Chicken, Garlic Dijon Chicken, and beyond. Here, paprika, nutmeg, and garlic powder give the chicken thighs a sweet-savory depth that perfectly balances the zing of fresh lime.
Everything comes together in one pan, which means fewer dishes and richer flavor. The savory chicken drippings mix with white wine, lime juice, and cilantro for a pan sauce is so tasty you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful. The chicken thighs simmer in the sauce until they’re juicy and fall-apart-tender. Incredible!
- Tip: Turn them into a tasty lunch the next day! Shred the chicken and toss with black bean and corn salad for a protein-packed power lunch, or make a zippy healthy chicken salad.
Table of Contents
Cilantro Lime Chicken Ingredients and Substitutions
Fresh cilantro and lime juice are a perfect duo that may call to mind Mexican cuisine, but they are also gloriously used in Mediterranean cooking, where we balance the lime’s zing with fragrant warming spices. You’ll need:
- Chicken: I love juicy, crispy-skinned chicken thighs, but you can use any cut of chicken you have. Just adjust the cooking time so the chicken registers at 165°F at the thickest part.
- Extra virgin olive oil: There’s no substitute for good Mediterranean olive oil! Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor.
- Garlic: Adds that addictive sweet-savory quality. If you avoid garlic, substitute with shallot or green onion.
- Limes: Add a sharp zing. Lemons will work too, just keep in mind they tend to be slightly sweeter.
- White wine: Dry white wine adds a rich depth of flavor, and most of the alcohol cooks off. If you avoid alcohol, swap with more chicken stock or broth and an extra squeeze of lime.
- Chicken broth: Use homemade stock or broth if you have it, or go for a low sodium store bought option.
- Cilantro: Both the stems and leaves add loads of flavor. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, this recipe is delicious with parsley.
- Spices: Spanish paprika, garlic powder, and nutmeg bring a warming, cozy quality to balance the zing of the lime. Salt and pepper perk everything up.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken
It’s a blessing that this cilantro lime chicken is so easy, as it is one of my family’s most requested dinners. Here’s how it’s done:
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Roughly chop 6 garlic cloves. Chop 1 bunch of cilantro, discarding and tough stems.
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Pat 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs dry, then season all over with the spice mix. Be sure to season underneath the skin as well. Let the chicken thighs sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes while your oven heats.
- Brown the chicken. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs with the skin side down and wait until the skin releases from the pan and turns golden, 5-7 minutes. Flip and wait until the second side is golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from skillet and set aside briefly.
- Make the cilantro lime chicken sauce. Lower the heat to medium low and add 1 cup white wine to deglaze the skillet. Let cook for a few minutes to reduce, then add 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the cilantro (save a little for garnish) and garlic, then juice in 2 limes.
- Simmer the chicken in the cilantro sauce. Return the chicken to the skillet and bring to a simmer once more. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
- Bake the chicken. Cover the skillet with the lid (or foil if you don’t have one). 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.
What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Chicken
When you’re planning what to serve with cilantro lime chicken thighs, your number one goal is to take full advantage of the incredible pan sauce. A hunk of crusty bread more than does the trick. I also love the chicken on a bed of rice, with plenty of the sauce spooned over top. Round out the meal with something fresh and crunchy, like a mini sweet bell pepper salad.
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Ingredients
- 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped
- 2 limes juiced
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
For the Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika (or hot paprika, if you like)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Season the chicken. Mix the spices in a small bowl. Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season all over with the spice mix. Be sure to season underneath the skin as well. Let the chicken thighs sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes while your oven heats.
- Sear the chicken. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs with the skin side down and wait until the skin releases from the pan and turns golden, 5-7 minutes. Flip and wait until the second side is golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from skillet and set aside briefly.
- Make the cilantro lime sauce. Lower the heat to medium low and add the white wine to deglaze the skillet. Let cook for a few minutes to reduce, then add the broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the cilantro (save a little for garnish), lime juice, and garlic.
- Simmer the chicken in the cilantro lime sauce. Return the chicken to the skillet and bring to a simmer once more. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so.
- Bake the chicken. Cover the skillet with the lid (or foil if you don’t have one). 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
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The pan sauce may solidify in your fridge; simple reheat over low heat. Alternatively, shred the chicken and into a healthy chicken salad, wrap, or as a topping for Caesar salad.
- 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).
