This CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN is a quick and flavorful way to get chicken on the dinner table. It can be grilled, baked, or cooked on the stove. This is perfect on it’s own, or chop the chicken up to use in a taco salad!
Big, bold flavors with minimal work is basically my favorite kind of dinner!
Who doesn’t love something that’s bursting with flavor, but also super simple to toss together?
We use a quick and easy cilantro lime chicken marinade and then cook the chicken in a skillet or toss it on the grill. Either way, the chicken turns out juicy and flavorful.
Serve this up with our Mexian cauliflower rice and a side of pork rinds and keto guacamole. Or chop your chicken into small pieces and add it to our keto taco salad!
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade:
This marinade is quick, simple, and it works fast.
You’ll need:
Oil – Olive oil or avoado oil are preferred.
Lime Juice – Fresh is best, but you can use the bottled stuff.
Cilantro – Freshly minced for the best flavor.
Spices – We’re using a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt.
How long to marinate chicken:
You’ll only need one hour for this marinade to soak into the chicken, but we like to go for 2-4 hours for maximum flavor.
We don’t recommend keeping chicken in marinade for longer than 24 hours. The texture starts to get a bit funky, in our opinion.
How to cook marinated chicken:
This cilantro lime chicken can be grilled, sauteed, or even baked!
To grill, remove the chicken from the marinade and grill on each side over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
To saute, heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (like cast iron) over medium heat with a bit of oil. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
To bake, spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
How to tell when chicken is done:
Chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
It should be firm and white with clear juices.
The safest and best way to tell your chicken is done is to use a thermomter.
We use, love, and highly recommend this ThermoPro instant thermometer. It’s budget-friendly, super fast, and I love that it’s magnetic. We stick it on the side of the fridge so it’s easy to grab anytime we need it.
More low carb chicken recipes:
- Roasted Chicken Breast
- Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Keto Chicken Enchilada Skillet
- Keto Chicken Parmesan
- Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
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Cilantro Lime Chicken
This cilantro lime chicken marinade is quick, easy, and packs in loads of flavor. We like to let this marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, about 5 ounces each
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Pound out the chicken to an even thickness. Place in a shallow dish or ziptop bag.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the remaining ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Pour over the chicken and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with additional cilantro, if desired.
Notes
This chicken can also be cooked on the grill over medium heat, 6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
To bake, cook chicken in a rimmed dish at 425 degres for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 576mgCarbohydrates: 2gNet Carbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 11g
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Wow!! I just made this tonight. It was absolutely delicious! And you know what? My husband doesn’t “like” lime chicken. He ate 2 big pieces (I made it with thighs). Thank you for this recipe, Karly!
Love to hear that!