These cilantro lime chicken thighs are the perfect chicken to incorporate into your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex recipes. The secret is all in my super tasty cilantro lime chicken marinade! I love to use these juicy and flavorful chicken thighs for tacos, chimichangas, quesadillas, burrito bowls, taquitos, and more!
Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
My family is absolutely hooked on these tangy chicken thighs! They're a great recipe to use when you don't have a ton of time and want a break from the usual ground beef tacos!
Allow a little time for these chicken thighs to soak in the cilantro lime marinade, and the rest is done in a flash! They're a super easy dinner to make, and the whole family will love them too!
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These pan-fried chicken thighs will work with any of my delicious chicken marinades! Check out my full collection of chicken marinades right here!
🥘 Cilantro Lime Chicken Thigh Ingredients
All it takes to make these juicy chicken thighs is the chicken and my super easy cilantro lime marinade. It's made with simple ingredients that you might even have on hand already!
- Cilantro - 4 tablespoons of cilantro or a cilantro substitute (fresh, finely chopped stems and leaves). Plus, more for garnish if desired.
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Lime Juice - 2 tablespoons of lime juice (freshly squeezed, including the pulp).
- Garlic - 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced.
- Red Pepper Flakes - ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Salt & Pepper -½ teaspoon each of salt & pepper (more or less to taste).
- Chicken Thighs - 4 chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Lime Wedges (optional) - Lime wedges for garnish if desired.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Once you marinate the chicken thighs, you can pan-fry them on the stovetop or bake them in the oven (both methods are equally delicious)! For the marinade, you will need a mixing bowl and a whisk.
If pan-frying the chicken, you will need a large skillet and some metal tongs, and if you are baking the chicken thighs, you'll need a baking sheet.
This recipe makes 4 juicy chicken thighs, but you could easily double it if needed!
Cilantro Lime Marinade for Chicken
- Combine the ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice (with pulp), 3 cloves of finely minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon each of salt & pepper.
- Marinate the chicken. Whisk the marinade ingredients together until thoroughly combined, then place 4 chicken thighs in the bowl of marinade and turn the chicken pieces to coat them well. Allow the chicken to soak for at least an hour (longer is always better, but an hour will work).
Pan Fried Chicken Thighs
- Sear the chicken. After marinating the chicken thighs for an hour or more, heat a large skillet or frying pan to medium-high heat. Once the skillet or frying pan is nice and hot, add the chicken (marinade and all) and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Cover and cook. Cook both sides until they take on a nice golden coloring, then cover the skillet or frying pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the cilantro lime chicken thighs, covered on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Check for doneness. Check the cooking chicken for done-ness and remove any fully cooked pieces. My smaller thighs may be done at this 10-minute mark, while my largest chicken thighs can take another 5 minutes of cooking while covered.
- Serve. Remove the thighs from the skillet or frying pan and serve immediately, with optional garnish, if desired (I like to squeeze fresh lime on our chicken tacos!).
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Prep. To cook your cilantro lime chicken thighs in the oven, preheat your oven to 425 ºF ( 220 ºC ). Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Bake. Place the marinated chicken thighs on the baking sheet and transfer them to the center of your preheated oven. The chicken thighs are done in about 20 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 ºF (75 ºC) as read by a digital meat thermometer.
These succulent chicken thighs are delicious as they are, or you can dice, shred, or chop them to add to your favorite Mexican recipes! Take a look at my post on what to serve with chicken for side dish suggestions. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- The minimum amount of time I recommend marinating your chicken thighs is 1 hour. As always, the longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavor it will absorb! Typically, I try to marinate it for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Freezing the chicken in the marinade will give your chicken thighs even more flavor! I highly recommend trying it if you are planning your dinners in advance.
- It is also an option to place your oven-safe skillet in a preheated oven at 425ºF (220 ºC) and finish your chicken thighs in the oven after they have been pan-seared. Allow the chicken to cook, uncovered, in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches 165°F (74°C) as outlined on my page about chicken internal temperatures.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once cooled, place leftover cilantro lime chicken thighs in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. The marinade itself (before adding the chicken) can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Freezing Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
You can freeze the chicken thighs in the marinade for up to 1 month before cooking. Once the chicken thighs have been cooked and cooled, they can also be frozen in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Before reheating, defrost frozen chicken thighs in the fridge overnight. If uncooked, cook as directed. If cooked, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes. For this recipe, you can use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs, but remember that chicken breasts tend to dry out faster than chicken thighs. If you're using chicken breasts, adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Your favorite side dishes to serve with chicken will be tasty with these thighs. Mexican flavors will pair particularly well! You can also shred, dice, or chop the chicken thighs and add them to soups, burritos, quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, and more!
Yes, you can freeze cilantro lime chicken thighs after they have been cooked. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C).
More Tasty Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Fajitas - Juicy strips of chicken and sliced bell peppers come together in this classic Mexican dish.
- Crockpot Whole Chicken - You'll never want store-bought rotisserie chicken again once you try this super easy crockpot whole chicken recipe!
- Sous Vide Chicken Breasts - Sous vide chicken breasts are incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful!
- Chicken Schnitzel - Thin chicken cutlets coated in breadcrumbs and fried until extra crispy!
- Grilled Chicken Tenders - This recipe is a copycat of the signature grilled chicken tenders from Cracker Barrel!
- Baked Chicken Wings - A recipe for perfectly cooked chicken wings in the oven that you can toss with your favorite wing sauce!
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📖 Recipe Card
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 tablespoon lime juice (fresh, squeezed, include the pulp)
- 4 tablespoon cilantro (fresh, finely chopped stems and leaves)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- lime wedges & cilantro (for garnish, if desired)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Cilantro Lime Marinade for Chicken
- Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl: whisk the olive oil, lime juice (and pulp), cilantro, finely minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Place the chicken thighs into the marinade and allow to marinate for at least an hour.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan to medium high heat. Once heated, add the marinated chicken and sear both sides for 3-4 minutes until they get a nice bit of color. When both sides have seared and have a nice golden color, cover the skillet or frying pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and check the thighs for done-ness after about 10 - 15 minutes (our smaller pieces were done at this 10 minute mark, the largest took an additional 5 minutes cooking covered at medium heat).
- Remove from heat and serve immediately, with optional garnish of lime wedges and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- The minimum amount of time I recommend marinating your chicken thighs is 1 hour. As always, the longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavor it will absorb! Typically, I try to marinate it for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Freezing the chicken in the marinade will give your chicken thighs even more flavor! I highly recommend trying it if you are planning your dinners in advance.
- It is also an option to place your oven-safe skillet in a preheated oven at 425ºF (220 ºC) and finish your chicken thighs in the oven after they have been pan-seared. Allow the chicken to cook, uncovered, in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches 165°F (74°C) as outlined on my page about chicken internal temperatures.
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