Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
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Our Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade is a flavorful combination of fresh cilantro, zesty lime juice, garlic, and other spices. The result is a tangy, herbaceous, and juicy dish that’s perfect any time of year! Instructions for how to grill, bake, slow cook, pressure cook, and even freeze the marinated chicken are included.
“This Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade is our favorite!! It is so full of flavor and so delicious! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” – Shannon
We agree with Shannon. This is one of our favorite chicken marinades.
The cilantro, lime, and garlic marry together to create this fresh, citrusy Chicken Marinade. While delicious on its own, it can be served in chicken tacos, over Baked Nachos, or in a Mexican Salad.
Ingredients
Marinating chicken is THE key to infusing flavor into typically lean, bland poultry cuts. Here is what you need for this marinade recipe:
- Avocado oil or olive oil – The base for almost any chicken marinade.
- Juice and zest of 2 limes – We highly recommend using fresh limes for marinades. The store-bought kind just doesn’t have the same flavor in our opinion.
- Chopped fresh Cilantro – One of our favorite fresh herbs! Chop up the leaves AND stems for this marinade. Here are some great tips on how to chop cilantro.
- Garlic cloves – I almost always have a jar of minced garlic in my fridge. It’s such a time saver for recipes like these.
- Ground cumin – A seasoning common to most Mexican recipes.
- Salt & red pepper flakes – Don’t worry, it doesn’t make it too spicy.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs – This is our preferred cut of poultry for marinating because it’s so easy to work with and cooks quickly.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
Prepare Marinade
Place the marinade ingredients straight into a large Ziploc bag and give it a good shake. This saves you an extra dish. You could also mix the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and pour it over the chicken. Options galore!
Marinate Chicken
Add the chicken to the ziplock bag with the marinade. Close securely and gently massage it into the meat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Can You Freeze Marinating Chicken?
Absolutely! We suggest using your time wisely by prepping a few freezer meals using this chicken marinade.
To Freeze:
Like most of our chicken freezer meals, simply combine the ingredients (the marinade & the chicken) and freeze for later. No need to let the chicken marinate before freezing.
To Prepare:
When you want to use it, let the chicken thaw one of these safe ways.
Then, grill, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake your marinated chicken. We’ve included instructions for how to cook boneless chicken breasts in the recipe below.
Ways to Cook Marinated Chicken
Chicken breasts are by far the most popular cut to marinate and cook, so we’re giving you several cooking options below. You can grill, bake, slow cook, or pressure cook your boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs).
Here are four easy ways to cook marinated Cilantro Lime Chicken:
Bake in the Oven
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until done.
Slow Cook in the Crockpot
Place chicken and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise, you’ll overcook and dry it out.
Here is a whole post about how long to cook chicken in the Crockpot if you’re interested!
Pressure Cook in the Instant Pot
Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8 quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.)
Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. (Note: It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time starts.)
Grill the Chicken
Pound out the chicken to about 3/4 inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F) and clean the grates well. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping. The cook time may take a little longer, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
How to Know When Chicken is Done
Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly!
Ways to Use Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
There are all sorts of ways to use this recipe. Here are some ideas to get you started!
- Make Chicken Burrito Bowls. These are served over brown rice and with your favorite southwest toppings. Great for meal prep!
- Serve in our Mexican Chopped Salad – Fully cook it in one of the ways mentioned above, chop or shred the chicken and serve on top of this delicious salad with our Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.
- Make Shredded Chicken Nachos – After marinating and cooking the chicken, cook it using one of the methods above. Then make nachos using the instructions in our Shredded Chicken Nachos recipe!
- Serve it over our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice – A super healthy and simple meal!
- Make Chicken Tacos – Use our Shredded Beef Taco Recipe but use chicken instead.
FAQs
The ideal marinating time for chicken is anywhere between 2-24 hours. The specific time can depend on the type and cut of chicken, as well as the acidity level of the marinade.
Yes, over-marinating chicken can actually have a negative effect on the texture and taste of the meat. Acidic marinades, in particular, can break down the proteins in the chicken too much and leave it with a mushy texture.
Yes! Freezing chicken in a marinade is highly recommended to maximize flavor.
You shouldn’t reuse marinade but you can boil it to use safely as a sauce over your finished dish using these directions. I actually do this all the time.
To kill all the raw chicken germs, be sure to bring the marinade to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove for at least 1 minute, according to the CDC‘s directions for making water safe to drink.
The World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C), which is below that of boiling water or even a simmer. So rest assured you’ll be safe if you boil it well for 1 minute. We’d suggest straining it after boiling to remove any chicken pieces.
More Chicken Marinades
Try some of our other favorite healthy chicken marinades to mix things up:
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
Cilantro, lime, garlic and more marry together to create this fresh, citrusy Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup avocado or olive oil
- Juice and zest of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Mix Up Marinade: Add the oil, lime juice and zest, cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes to a gallon-sized freezer bag, seal, and shake. Add chicken* to the bag, seal, and squish around to make sure the chicken is covered in marinade.
- Marinate Chicken: Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. (Tip: Set the bag in a container to prevent any leaks.)
- Cook Chicken: Cook the chicken using one of these methods. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internally and/or is no longer pink inside.
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- Bake in Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. (Tip: Spray the dish/sheet pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.) Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until done. May take longer depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Slow Cooker: Place chicken and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise, you’ll overcook and dry it out.
- Instant Pot: Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8 quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.) Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. (Note: It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time starts.)
- Grill: *Before marinating, pound out the chicken to about 3/4 inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking. To do this, place one breast at a time inside a freezer bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F) and clean the grates well. Grill for about 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping, until done. The cook time may be longer depending on the thickness.
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- Make Extra Sauce (optional): Instead of discarding the leftover marinade, place it in a small pot and bring it to a rolling boil on the stovetop for at least 1 minute. Watch closely so it doesn’t overflow. Strain it, if desired, and use as extra sauce over the cooked chicken.*
Freeze For Later: Follow step 1. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw, using one of these safe thawing methods, and follow Step 3. No additional marinating time needed once it is thawed!
Notes/Tips
How to Know If Chicken Is Done: Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly! Another way to tell is if it has no more pink inside when you slice into the middle.
How to Safely Turn the Marinade Into Sauce: To kill all the raw chicken germs, be sure to bring the marinade to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove for at least 1 minute, according to the CDC. The World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C), which is below that of boiling water or even a simmer. So rest assured you’ll be safe if you boil it well for 1 minute. We’d suggest straining it after boiling to remove any chicken pieces.
Ideas for Serving Cilantro Lime Chicken: Make Chicken Burrito Bowls, serve on our Mexican Chopped Salad, make Shredded Chicken Nachos (or tacos), or serve it over our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves.
More Chicken Marinades to Try: Try some of our other favorite healthy chicken marinades to mix things up:
This was fantastic! I butterflied the chicken breasts and pounded them out some. They were super tender and had such an amazing flavor. I did cut back on the chili flakes and wished I hadn’t. The cumin flavor was wonderful. Will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for such a detailed review John. I know it helps others as they decide what to make and possibly what modifications to make.
I have been making this recipe FOR YEARS! It is our all-time favorite while camping. I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces then put in the marinade. The longer you can marinade the better. Pop the chicken on some skewers, cook them over camp fire….SO GOOD!!! At home we do the same but on the BBQ!
I will say while we are usually a thigh fam, this recipe is best using breasts – but cut into pieces so the marinade really gets incorporated. 10/10 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Stephanie. Love this suggestion of cutting up the breasts so there is more flavor all around. And cooking it on the skewers. Mmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Thank you for taking time to leave a review and let others know what works best for you!