Flavorful cilantro lime chicken with delicious avocado salsa will have you in and out of the kitchen in about 30 minutes! It’s the perfect chicken recipe to throw on the grill.

It pairs so well with our Mexican corn salad or berry spinach salad for a delicious summer meal.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro lime chicken just has to be one of the most delicious combos of the summer. This is my go to effortless dinner that only takes 30 minutes to prep. Just like our honey lime chicken thighs, it’s perfect for a typical mid-week dinner.

It’s healthy, quick, and versatile. Plus kiddos love it! It starts with chicken thighs marinated in cilantro, lime garlic, then grilled under juicy tender, and topped with the yummiest avocado salsa.

Close up cilantro chicken

Ingredients

Not only does this lime chicken comes together in about 30 minutes but it’s also made with less than 10 ingredients. 

  • Chicken – I love using chicken thighs instead of breast as they are smaller, juicier, and take less time to grill.
  • Cilantro – fresh cilantro adds so much flavor.
  • Limes – you’ll need fresh lime juice and zest.
  • Garlic – garlic adds ton of flavor and pairs amazing with lime and cilantro.
Ingredients for cilantro chicken

How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

What I love best about this cilantro chicken is that the ingredients are super basic and you can easily double or even triple the recipe.

  • Step 1: First prepare the marinade by combining cilantro, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, salt, cumin, and olive oil.

Add chicken to the marinade and let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the salsa.

  • Step 2: In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, avocado, onions, lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gentry toss together and set aside.
  • Step 3: Pre-heat gas grill on high heat. Clean and oil the grates. When hot, add chicken thighs and cook for 10-12 minutes (about 4-5 minutes per each side) or until cooked through.

You will notice the thighs start to shrink and plump up when they are done. Remove to a serving platter and serve alongside avocado salsa.

Step by step on how to make cilantro lime chicken recipe

What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Chicken 

No-fuss, simple sides is the way to go when it comes to serving this cilantro chicken. Here are some of our favorites.

Side view cilantro lime chicken recipe

Video: How to Make Cilantro-Lime Chicken

Print
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Overhead cilantro lime chicken with avocado salsa

30 Minute Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Description

Flavorful cilantro-lime chicken with delicious avocado salsa will have you in and out of the chicken in about 30 minutes! It’s the perfect chicken recipe to throw on the grill.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Chicken

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • Zest from 2 limes
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salsa

  • 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes, seeded
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 23 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
  • Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Chicken

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cilantro, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, salt, cumin, and olive oil. Season with black pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the marinade and let stand at room temperature while you prepare the salsa, no more than 15-20 minutes.
  2. Pre-heat the grill on high heat. Clean and oil the grates. Add the chicken thighs to the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes (about 4-5 minutes per each side) or until cooked through. You will notice the thighs start to shrink and plump up when they are done.
  3. Transfer cooked chicken to a platter and serve with salsa.

Salsa

  1. Combine the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with chicken.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 427
  • Sugar: 3.3 g
  • Sodium: 851.2 mg
  • Fat: 28.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.5 g
  • Protein: 32.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 143.7 mg

Recipe originally published in August 2014.