Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

Give your meal a zesty twist with this cilantro lime chicken recipe. You’ll love the lively aroma of the fresh limes and the savory taste of tenderly baked chicken breasts. The Pico de Gallo adds a refreshing, colorful touch, while the hot white rice makes it more filling.

Is This Cilantro Lime Chicken Healthy?

Yes, ours is a healthy recipe. Here are some reasons why:

First, it is high in protein, with one serving containing an impressive 37 grams. The reason we go with skinless boneless chicken breasts is that the breast contains more protein and also fewer fats and calories than the other cuts, such as thighs or drumsticks.

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Then, with the addition of lime, including its juice and zest, our dish is enriched with vitamin C and other antioxidants. This green citrus fruit can bring amazing health benefits, such as boosting your immune system, promoting skin health, and reducing inflammation.

On top of the two main ingredients, we also add tomatoes, corn kernels, and red onions for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.

Main Ingredients

With only simple everyday ingredients, you can whip up this light and wonderful dish in no time. Let’s take a look.

• Chicken

Our recipe calls for skinless boneless chicken breasts for a light and lean taste.

We recommend using fresh chicken breasts over frozen ones since chicken breasts are low in fat, which will cause them to dry out easily if stored in a freezer for a long time.

To give our chicken a nice boost of flavor, we toss them in a marinade made of salt, pepper, garlic, cilantro, honey, olive oil, lime zest, and lime juice.

The result is tender chicken breast with a slightly tart and peppery flavor, plus a lively, citrusy aroma from fresh limes.

• Pico de Gallo

Bright, fresh, and fun, this Mexican-style salsa makes a wonderful addition to our cilantro lime chicken. Simply toss diced tomatoes, red onions, and corn kernels with minced garlic, chopped cilantro, salt, and lime juice for colorful bits full of flavor and textures.

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• Rice

We serve our chicken with hot white rice for a well-rounded meal. It’s best that you buy or cook a new batch of rice for the freshest taste.

How to Store the Leftovers

Since our chicken recipe uses lime, which has acidic properties, it’s best to keep the leftovers in the fridge and consume them within 24 hours for the freshest experience.

What to Serve With

Here are some recommended sides to serve with our cilantro lime chicken:

• Salad Mix Recipe
• Orange Salad Recipe
• Watermelon Salad Recipe
• Lettuce Salad Recipe
• Spring Salad Recipe

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Some More Chicken Ideas for You to Try

Effortless and comforting, this chicken couscous recipe brings gorgeous flavors and textures that melt right onto your taste buds. There’s fluffy couscous, hearty chicken, and lightly crunchy veggies, all coming together in around 20 minutes.

This sweet and sour chicken skillet is filled with breaded chicken nuggets, a medley of sweet vegetables, all coated in a sweet, sour, sticky glaze that seals the deal. It takes quite some time to prepare for everyday cooking, but the flavor is ideal for special occasions.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken

5 from 1 vote

Using simple everyday ingredients, this cilantro lime chicken recipe combines fresh limes and tenderly baked chicken breasts for a filling and flavorful meal, served over hot white rice and Pico de Gallo.

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• cook TIME 30 mins
• prep TIME 15 mins
• total TIME 45 mins

• COURSE Main Course
• CUISINE Mexican
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 499 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 20 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts (butterflied)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped, divided)
• 2 tbsp lime juice (divided)
• 2 oz lime slices
• 1 oz red onion (diced)
• 2 tbsp garlic (minced, divided)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 3/4 tsp salt (divided)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 6 oz tomato (diced)
• 3 oz corn kernels
• 3 cups cooked medium-grain rice (from 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice)

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Prep:

1

Butterfly the chicken breast: Place the chicken breast on a cutting board. From the long side of the chicken breast, slice the meat in half using a sawing motion, but leave about 1/4" so that the two pieces are still intact. Set it aside and repeat with the remaining pieces.

2

Cook the rice: Rinse the rice with clean water. Gently massage to remove any debris or excess starch. Change the water a few times until it becomes clear, then drain it out. After that, cook the rice using a rice cooker or an instant pot.

3

Dice the red onion: Half the onion lengthwise and peel the skin. Make vertical slices 1/8" apart from each other towards the root, but leave about 1/8" so they're still intact. Turn the half 90 degrees, and grip the root. From the bottom, make horizontal cuts 1/8" apart from each other into the onion, also leaving 1/8" to keep everything intact. Slice the onion to have even cubes.

4

Dice the tomato: Half the tomato lengthwise, slice to remove the stem, and scoop the seeds out. Cut each half into 1/4" strips, then each strip into small cubes.

5

Finely chop the cilantro.

Cook:

1

Make the chicken marinade: In a large icing bowl, add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp honey, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp lime zest, and 1 tbsp lime juice. Stir to combine.

2

Marinate the chicken: Add 20 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts and toss to coat evenly. Let sit for 5 minutes.

3

Make the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add 6 oz tomato, 3 oz corn kernels, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp garlic, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp lime juice, and 1 oz red onion. Mix well.

4

Pan-sear the chicken: In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot and ready, add the marinated chicken breasts and pan-sear both sides for a total of 5 minutes.

5

Bake the chicken: Place the skillet with chicken in a preheated oven and bake at 375 °F for 10 minutes.

6

Garnish and serve: Garnish with lime slices and cilantro on top. Serve with rice and Pico de Gallo.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 499Calories from Fat 134

% Daily Value*

Fat 14.9g

23%

Saturated Fat 2.5g

16%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 103mg

34%

Sodium 507mg

22%

Potassium 739mg

21%

Carbohydrate 54g

18%

Fiber 2g

8%

Sugar 7g

8%

Protein 37g

74%

Vitamin A 584IU

12%

Vitamin C 16mg

19%

Calcium 34mg

3%

Iron 3mg

17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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