Cilantro Lime Chicken
This cilantro lime chicken is a fast, fresh, and flavorful 15-minute skillet dinner. Juicy chicken breasts are seared and finished with bright lime juice, garlic, warm spices, and fresh cilantro for a healthy, gluten-free meal perfect for weeknights, meal prep, or tacos.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- meat mallet
- Zester
Ingredients
- 1–1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- optional sliced avocado or red onion, for serving
Instructions
- Pound the chicken to even thickness. In a small bowl, mix cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of the chicken evenly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (165°F).
- Add minced garlic during the last minute of cooking and sauté for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Pour lime juice and lime zest into the skillet. Let it sizzle and deglaze the pan, spooning the juice over the chicken for about 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Flip chicken to coat evenly and serve immediately.
Notes
Add the cilantro off the heat to keep it vibrant and fresh. This chicken is excellent served with rice, in salads, or sliced for tacos.