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.
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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).
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I’ve made this dish several times already, as its written here, and its wonderful everyrtime. However, I decided to mix it up a bit last night. I added chopped shallot and sun dried tomatoes to the stove top ingredients before deglazing with wine, dumped it all in a crick pot on low for 5 hours, then simmered the leftover pot drippings in a pan and reduced abit with a splash of heavy cream. Reminded me of the saucy shrimp sauce at bonefish grill. Keep up the good blogging!!
That sounds great! Thank you for sharing your creative idea here. I’ll have to give it a try sometime!!!
When I buy cilantro for a recipe I always have a lot left over from the bunch. I decided to PIN some cilantro recipes so when this happens I could us it up. OMG this was wonderful. The sauce was just great and I served it with brown rice. The flavors just melted together. Certainly a keeper and quite easy to make.
Linda, that is wonderful to hear! So glad you like this recipe. You can certainly use up the cilantro here! 🙂
Hi, thanks for the most amazing chicken recipe, and I also made the Greek Roasted Potatoes. They both turned out to be delicious!
I have a question about both. I was a little confused about the amount of liquid in both recipes. Not sure if I was using the wrong size/shaped pan but both the chicken and the potatoes were almost covered in liquid and looking at your steps in the recipes they didn’t quite look the same. I live in Australia but I’m pretty sure our cup sizes are the same!
With both dishes, toward the end of cooking I tipped most of the liquid out (don’t worry I kept it, its delicious!) and put them back in the oven.
Just wondering if anyone else has come to you with this ‘problem’?
As a result my potatoes didn’t quite look as good as yours.. perhaps because I was pouring the parmesan into so much liquid.. Can’t help feeling I did something wrong with both recipes even though I followed them exactly as you said…
Sorry for long comment!
Dave
Dave, I am so glad you liked these two recipes! They are regular repeats at my house. The short answer to your question is that in US measurements, 1 cup of broth , for example = 8 Fluid Ounces, while a cup of broth in Australian measurements is a little more generous, it is more like 8 3/4 Fluid Ounces. So yes, you may have put more liquid in there than what is called for. But hey, it sounds like you made good use of it anyway! Here is a link to a measurement conversion guide that might be helpful to you in the future http://alldownunder.com/australian-convert/measurement-chart.htm
Hope you will find some more inspiring recipes.
Hello,
Since the first time I saw this recipe I wanted to make it. I finally made it for my wife the night she had gotten back from a long business trip. As she sipped wine while I cooked, the aroma was overtaking her appetite.
The Cilantro Lime Chicken was amazing as it looks in the photos. She said a few times during dinner how much flavor this dish had.
Even the next day she made the comment, you can cook that for me anytime. Please save this recipe she said.
Thank you,
Gary
Gary, thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. I am so so glad that you and your wife enjoyed this chicken; it is a favorite in my household as well. I hope you find more recipes to your taste here. Have a great weekend!
I have no idea where I found this, but I tried it tonight with the Roasted Greek Potatoes and my husband complimented it three times before he was halfway through to meal, plus he literally licked the plate afterwards! The oven temp for the chicken is 375 for the potato recipe calls for 400, what’s your suggestion for cooking both in the same oven? I think what I ended up doing is setting the oven to 390 and cooking the chicken for a slightly shorter time (40 minutes, but probably would have been fine a little earlier).
Amanda, I am so glad you liked this recipe!!! You can bake the chicken and the potatoes both at 400 F. At this heat, the chicken should be done in 30 minutes or so (when its internal temp exceeds 165 degrees F).
I made this tonight for my boyfriend and his son, and it was great! We had it with mashed potatoes. I think I will add some pasilla pepper or chipotle to it next time to give it just a little kick. I might actually mix up a big batch of the spice blend, devide it up into baggies, and give them away as stocking stuffers for Christmas! We all loved it, great recipe!
Martina, that is so so wonderful to hear! I am glad you liked this cilantro lime chicken recipe. It’s a favorite in my family. And what a great idea to do the spice blend in little jars or baggies for stocking stuffers? LOVE it!!!
Love love love it! Wow! Huge hit with the family and I’ll definitely be making this often. Thanks for the amazing recipe 🙂
Awesome, Misty! Thanks so much for taking the time to tell me. Hope you find more recipes to your liking here!
Just made this for the second time. I didn’t properly shop beforehand and had to substitute a couple of ingredients. (Mrs. Dash for seasoned salt, chicken stock rather than broth, grated garlic from a jar rather than fresh.) But it was still fabulous! This is a great weeknight dinner, but I think it would go over well even for a dinner party. It’s so beautiful! I used my new French braiser for the first time and could have easily fit in ten thighs if I’d had a bigger crowd. I can’t wait for leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Mmmm! Thank you!
Lisa, that is wonderful to hear! This is one of those foolproof recipes that I always go to. Hope you find more recipes to your liking here. Happy weekend!
My cast iron skillet doesn’t come with a cover. Is it absolutely necessary? If so, any recommendations on how to cover?
Hi Amanda. You can simply cover the skillet tightly with foil. Enjoy!
Wow. Just. Wow. Sooo good. And so easy! I added cumin and chili powder to the spice mix for some extra umph. I don’t eat grains so no rice or cous cous for me. BUT Let me tell you – brown some sliced zuchinni and toss it in a bowl with diced avocado and too THAT with your chicken and au jus… Perfection!
Right on, Amanda! Love the addition of cumin and chili powder and your side of zucchini and avocado sounds heavenly. Glad you enjoyed this chicken recipe. Hope you find more recipes you like here. Hugs.
So glad I stumbled across your blog!! I made this dish last week and it was SO GOOD! My husband loved it! I thought the flavors were absolutely perfect!! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. DELICIOUS!
Meghan, me too! I am so glad you found me! Can’t wait to hear what more you’ll be cooking. Cheers!
I made this recipe at the cottage and it was a HUGE success – everybody left with the recipe 🙂
Awesome, Melanie! So glad you enjoyed it! And thank you for sharing the recipe with others!
Can I use lime juice instead of juicing 2 whole limes? If so how much lime juice will I need by doing it this way? Thanks in advance!
I prefer fresh lime juice, but sure, you can use 3-4 tbsp of bottled lime juice. Hope you like this recipe, it’s a favorite!
I have boneless skinless thighs but I really want to make this!!!!!!! Is there any way it could still work? If I used more fat maybe?
Robyn, I think boneless chicken will work well with this recipe! Give it a try and let me know how it turns out for you! XO
Hello…I made this last night and it was a hit!! I didn’t know exactly how the wine reduces but I just winged it. Absolutely amazing – no leftovers for lunch today.
Awesome, Anne! So glad to hear you liked it!
Hi! Is It possible to use a ceramic Dutch oven instead of the cast iron skillet? I’m not sure my cast iron will have enough room!
Absolutely, Michelle! Something that is oven-proof is perfect.
I made this tonight. I followed the recipe exactly. After browning the chicken, I removed it from the pan,and added the wine. The problem was that there was alot of oil/grease left in the pan, even though I only used 2T. Oil. There was a lot in the pan but since the recipe didn’t say to pour it out, I just added the wine to it. Of course it didn’t reduce, oil doesn’t reduce. So, I had to pour it all out, re-branding the chicken to get the drippings back. And, start the wine and broth all over again! I should have known better, but I always try to follow a recipe the way it’s written. It was a huge pain! I think you should correct the recipe to include this step. The flavor was very good. However, it had way too much cilantro. I don’t think it needs an entire bunch of cilantro. Other than these things, it was very good and I would make it again.
Thank you for the feedback, Lisa. I have not experienced this issue nor heard it from others before. If you prefer less cilantro, by all means, you should adjust the recipe to your taste.