Juicy and zesty cilantro lime marinated chicken! Packed with fresh cilantro, lime, and garlic, it’s the perfect chicken recipe for grilling or baking. Simple, fresh, easy and seriously delicious!
I love grilling season! This cilantro lime marinated chicken is perfect for those nights you want to just throw something easy on the grill. And if it's not grilling season (which it isn't for the majority of the year here in Minnesota), this perfectly marinated chicken can also be baked up in your oven.
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Reasons to Love This Recipe
- Flavor packed - Say good-bye to boring chicken breasts and hello to this flavorful cilantro lime marinated chicken. It has just the right touch of garlic, cilantro, and lime that really elevates standard chicken.
- Great for meal prep - Make a big batch of this chicken, along with my southwest quinoa salad, and enjoy throughout the week.
- Easy - Takes just minutes to whisk together this marinade and add the chicken. And if you love easy, try my one-dish fajitas or chicken sausage sheet pan dinner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The total amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
- Chicken breasts – I use boneless chicken breasts, but you could absolutely use chicken thighs as well.
- Olive oil – Use a good quality olive oil for best taste, to avoid unrefined oils, and to get the most health benefits. Avocado oil can also be used.
- Fresh lime juice & lime zest - Use fresh lime juice and not the lime juice you can buy in the plastic lime. You also need the zest from a fresh lime.
- Fresh cilantro – You will need fresh cilantro, not the dried kind. Opt for organic if it's an option as cilantro is know to contain high amounts of pesticides.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is recommended, but you can sub ½ tsp. of garlic powder if needed.
- Salt and cumin - Fine sea salt and organic cumin (you never know what you are getting with conventional spices - from additives to the way the herbs/spices are grown, I always buy organic to ensure it's in it's purest form) are what I recommend.
Clean food tip: I highly recommend organic chicken if that’s an option for you. But at a minimum, look for chicken that was raised without antibiotics. I also like to look for additional certifications, like "Certified Humane Raised and Handled" or "Global Animal Partnership" to ensure the animals were treated humanely.
Variations
For a spicy marinade, add 1-2 tsp. sriracha or some red pepper flakes.
Make a honey lime marinade by adding in 2 tablespoons of raw honey to the marinade.
For a bold, smoky flavor, add in 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (this would be great if your making for burrito/taco bowls).
How to Make (Grilled or Baked)
- Start by making the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin in medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add chicken breasts to the bowl with the marinade and fully coat all pieces. You could also transfer the chicken and the marinade to a Ziplock bag or Stasher bag (I love these as an eco-friendly replacement to plastic) to let marinate.
- Cover and place in fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. I typically try to let the chicken marinate for a few hours.
To grill: When ready, preheat the grill to about 400-425 degrees F. Next, grill chicken for roughly 6-8 minutes on each side. Total cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken breasts are. Chicken should be cooked to 165-degrees F.
To bake: If wan to bake the chicken, preheat oven to 400-degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165-degrees F. Baking time will vary pending how thick the chicken breasts are.
💭 Expert Tip
Let chicken sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking. It will help the chicken to cook more evenly and help to trap in the juices.
What to Serve with this Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Hands down, homemade guacamole is the perfect complement to this cilantro lime marinated chicken!
- I’m a sucker for a good salad, and this zesty quinoa salad, cucumber radish salad, Asian cabbage salad, or kale and Brussels sprouts salad would be perfect.
- If you’re grilling, you could try this grilled vegetable pasta salad.
- Or any of these more classic sides: air fryer roasted sweet potatoes, crispy smashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, creamy coleslaw.
Storing Leftovers
Any leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don't forget to share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama!
Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara
Cilantro Lime Marinated Chicken
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Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl or large Ziplock bag
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh, chopped cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 tsp.)
- 2 limes juiced + the zest of 1 lime
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1.5-2 lbs. chicken breasts
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, salt, and pepper in medium sized mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can also add this to a gallon size Ziplock bag (or other sealed bag).
- Place chicken breasts in the bowl (or bag) with the marinade and ensure all the chicken is coated. Cover (or seal) and place in fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- To Grill: Preheat grill to 400-425 degrees F. Take chicken out of fridge and allow to sit at room temp while grill is preheating. Grill chicken on each side for roughly 6-8 minutes, or until internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165-degrees F. Total cooking time will vary pending how large your chicken breasts are.
- To Bake: Preheat oven to 400-degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165-degrees F. Baking time will vary pending how thick the chicken breasts are.
Notes
- If your chicken breasts are on the larger side, feel free to cut them in half. They will cook faster this way, and I find they retain their juices better.
- You can sub chicken thighs for the chicken breasts if you’d like. Chicken thighs take longer to cook than chicken breasts, so use a meat thermometer to ensure you cook the thighs to 165-degrees F. The total cooking time will depend on how large the thighs are.
- For even cooking and juicier chicken, allow chicken to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking.
Nutrition
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‘Shelby Ellis
This recipe is amazing!! So simple and so flavorful....Thank you!!!!
Sara
So glad you like it! And thanks for taking the time to leave a note, I appreciate that!
Birgit A.
Delightful and easy dish!
Sara
Thanks so much!