The marinade for this cilantro lime fowl is everything a nice marinade have to be: it’s simple to whip together, has so a lot flavor, and doesn’t include any “crazy” ingredients. This cilantro lime fowl also pairs truly nicely with my mango salsa which I all of the time make as a area whilst I make this dish. I’d suggest giving it a shot!
How to make cilantro lime chicken
Whisk collectively all of the marinade ingredients: take away about 1/2 cup of the marinade (we’ll use it later).
Prep chicken: you desire to pound fowl breasts to an even thickness so they’ll prepare dinner frivolously later on. This is finest achieved by a meat mallet.
Marinate: location the fowl in marinade and sit back within the fridge for no less than 30 minutes and as a reliable deal as 24 hours.
Cook: grill, bake, or saute the fowl till it reaches 165 stages F. (Take the guesswork out by utilizing a virtual meat thermometer)
Baste: as you prepare dinner the chicken, brushing it occasionally with the reserved marinade mix.
Recipe Tips
Make certain to slice the fowl in half, or pound them into an even thickness earlier than marinating. This permits the fowl to take up extra taste from the marinade (improves taste), and the even thickness will permit them to prepare dinner evenly.
If grilling, generously oil your grill grates. I do that by rolling up a couple of paper towels, drenching them in oil (I use canola), and utilizing tongs, rub the drenched paper towels alongside the grill grates. Doing this may increasingly contribute to a pretty sear, and guarantee the fowl doesn’t stick with the grates.
If grilling, totally preheat your grill. I realize it’s difficult to wait, but including meat to a totally preheated grill will sear the floor of the beef that will supply you a juicier chicken. It also permits the fowl to get a huge char.
As the fowl is cooking, brush the reserved marinade at the chicken. Doing this may increasingly additional increase the flavor.
Once it’s finished, let the cooked fowl rest, tented with foil, for 5-10 minutes earlier than chopping in!
Make it a meal
One of the issues I love about this cilantro lime fowl is how simply it pairs to different sides. Below are a couple of of my favorites to serve with this meal:
Mango avocado salsa: The salsa has a superb texture that pairs perfectly with the cilantro lime chicken. The sweetness of the mango and the orange juice perfectly balances the tang of all of the cilantro and lime from the fowl marinade. Check out the mango salsa recipe or discover it within the recipe card underneath as well.
Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice: Serve this cilantro lime fowl over cilantro lime quinoa or rice for an wonderful meal. I’ve protected my favourite recipe for cilantro lime rice (or quinoa) within the recipe notes section.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad: To convert this recipe correct into a salad, finely chop some romaine lettuce, upload (cooled) chopped cilantro lime chicken, your favourite veggies (such as cherry tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, cucumber, etc.) and the dressing from this quinoa black bean salad.
Alternate cooking methods
Cooking occasions will range depending on a number of points so I all of the time suggest utilizing a thermometer to experiment your fowl because it cooks. Aim to hit precisely 165 stages Fahrenheit. (Undercooked = unsafe; Overcooked = dry chicken)
Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken:Preheat oven to 425 stages F. Place fowl on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 18 minutes, flipping the fowl halfway. Remove from the oven, and loosely disguise sheet pan with foil. Let the fowl relaxation for 5-10 minutes.
Sauteed Cilantro Lime Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add fowl breast and prepare dinner for 4-6 minutes per area till the fowl is cooked via and the juices run clear. As you saute the chicken, brush it generously with the reserved marinade. Transfer the fowl to a blank plate, and loosely disguise with foil. Let the fowl relaxation for 5-10 minutes.
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This cilantro lime fowl is simple to make and choked with flavor! While the cilantro lime fowl can stand on its own, I've protected accompanying recipes for a cilantro lime rice base and a delicious mango avocado salsa. This transforms this cilantro lime fowl correct into a tasty and wholesome meal that's certain to be a hit.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
1 and 1/2 kilos boneless skinless fowl breasts (can also use thighs)
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice, separated
1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon olive oil, separated
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, separated
1 and 1/2 teaspoons lime zest, separated
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon cumin, separated
2 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, separated
Mango Avocado Salsa
1 ripe mango
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno, optional
Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Optional: cilantro-lime rice or quinoa (see recipe notes)
Instructions
MARINADE: Whisk collectively all of the marinade ingredients: 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, honey, 1 teaspoon cumin, soy sauce, garlic, and 1/4 cup cilantro in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and pepper to style (I use about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Remove about 1/2 cup of marinade, and pour the relaxation correct into a huge resealable bag.
Trim the fowl of fat. Pound the breasts to even thickness or slice in half to get frivolously sized breasts and location within the bag with the relaxation of the marinade. Place within the fridge for no less than 30 minutes making certain to flip the bag midway via the time it's within the fridge. I suggest marinating for 2-8 hours.
COOK CHICKEN: The classes underneath are to grill the chicken. To see different ways of cooking chicken, learn proper above this recipe card. Lightly oil the grill grate or grill ridges on a grill pan or upload 1 tablespoon oil to a skillet after which location the marinated fowl at the grill. Discard leftover marinade.
Grill for 10-12 minutes or till fowl juices run clear and interior temperature is at 165 stages F. Flip the fowl midway and brush it generously with the reserved 1/2 cup marinade.
MANGO SALSA: Take the closing 1 tablespoon orange juice, closing 1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, closing lime zest, and closing 1/4 cup cilantro and toss together.
(OPTIONAL: When grilling the chicken, also grill the mango. Brush with oil and grill on one area for about 4-5 minutes at medium-high heat.)
Chop the mango and avocado into small bite-sized pieces. Add to the salsa alongside with the finely chopped red onion, red pepper, and jalapeno. Season the salsa to style with pepper, salt, and closing 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Toss together.
ASSEMBLY: Serve grilled fowl over a bed of cilantro lime rice or quinoa (if wanted -- see recipe notes) and upload spoonfuls of the salsa to top. Enjoy immediately!