Nutrition
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Made this using skinless, boneless thighs and otherwise following the recipe exactly. The prep was easy and the flavors were really good. But baking it in the oven for 45 minutes produced chicken that had the texture of a chicken stew, I see no need to put these on the oven for anywhere near 45 minutes after browning them. When I do similar recipes with boneless, skinless thighs, after browning them I simmer on the stoven covered for 8 – 10 minutes. If finished in the over, it’s usually 20 minutes, max. Thighs are very tender to begin with and don’t need to be tenderized by prolonged cooking.
Let it thicken and cool. It can be a bit wet when it comes out, but be patient.
Is it necessary to add white wine at all? I really dont like using alcoholic beverages in my food.
It is not. I’ve found chicken broth to be a great substitute.
Just as an FYI, in case you were unaware. The alcohol evaporates during the cooking process leaving behind only the addition of good flavors from the grapes it is made with. You could eat a truckload of this meal and never actually consume any alcohol.
Fantastic, easy, inexpensive, FLAVORFUL, I served it over rice
with a hummus side. Delicious and easy.
Pretty ridiculous flavors and sauce to pour over the rice.
Gonna hit my rotation!!
Awesome! Thanks, Mark!
I made this tonight with only 2 large thighs,
and the sauce was over rice. Killer good. Light, and flavorful.
Side was hummus and roasted brussel sprouts.
Thanks for this recipe. I read a ton of recipes, never saw this one before,
found yours yesterday and saw this could work.
WORK? It works, without alot of work either.
[Just don’t grab the handle of the lid after it comes out of the oven!]
Delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
Thank you so much for yet another awesome recipe! Soooo good! I used a Dutch Oven, as I don’t own a cast iron skillet. It worked perfectly. Chicken was super tender and flavorful!
Thanks for sharing, Cindy!
Would lemon and Italian parley work in place of lime and cilantro?
Hi, Vanessa! I think making those changes would change the flavor profile of the recipe quite a bit, as they are both key ingredients. I’d love to hear your feedback if you give it a try, though!
So yummy and tasty . . . Super easy too !!!
This was wonderful. My only negative comment would be the amount of time it took. The chicken came out incredibly tender, and the sauce had great flavor! We normally don’t eat the skin, but it was very easy to pull it back and eat the rest. I did make a mess in the oven, so I would suggest putting a cookie sheet below the pan while it is in the oven. Brand new oven was initiated! Oh, well.. it was worth it!
How drastically would the taste change if we wanted to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs? My family is not a big fan of bone – in. Does the recipe need to change at all?
You could totally use boneless… no need to change the recipe. Just watch the cooking, as boneless meat tends to cook a little bit faster.
This recipe was the bomb. I was too lazy to dirty a pot for rice. So, I added rice and instead of wine I added more broth. Along with lime juice, I added the zest. It was so good. Thank You
Yum! Thanks for sharing!
We can’t get enough of your recipes. Another amazing one!! It was divine.
Thank you so much, Ragna! That means a lot!
Yes! These look amazing and so good for you! So excited to try these!
You will LOVE this one, Sydnie!
While this recipe required more work than some of your other chicken recipes, it was worth it. The chicken was delicious and my family loved it (even though they are not big fans of cilantro!). I totally recommend this recipe
That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks, Julia!
Hello, I would like to subscribe for this weblog to get most up-to-date
updates, thus where can i do it please assist.
Hello, Harriett! Welcome to The Mediterranean Dish!! Please go here to subscribe to our news, recipes, and weekly meal plan: https://us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=85b0cffd5205a7bd454f28994&id=a5845beec1
I’ve loved this meal for a long time! A family favorite. I did notice that you changed the amounts in the seasoning blend a bit. Would it be possible for you to post or email me the original recipe? Please? ?
Hi, Chelsea! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! We have not made any recent changes to it, though… except adding a brand new video.
Hi Suzy! I love all your recipes and wanted to try this one but I don’t cook with alcohol. Can this be made without the wine? Or could we sub it with something? Thanks!!!
Thank you! So glad to hear it. You can omit the wine since there is a lot of broth and lime juice here 🙂
This made for the perfect family meal! Even my kiddos loved it! Thank you
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed it
Yay! I love getting a thumbs up from the kids! Thanks so much!
I am so impressed, happy, over-the-moon with all your recipes! Since I’ve found you, I’ve tried numerous recipes and each one has been a hit at the dinner table. Making this one tonight! Thanks for your creative use of spice with ingredients I usually have on hand. –A new, loyal follower!
Julie, thank you so much! Your kind comment made my day. Can’t wait to hear what else you try!
Awwww, Julie! You totally made my day! Thank you so much!!!