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    Cilantro Lime Chicken

    Updated April 26, 2025 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    Our reader-favorite cilantro lime chicken recipe gets its juicy, bright burst of flavor from a quick, and zesty marinade of lime, garlic, cilantro, and honey. Chicken thighs have never tasted better!

    cilantro lime chicken thighs on a serving platter garnished with cilantro and lime wedges
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    Garlicky, herby, cilantro lime chicken tastes like a party in every bite, and it is just so easy! We love to serve it in the summer, when we crave bright flavors and easy dinners, and it’s a great main dish for any day when Mexican flavors — think Margaritas, Chips and Guacamole —  are calling to you. We use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, because we love how rich and flavorful they are, and without the skin they’re nearly as lean as chicken breast. That said, you could swap in boneless, skinless chicken breast if that’s what you have. We pan-fry the chicken, but if you’d rather grill the chicken, it turns out great that way, too. As for how to serve it? It’s a no-brainer to serve these juicy, tender chicken thighs over Cilantro Lime Rice, since you’ll have all the seasonings on-hand anyway! 

    chicken thighs, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, honey, olive oil & spices in prep bowls

    What You’re Saying About This Recipe

    • “This was delicious! The marinade smelled so good that I made another half batch while the chicken was in the fridge and mixed it with some cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions for a really yummy salsa to go with the chicken!” - Maggie
    • “Delicious recipe! I used hot honey and Tajin instead of chili powder. After marinading for several hours I grilled them and they turned out very moist and tasty. I will definitely make again.” - Kathy
    • “Made this tonight and it was the most delicious chicken! One of the best marinades! This is going on rotation! We had it tonight with beans and fajita veggies and chipotle Banza rice. This would be great in tacos or fajitas. It will be my new fajita marinade for sure! Don’t think…make this now!” - Vanessa
    olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper. in a glass bowl
    Marinade made with olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a glass bowl

    Cilantro Lime Marinade Ingredients 

    Scroll down for the full recipe with measurements below. 

    • Lime: You’ll need the juice and zest of two fresh limes, or squeeze more and make yourself a Spicy Margarita while you’re cooking!
    • Cilantro: Mince a handful of carefully rinsed cilantro leaves. We recommend pulling the leaves from the stems first as a textural preference.
    • Garlic: Every flavorful marinade starts with garlic, and we love to use a lot (six cloves) in this recipe.
    • Honey: A little touch of sweetness balances out the tartness of the lime juice and zest.
    • Chili Powder: We call for two tablespoons of chili powder. It doesn’t add too much heat, it’s more about the flavor. 
    chicken marinating in olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl
    cilantro lime chicken being cooked in a cast iron skillet

    Tips For Perfectly Crisp & Delicious Chicken Thighs

    1. Use a large skillet. Ideally, you’ll be using a skillet that can comfortably fit all of your chicken thighs, so you’ll want to use the largest one you have, whether that’s a non-stick or a cast iron.
    2. Let your skillet heat up BEFORE you add the chicken. Give the pan time to warm up a bit, so that when the cilantro-lime marinated chicken hits the pan you hear a nice sizzle.
    3. Add the chicken to the pan without any added oil, and work in batches. The chicken thighs will be coated in a nice slick of oil from the cilantro lime marinade, so you can just add it directly to a dry pan. Don’t crowd the chicken thighs all into the pan, or they’ll steam instead of getting a nicely crispy, golden crust. We usually work in batches. 
    cilantro lime chicken thighs being cooked in a cast iron skillet
    cilantro lime chicken thighs being cooked in a cast iron skillet

    How To Serve 

    • Try rubbing the marinade on a whole chicken for a savory-citrusy roasted bird, or slather it on a meaty white fish like halibut before throwing it on the grill.
    • Take this Chicken Fajita Bowl to the next level by swapping these chicken thighs for the chicken breast.
    • In these cheery, rainbow-colored Chicken Street Tacos with Mango Slaw.
    • Make a big, cilantro-lime chicken-topped salad with lots of creamy avocado and this Thai Salad Dressing.
    • Our Simple Mole Chicken Enchiladas call for a store-bought rotisserie chicken, but would be so delicious if you used cilantro-lime chicken thighs instead.
    • Make Nachos! Shred the chicken up and spread it on top of a sheet pan covered with tortilla chips. Sprinkle with loads of cheese and pop it into the oven just until the cheese has melted.
    cilantro lime chicken thighs on a serving platter garnished with cilantro and lime wedges

    More Bright, Flavorful Chicken Dinner Ideas

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    Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

    Updated April 26, 2025

    By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  15 min
    • Calories:  370
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    Description

    Our reader-favorite cilantro lime chicken recipe gets its juicy, bright burst of flavor from a quick, and zesty marinade of lime, garlic, cilantro, and honey. Chicken thighs have never tasted better!

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 6 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 2 teaspoons lime zest
    • ¼ cup fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
    • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper. 

      olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper. in a glass bowl

    2. Add the chicken to the marinade, and turn to coat well. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

      chicken marinating in olive oil, garlic, honey, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl

    3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken thighs in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes per side. 

      cilantro lime chicken being cooked in a cast iron skillet

    4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

      cilantro lime chicken thighs on a serving platter garnished with cilantro and lime wedges

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 370
    • Protein 39 g
    • Carbohydrates 7 g
    • Total Fat 20 g
    • Dietary Fiber 1 g
    • Cholesterol 190 mg
    • Sodium 761 mg
    • Total Sugars 3 g

    Cilantro Lime Chicken

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Michelle

      Can I do this with bone in skin on thighs?

      Sure! They will take longer to cook so just be aware of that.

    • Amy

      Totally agree with Pam’s comments. Same experience. This one needs back to the drawing board as this wasn’t pleasant. Writing while cooking still so not sure it’s worth the cleanup of this black pan.

      So sorry that was also your experience. It's the honey in the marinade. We make this recipe all the time. It needs a non stick pan and the heat might've needed to be lowered so it didn't get brown as quickly.

    • Meg

      Can this meal be frozen and reheated at a later time?

      sure!

    • dev

      This looks so good! Any sides or veggie sides that you recommend?

      White or brown rice with perfectly roasted broccoli. Or you can use it in tacos or or fajita burritos bowls. Hope you enjoy!

    • Ana

      Can you roast these in the oven instead of cooking in a skillet?

      Sure! Hope you enjoy Ana!

    • Natalie

      I made this recipe before and didnt have skinless thighs so my crust burned. Other than that I had no issues and they were delicious.

      Glad you enjoyed Natalie!

    • Helen

      This was delicious! I saw some commenters experienced burning, so i seared both sides of the thighs in a pan finished them in a baking dish at 400 for 20 minutes, topped with the remaining marinade. Sooo good!

      Thanks Helen, so glad you loved it!

    • Leo

      I had this meal a couple nights ago and it was so nice and refreshing. This was a great chicken dinner to make it and I highly recommend it!

      Thanks Leo, so glad you loved it!

    • Leo

      I have not ever made this dish before but just by looking at it I can tell the chicken is Juicy and tender and beautiful and my family will definitely make it in the future.

      Hope you try it soon, thanks Leo!

    • Jenny

      Tastes delicious! 5/5 for flavour but docked a star because of the cooking method.

      I will warn this does burn very quickly on the pan. I've attempted this a few times with that cooking method with no success without it burning. Switched to baking in air fryer and it comes out beautifully! Would recommend that method for people that have had issues with burning.

      Thanks Jenny, we are so glad you enjoyed it. We haven't had that issue with burning. If we hear from others that has happened we will definitely retest it.