Cilantro Lime Chicken is both simple and flavorful! Pair it with cilantro-lime rice and mango avocado salsa for a fresh and delicious meal.
author’s note
I Make This Chicken on Repeat for a Reason!
This cilantro lime chicken has been one of the most loved recipes on my site for years. I’ve gotten so many kind messages and rave reviews about it, which makes my day every time. I always love hearing how much you enjoy it because it’s one of my personal favorites too, and a big hit with my family.
Even though there are a few parts to it, the chicken, salsa, and rice, it all comes together really nicely. I usually get the chicken marinating earlier in the day, then have my husband throw it on the grill while I prep the salsa and rice. If I know the evening will be busy, I’ll make the salsa ahead of time and just add the avocado right before serving.
It’s one of those meals that feels restaurant-quality but still light and fresh, which I absolutely love. It’s packed with flavor, has simple prep, and is one I know everyone will happily eat and love.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Chicken breasts or thighs | Both work well and stay juicy in this marinade. Thighs are extra forgiving if you like darker meat. |
| Fresh lime juice + zest | Bottled juice works in a pinch, but fresh gives the best flavor. |
| Orange juice | Pineapple juice also works and adds a fun twist. |
| Cilantro | If you are not a cilantro fan, try flat leaf parsley instead. |
| Honey | Maple syrup works too. |
| Olive oil | Use a good quality oil for best flavor. |
| Cumin | Chili powder works for a slightly different flavor profile. |
How To Make Cilantro-Lime Chicken
- Whisk together the marinade: Remove about 1/2 cup of the marinade (use it later).
- Prep chicken: You want to pound chicken breasts to an even thickness so they’ll cook evenly later on. This is best accomplished by a meat mallet.
- Marinate: Place the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
- Cook: Grill, bake, or saute the chicken until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Baste: As you cook the chicken, brush it occasionally with the reserved marinade mix.
Quick Tip
Mangoes have a large pit inside and that makes it tricky to slice them. Here’s a helpful visual guide: how to cut a mango.
Chelsea’s recipe tips
My Top Tips For Success
- Even thickness = even cooking: Slice the chicken in half or pound it so it cooks evenly and soaks up more marinade.
- Oil the grill: Soak a paper towel in oil (I use canola), grab it with tongs, and rub it on the grates so the chicken doesn’t stick.
- Preheat the grill: A hot grill gives the chicken a better sear and keeps it juicy.
- Marinade: While it cooks, brush on the reserved marinade for extra flavor.
- Let it rest: Tent with foil and rest for 5–10 mins before slicing to keep it juicy.
Featured Comment
“This is literally the best dinner recipe ever! Everyone that has tried this (paired with the coconut lime rice and mango avocado salsa) say it is restaurant quality and it is one of the best things they’ve ever tasted! You must try this! My husband requests it often.”
– Bree
Storage
Let the chicken cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the mango avocado salsa separately and use within 1 day. Reheat chicken gently.
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Sides:
Fruit Salads
Peach Fruit Salad
Salads
Mandarin Orange Salad
Side Dishes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Side Dishes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 batch mango-avocado salsa
- cilantro-lime rice or coconut-lime rice, optional
Instructions
- Zest orange and lime with a zester to get 1 teaspoon of zest from each. Juice them using a citrus juicer to get 3/4 cup orange juice and 1/3 cup lime juice.
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade and pour the rest into a large resealable bag.
- Trim chicken of fat. Pound chicken to even thickness or slice in half to get evenly sized breasts and place in bag with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and flip the bag halfway through. Marinate for up to 6 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 450°F and lightly oil the grill grate or grill pan. Place the marinated chicken on the grill, discarding any leftover marinade. For baking or pan-searing options, refer to the "Alternate Cooking Methods" section in the full post.
- Grill for 10–12 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperature is 165℉ (see note 1). Flip chicken halfway and brush it generously with reserved 1/2 cup marinade.
- Prepare mango-avocado salsa.
- If desired, prepare cilantro-lime or coconut rice.
- Serve grilled chicken over a bed of rice (if prepared) and top with mango-avocado salsa. Enjoy immediately!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cilantro Lime Chicken FAQs
Thirty minutes gives good flavor, but 4 hours is the sweet spot. Longer than 24 hours can toughen the meat.
Yes. You pulled it out before adding raw chicken, so it never touched raw meat.
Always pull chicken at 165°F in the thickest part for juicy results.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Use a thermometer to check doneness. Chicken should reach 165°F. Undercooked chicken isn’t safe and overcooked chicken turns dry.
- Baked: Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Bake chicken about 18 minutes, flipping halfway. Tent with foil and rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Sautéed: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken 4 to 6 minutes per side, brushing with reserved marinade as it cooks. Transfer to a clean plate, tent with foil, and rest 5 to 10 minutes.
Variations
Fun Serving Twists
- Street-style tacos: Shred the chicken, pile into warm corn tortillas, and top with pickled onions.
- Burrito bowls: Layer cilantro-lime rice, black beans, grilled corn, and chopped chicken. Finish with lime crema.
- Stuffed sweet potatoes: Split a baked sweet potato, fill with chicken, mango salsa, and a drizzle of hot honey.
- Quesadilla: Thinly slice leftovers and press with Pepper Jack between tortillas
This was so delicious!
Yay!
This looks delicious and I will have to try it sometime!! Love grilled chicken and your marinade sounds good.
Any chance you could include the nutrition analysis for the recipe? I need to know the the number of grams for the fat, carbohydrates, sugars and proteins for macros in a carb-cycling diet. Thank you!
Hey Lisa! Slowly working through all my posts to get this added, I’ll add this to the list to get through today 🙂
I’d like to include this recipe in my diet. Do you have the nutrition analysis of the recipe? I need to know the macros in order to include this recipe – fats, proteins, sugars and carbs – all per serving size. Thank you for your help!
I found this on Pinterest a while back and I’m so glad I did – this seriously is so yummy, it’s one of our favorite meals! We don’t have a grill (apartment life) so I use my cast iron grill pan and it works perfect! I always double this recipe so we can have leftovers. 🙂
I am so happy to hear this Katie! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
This is now a staple in my house. I LOVE IT! So tasty and refreshing
I am so happy to hear you loved this Cilantro Lime Chicken so much! Thanks so much for your comment Jamila! 🙂
One of the best dishes I’ve ever put together! The salsa is phenomenal and would even be good as a snack 🙂 thanks so much for the recipe!
So thrilled to hear that! Thanks Melissa 🙂
Made this tonight for my family, and they loved it! It was so easy to prepare. Thank you for a delicious recipe. I will be making this again. I added Mexican street corn for a side. Even the kids had seconds.
Thanks so much for your comment Angela! I’m so happy you and your family loved this cilantro lime chicken so much! I definitely need to start pairing it with Mexican street corn as a side! 🙂
I’m excited to make this for meal prep! Is the calorie count listed, including the rice? Thanks!!
I hope you love it! Calories don’t include the rice
This was delicious! I didn’t grill the mango and I cooked the chicken in a cast iron pan! Yummy!