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Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro lime chicken with a garlicky marinade and char-grilled flavor. Juicy chicken thighs are grilled until caramelized and cooked through to 165°F, then rested and finished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.333 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp lime zest
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • fresh cilantro for serving
  • lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cilantro lime marinade
  1. In a bowl, combine fresh lime juice, lime zest, chopped fresh cilantro, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Whisk until the marinade is well blended and the spices look evenly distributed.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Place chicken thighs in the marinade, making sure they are coated.
  2. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Lift chicken from the marinade and shake off excess marinade.
  3. Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, until caramelized and cooked through to 165°F.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest grilled chicken for 5 minutes off the heat.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the juiciest thighs, let the chicken marinate covered in the refrigerator and keep it from sitting at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended for best texture. If you want a dairy-free, no-swap version, this recipe is already dairy-free—just double-check any store-bought chili powder for additives if needed.