Cilantro Lime Chicken

The delicious marinade used in making Cilantro Lime Chicken is great for baking or grilling. The lime juice, garlic, and fresh cilantro only needs to mingle with the chicken for an hour to infuse those great flavors. The flavors of lime and cilantro are light and fresh…a summertime favorite.

Marinating the chicken first packs all the flavor into the chicken. Then, cook the chicken for a summer-fresh meal in your oven, on the stove top, or on the grill.

For the sake of this recipe, I roasted mine in the oven at a high heat. This allows for a good seal on the outside, which makes the inside tender and juicy.

Making Cilantro Lime Chicken

In a bowl or large Ziplock bag, mix the ingredients for the marinade; olive oil, lime juice, halved garlic, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper.

Give it a mix, then add the four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Of course, you can use legs or thighs, too.

Whichever pieces of chicken you use, it’s best to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is considered done when the inside reaches 165°, but we’re not quite there yet.

Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, allowing all those delicious flavors to infuse themselves into the meat. If not fully submerged, turn chicken over about half way.

This is going to be so good.

Roasting Chicken Breasts

Preheat the oven to 450°. Yes, that’s hot, but we want the inside moist and juicy. Cooking it longer in a cooler oven can dry out the bird.

If you want fall-apart chicken, I recommend the slow cooker, such as my Honey Garlic Chicken or Apricot Chicken. But for today, it’s all about the oven.

Grab a baking dish and line it with foil, which makes cleanup easier. I have to cook AND clean, so I take all the shortcuts I can.

Place the chicken on the foil and roast in the oven uncovered for 15 – 20 minutes. Reminder; meat thermometer should say 165°.

The five minute range is due to all the variables; size of breasts, the chicken being cold or room temperature, and how accurate your oven is. This is why it’s good to use a meat thermometer.

Once it’s done, remove from the oven and immediately cover with foil. Let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes while you get the rest of dinner ready. This keeps the bird hot and moist before you cut into them.

Serving Roasted Chicken

This recipe is great for serving with rice or mashed potatoes, inside tacos, or over salads.

Serve them on their own with a veggie, such as Oven Roasted Asparagus, or throw some into a bowl with pasta. Scrumptious!

Leftovers? Reheat with a little butter in the microwave or in a covered saucepan. You can also slice some cold into a sandwich. Yummy.

And if you love the combination of cilantro and lime, check out my Cilantro Lime Baked Salmon.

If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

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