Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

This

creamy cilantro lime chicken

is a flavor-packed dinner that comes together in about 40 minutes—start to finish. Tender, juicy chicken simmered in a rich, zesty sauce. I promise, it’ll be a regular in your dinner rotation!

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Chicken

Quick and easy 1 pan meal
Extra tender, juicy chicken
Creamy, buttery and zesty sauce
A family favorite—it’ll be on your weekly rotation

Ingredients You Need

Chicken:

I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Make sure you pound them down to even thickness. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead, if desired. I’ve used both!
Olive Oil & Butter:

A combination of butter and olive oil are used for flavor for the base of the sauce.
Chicken Broth:

I always recommend using low sodium chicken broth as you can adjust the salt as you go.
Onion:

Your preference—yellow, white or red.
Lime Juice:

For the best flavor, use fresh lime juice.
Red Pepper Flakes:

Adds just a touch of heat, but feel free to reduce or increase the amount.
Heavy Cream:

Adding heavy cream helps create a creamy and rich sauce. To keep it dairy-free, you can use coconut milk or coconut cream.
Salt & Pepper:

A non negotiable!

In Photos: How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken

To start off, you’ll sear the chicken in a large
oven-safe skillet
until both sides are browned—the chicken won’t be cooked through and that’s fine. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Now, begin the sauce in the same pan. The juices and bits left behind from the chicken are key for flavor, do don’t clean the skillet before making the sauce!

Add the ingredients into the skillet and let it simmer and reduce until it thickens. Then, add the chicken back into the skillet and bake until the chicken is cooked through.

What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Chicken

We enjoy this chicken with a side of rice to soak up all the extra cilantro lime sauce, but it also goes well with
roasted asparagus
,
zucchini fritters
, my
favorite cornbread recipe
,
parmesan brussels sprouts
,
lemon garlic zucchini
, or
crusty no-knead bread
.

Easy Dinner Recipes

Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Lemon Garlic Salmon
Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
No-Boil Baked Penne Pasta & Meatballs

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

This creamy cilantro lime chicken is a flavor-packed dinner that comes together in about 40 minutes—start to finish. Tender, juicy chicken simmered in a rich, zesty sauce. I promise, it’ll be a regular in your dinner rotation!

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

5

minutes

minutes

Cook Time

40

minutes

minutes

Total Time

45

minutes

minutes

Servings

4

servings

Calories

448

kcal

Author

Christina

Ingredients

1 ½

pounds

boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1

Tablespoon

olive oil
¾

teaspoon

salt
½

teaspoon

black pepper
¼

cup

unsalted butter
½

cup

finely chopped red onion
2

cloves garlic
½

teaspoon

red pepper flakes
1 ¾

cups

chicken broth

low sodium
3

Tablespoons

fresh lime juice
3

Tablespoons

finely chopped fresh cilantro
½

cup

heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. If the chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them down so they’re even. This will ensure that the breasts cook through. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning once. You want the chicken browned on the outside—it won’t be cooked all the way through. Transfer the chicken to a plate until step 4.
Add the butter to skillet—gently scraping the bottom of the pan for the flavor bits from the chicken. Once melted, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Then, add the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth, lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil, uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by ½. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in the heavy cream.
Add the chicken back to the skillet, turning once to coat both sides with the sauce. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Using an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should be at least 165°F.
Serve chicken with cilantro lime sauce spooned on top and garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro, if desired.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a 3-4 days. You can reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:

Leftovers stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The cooled, baked chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Chicken:

You can use chicken breasts for chicken thighs—make sure they are pounded down to even thickness.
Heavy Cream:

You can use whole milk or half-and-half as a substitute but for the richest sauce, I recommend heavy cream.
Dairy-Free:

Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and coconut oil (or dairy-free butter) instead of butter.