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Cilantro lovers unite! This perfect combo of tangy, acidic lime and fresh, slightly peppery cilantro is one that I turn back to time and time again, whatever the season. While cilantro-lime rice is one thing, these chicken thighs marinated in lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro are on a whole other level. This dish is easy enough for a weeknight, but tasty enough for a date night, and oh-so versatile. Here, I’m just serving the chicken over white rice, but it would be just as good shredded into tacos or a burrito bowl with all your favorite toppings.
What People Are Saying:
“My husband and I absolutely LOVE this recipe! So easy to make and delicious! We even mix a little lime juice and cilantro into the rice to make it even more tasty.” - rwe4935
The first thing we need to do here is to season and marinate the chicken. Toss together oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and the spices into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Once the chicken is coated, pop the bowl into the fridge and let it sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours to marinate. I recommend letting the chicken marinate for the full 2 hours for a stronger flavor.
Once the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven and, as it heats, heat a large ovenproof skillet on the stovetop with 2 tablespoons of oil. Remove the chicken from the fridge and season each thigh with salt and pepper, then add each thigh to the hot skillet, skin side down, and add in the rest of the marinade. Sear the skin for 6 minutes until golden and crispy. The key to achieving a perfect golden brown skin is to let the chicken sit without moving it for the whole 6 minutes. You can tell the skin is done when you are able to flip the thigh without the skin sticking to the skillet. Flip each thigh and cook for another 2 minutes.
Then transfer the skillet into the hot oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the skillet from the oven and serve the cooked thighs over white rice with the pan drippings for extra flavor and an optional topping of more cilantro and lime wedges.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Allow your leftovers to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container and placing the container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to make the rice ahead of time, cooked white rice can keep in the fridge for up to 6 days.
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Juice of 2 limes
freshly chopped cilantro
cloves garlic, minced
cumin
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooked white rice, for serving
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