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An easy, flavor-packed way to get dinner on the table that everyone devours. You’ll simply marinate the chicken in cilantro and lime, sear it in a hot pan for crispy skins, and finish it off in the oven while you prep the sides.
Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken
I use my go-to cilantro lime marinade to add flavor to everything from chicken breasts to grilled shrimp, but it's especially perfect for chicken thighs. Just 20 minutes in the marinade infuses them with zesty lime, garlic, and fresh cilantro.
The sear-and-bake method locks in the juices, so you get that golden, crispy outside and tender inside. While the chicken finishes in the oven, I whip up a batch of cilantro lime rice for the ultimate weeknight win.
Ingredients
I marinate bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a zip bag with olive oil, lime juice and zest, garlic, honey, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cilantro. The lime tenderizes the chicken while the garlic, honey, and spices create a bright, smoky-sweet flavor that keeps every bite juicy and full of fresh cilantro-lime goodness.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Once the chicken is marinated, this recipe comes together easily with a quick sear and bake. Here's what to focus on:
- Marinate the chicken in a zip bag for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. You’ll discard the marinade in the bag later.
- Sear the chicken in an oven-safe skillet skin-side down first, then the underside. You're locking in flavor here, not cooking it through yet.
- Bake it in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
- Serve it up with rice, an extra squeeze of lime juice, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Or, go all out and make avocado salsa.
Getting Crispy Skins
You'll get perfectly crispy skin by searing the chicken skin-side down first to release the fat, then baking it skin-side up at 425°F, which keeps it golden, flavorful, and irresistibly crisp.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Cilantro lime rice, for serving
Instructions
Prep:
- Combine two tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice and zest, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and finely chopped cilantro in a large bowl or marinade bag.
- Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 1 hour. Once marinated, remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with the top oven rack positioned in the middle of the oven.
Cook:
- Sear the chicken in an oven-safe skillet by heating up 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, over medium-high heat, for about 6 minutes, without moving them from their spot. Flip the chicken thighs over and sear the bottom side for 3 minutes. The chicken will not be fully cooked, you'll finish it in the oven.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to the preheated oven and cook them for 17-20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 175F (79C). Remove the chicken from the oven.
- While the chicken cooks, cook the rice according to package directions. Squeeze some lime over the rice and toss with cilantro.
- Serve the chicken thighs with rice, with a lime wedge, and garnished with cilantro.
Beth says
Boom! I made this with some Mexican rice, and it was a hit.
Emily says
Cilantro lime is such a great combo of flavours for seasoning! I’m going to give this a try this evening on some tofu I’ve had pressed this afternoon!
Jackie says
These cilantro chicken thighs were soooo flavorful!
LInda says
These chicken thighs were incredibly flavorful! My family loved them, and I’ll definitely be making them again.
Joanne says
I looooove cilantro lime chicken! I’ll make this recipe tonight with your cilantro lime rice cuz it’s a go-to at my place since the very first time I made it!!