Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
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This is truly the most AMAZING zesty cilantro-lime marinade ever. And the chicken comes out perfectly juicy and tender.
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Perfect seasoning mixture. The longer you marinate, the better. I also like to sear them on the frying pan with oil and then bake to finish cooking them so that they are extra crispy on the outside.
Guys. It was 25 degrees F this morning. I am seriously so over it. We’re about to head into April! And it was 60 degrees just a few days ago. Where’s the Spring weather, Chicago? I’m ready for grilling season!
But I guess for now, I’ll have to settle for the grill pan. Because these cilantro lime chicken thighs cannot wait for this Chicago warm weather everyone has been promising this LA native. Nope. This marinade is too epic to be waiting. The marinade made with fresh cilantro, olive oil, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
It’s simple, it’s quick, and it yields the most flavorful, zesty chicken thighs one can ask for.
Simply throw these bad boys on a grill pan or a hot grill (for those of you with actual Spring weather!) and serve with rice or use for tacos, bowls, or salads.
tips and tricks for success
- Work in batches. An overcrowded pan can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each chicken.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice. While bottled lime juice can work in a pinch, freshly squeezed is ideal here for its vibrant, stronger flavors.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through
what to serve with cilantro lime chicken
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
If you do not have a cast iron grill pan, you can also use a large cast iron skillet.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium high heat.* Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Serve immediately.
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Notes
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After seeing this on your IG a few times, I finally bought the ingredients. I doubled the recipe because you have never disappointed me before. This was a HOME RUN! I made it exactly as you’ve specified, letting it marinate for 5 hours. My family of 6 — that includes 4 teenagers — couldn’t not get enough. Thank you for another ahhhhh-mazing dinner to add to my rotation.
Saw in IG your hubby was grilling this over the weekend. Made it for the first time and it was awesome! Husband and teenage son went to town 🙂 (note: I came up a little short on the lime zest but otherwise followed to a T)
Made the orher day. It. came out AMAZING. going to make again very soon.
This is sooooooo good! Hubby loves it!
Delicious! I added some crushed garlic to the marinade which we like!
This recipe was AMAZING!!! I’ve tried making cilantro lime chicken before and it was a ton of ingredients and annoying. But this was so good and easy. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and made lettuce wraps. DELICIOUS!!!
No Joke! I made this marinade, minus the lime and cilantro. I used the juice of 1 lemon in place of the lime and no zest was used.
I was looking for a Fajita marinade and this was very close to what I had used decades ago, so I made the change I stated above but also added 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar to make fajita chicken.
How did it come out? It was fantastic. There are a couple additional tweaks I need to make. 1 is to add a chopped Jalapeno and the other is to cut the cumin to 1/2 tsp. I think that will be perfect for my next go around.
As for actually making Cilantro-Lime, I think I would also cut the cumin to 1/2 tsp and make sure to add the 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Loved this! My boyfriend told me to triple the recipe for next time!
Outstanding! I wouldn’t change a thing.
This recipe was excellent, works with chicken breast too(I would recommend slicing them in half). The only thing I would add is a little bit of sugar of some kind because the marinade can get a little on the salty side, and I added a little cayenne for some more heat.
This marinade was amazing!! So happy I stumbled across your page. I let mine marinate for a full 24 hours and pan cooked them making them nice and crispy. Tasted great paired up with some cilantro lime rice. Next time I think I will use this chicken for tacos, ahh so many possibilities I will have to make it again next week!
Delicious, juicy, tasty and soooo satisfying! I’ll make it again and again for my family.
Love these chicken thighs so much! Love them by themselves or in burrito bowls, tacos, etc.
Perfect seasoning mixture. The longer you marinate, the better. I also like to sear them on the frying pan with oil and then bake to finish cooking them so that they are extra crispy on the outside.
Marinaded over night.
I actually added some fresh garlic to my marinade along with a couple splashes of soy sauce instead of the salt and added a little bit of my fresh honey too. Im going to be searing these in a hot frying pan but I’m sure the grill would be the best. But I think they’ll still be very tasty and I’m also going to prepare some saffron yellow rice on side and sliced tomato and avqcado.
I’ll let you know how it is.
Oh my goodness they were very tasty!!
Sounds delicious. I have been cooking your Instant Pot Lemon Chicken with great success. Damn delicious! I’m assuming I can follow those directions with the IP with this recipe?
Absolutely! Let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Big winner last night! Thank you for the great recipe.
I stumbled across this recipe in June and have easily made this 7 or 8 times. I use chicken breasts and pounded them out to be even and they are delicious!! I’ve been serving it with rice and broiled parmesan asparagus.
What a great way to serve it, Courtney!
Hey Jana, or any one really lol. This may sound stupid, but what is the Lime Zest? Is that something I would make myself? I know I could google it, but I want to make sure I have the exact thing used in this recipe 🙂
Lime zest is the outer green layer of peel, and the easiest tool for creating fine lime zest for cooking is a microplane.
DELICIOUS. My husband said it was restaurant quality. I even used chicken breasts, marinated for just over 1 hour, and they were still moist and flavorful. I will be making this again!
So glad I seen a comment about using chicken breasts! That’s what I plan on using. I wanted to see if anyone else did, and if it turned out well. 🙂
This is easy and so delicious. Love this recipe.
I made this tonight and it came out excellent. It will go into our rotation.. thank you for sharing