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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I made these for my sons graduation party and they were amazing!! People thought I had them catered. I will be making these again for sure!
These look amazing, any advice for adapting this for bone-in skin-on thighs?
Thanks
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs take a bit longer to cook through so I recommend finishing these guys in the oven. Hope that helps, Amy!
Thanks for the tips! I decided to skip the pan and go straight for the roast; 425 for 40 minutes. The meat came out so tender, but the bottom skin was a little soggy, shouldn’t have skipped the pan sear. I absolutely love the flavor though, perfect for the crazy hot day today here in Chicago. Thanks for the recipe! This is going into the summer rotation 🙂
These were so good! Fast and easy. I added 1 tsp honey and loved it.
Great addition, Whitney! Thanks so much for sharing!
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! We are foodies and this dish was a definite keeper.
What kind of sides would taste great with this? Looking for some ideas to make a meal.
Our grilled corn with cilantro lime butter or the mini hasselback potatoes would be great with this! But please feel free to check out our side dish section here for more options. 🙂
I never leave reviews but had to because this was outstanding. The only tweak was I added 3 cloves of sliced garlic to the marinade. Also served the chicken with a dollop of plain greek yogurt. Thank you. Will be making this again!
Great additions, Karen! Thanks for sharing!
This is a new family favorite, for sure! We added garlic, as many others suggested, and sliced the grilled chicken to use it in tacos. My eleven-year-old son declared it his favorite out of all of the taco fillings in our rotation. Works well on a broiler, in a grill pan, on on the outdoor grill.
Excellent chicken! We added garlic (what’s not made better with garlic??) and ended up baking it for 20 minutes at 425 F after pan frying because we had the wrong heat setting on the stove. Still delicious and juicy!
Everything is better with garlic, right? Thanks for sharing! 🙂
So good! I’ve been making it with cilantro lime rice. Any suggestions on sauce for bowls or dressing for salad?
Thanks!
There are a variety of dressings in our salad recipes if you’d like to give them a try! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/category/salad/
So delicious that I’m compelled to leave a review. Moist and bursting with flavor. Will make weekly now. Do you have any other recipes that are equally good?
This is another favorite of mine, similar to this recipe! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2019/05/24/lemon-garlic-chicken-thighs/
Wow, just wow. I wish i could gave this 6 stars. This is the recipe that made star in yesterday’s party. The guests liked this dish so much that made feel real proud. In my opinion you are the real star changah.
Mexican St Tacos. *****
,Slow Cooker Butter Chicken *****,Quick Ramen Noodle Stir Fry*****,Instant Pot Chicken Stock*****,
I have made them all with total success!!!! I have transformed into a joyful person in the kitchen again thanks to your wonderful recipes. Thank you sooooo much. I look forward to continuing to enjoy my kitchen relationship. Signing up for your recipes came just at the right time….after 70 I needed a refresher.
Blanche, we absolutely love that! Thank you so much for sharing with us. We hope that you’ll continue to enjoy our recipes! 🙂
I love so many of your recipes and can’t wait to try this one soon. After step 2 could I freeze the marinated chicken to defrost and cook later?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Such a nice flavor! We are new to cilantro, but have a lot in the garden so we like finding recipes that need it. Everybody loved this one. We did it on a sheet pan.
Hi. Love your recipes & they always turn out amazing! Can I make the cilantro lime chicken thigh recipe on a sheet pan? Thank you.
Absolutely!
Thanks for this recipe, it was really yummy.
I never comment on your recipes but I’ve been coming here for years and you never disappoint! I know I can count on your recipes to deliver! My kids favorite recipes were found here and on my daughters birthday she asked for the lemon butter chicken instead of eating out! Thanks for all you do!
Turned out really yummy. Very flavourful.
Made this for dinner tonight on the bbq. I really liked it! Only marinated for 6 hours. I would do the full 24 hours next time and maybe add a little garlic.
The flavors are even better when marinated for longer! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight. It was a big hit! Very tender and flavorful. This recipe is definitely a keeper.