Description
Whipping up one pan cilantro lime chicken brings zesty Mexican-inspired flavors straight to your dinner table with minimal cleanup. Tender chicken breasts sizzle with tangy lime and fresh cilantro, creating a quick and delicious meal that’ll have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cooking and Garnishing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 medium scallions
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl.
- Thoroughly coat your 1 pound chicken thighs in the seasoned oil mixture, ensuring each piece is completely covered.
- Preheat a skillet to medium heat for 2-3 minutes before adding the marinated chicken thighs.
- Place chicken thighs into the hot skillet, along with the 3 medium scallion pieces cut into 1-inch lengths.
- Cook chicken for 5-6 minutes on the first side until a deep golden brown develops.
- Carefully flip the chicken and continue cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove skillet from heat and immediately scatter 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro across the hot chicken.
- Transfer chicken to serving plates and garnish with fresh lime wedges alongside the dish.
Notes
- Check chicken thighs for even thickness to ensure consistent cooking and prevent dry spots.
- Pat chicken dry before marinating to help the spices adhere better and create a nice golden-brown crust.
- Use a cast iron skillet for deeper flavor and more even heat distribution during cooking.
- Swap chicken thighs with chicken breasts if preferred, but adjust cooking time to prevent overcooking and drying out the meat.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 to 4
- Calories: 245 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 464 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg