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Cilantro lime chicken thighs with lime slices.
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4.94 from 93 votes

Cilantro Lime Chicken

This cilantro lime chicken is incredibly juicy, bursting with bright flavors, and an easy weeknight dinner everyone will love. Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Marinate30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: baked chicken thighs, chicken thigh recipes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 limes zested and juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, whisk together two tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice and zest, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro. You can also pulse in a food processor until it's combined.
    Making cilantro lime chicken marinade in a bowl.
  • Marinate the chicken. Combine the marinade and chicken thighs in a bowl or shallow dish. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge. When the chicken is done marinating, take it out of the fridge and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
    Cilantro lime chicken marinating in a glass bowl.
  • Sear the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes with the skin side down, until they're golden brown. Then, flip the chicken and sear the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this point.
    Cilantro lime chicken seared in a skillet.
  • Bake the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken thighs for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C).
    A skillet of baked cilantro lime chicken thighs.
  • Garnish and serve. Remove the chicken from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, and garnish with extra lime slices and cilantro leaves before serving.
    Cilantro lime chicken thighs.

Video

Notes

  • Storage tip: Leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
  • I always recommend using a meat thermometer since most ovens vary as much as 50 degrees in temperature.
  • Experiment with different chili powders in this recipe (and always feel free to add a little more!). Grocery stores are now carrying different varieties of chili powder like guajillo or chipotle.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg