Cilantro Lime Chicken
Check out this fresh and delicious recipe for Cilantro Lime Chicken!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 5 medium cloves garlic
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice the juice of about 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 2 pounds
- 2 Tablespoons diced fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems optional, for garnish
Instructions
- To a food processor, add the 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, and red chili flakes to make the marinade. Pulse to combine.
- Wash and dry the chicken thighs, and place them in a large ziploc bag or in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the thighs, and turn the thighs to coat them in the marinade. Let the chicken marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to one day.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C).
- Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and discard the remaining marinade. Pour the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil into the pan, and swirl to coat. Saute the chicken for 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads at least 165 F on a meat thermometer.
- Serve with additional lime wedges and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro.
Notes
You can cook these fully on the stovetop if you’d prefer. Simply saute them over medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of each chicken thigh reaches a minimum of 165 F on a meat thermometer.