The most flavorful and juicy cilantro lime chicken thighs! This is an amazing main dish for the warm weather ahead and made in under 30 minutes. You can easily pair it with your favorites and the chicken is gluten free, dairy free, Paleo and Whole 30 approved!

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Hello, and welcome back! In case you did not notice, I took a small break from posting recipes on here, but I kept up with the Instagram posts! I think sometimes we can get overwhelmed with our personal life and we forget how much of an impact that makes on our mental health and work. And since this food blog is my side hustle, I had to prioritize my personal life and 9-5 job. I worked on managing my stress levels through low impact workouts, lots of water and sleep. I started to rewatch one of my favorite Netflix series and had myself a nice stress-reducing two weeks. But now I am ready to start back up the posting! I am going to try and keep my work-life balance in check however, which means giving myself set time boundaries on how many projects I decide to take on.

During that time, I made these INCREDIBLE cilantro lime chicken thighs! This meal was made in under 20 minutes, including the side dish. While I do not subscribe to any diet, this whole meal is dairy free, gluten free, paleo and Whole30 approved. You can definitely use real rice instead of cauliflower rice for a more filling dinner or lunch!

SO… what will I need to make cilantro lime chicken thighs?

Chicken Thighs
Fresh Cilantro
Olive Oil
Fresh Lime
Paprika
Cumin
Garlic
Onion
Sides of Choice!

What to serve with cilantro lime chicken thighs:

Pictured below is the way that I served up this dish for dinner the other night. It included a corn and zucchini cauliflower rice saute that was phenomenal to say the least! But, I know that everyone has their preferences, so here are a few different ideas!

If you are making these as a main dish, here are my pairing recommendations:

Corn, zucchini and cauliflower rice saute with cumin, paprika, garlic and onion
Make a Chipotle bowl – brown/white rice, black beans, lettuce, salsa and cheese
Roasted potatoes and peppers
Make a sandwich – put between a fresh roll with some avocado and cheese
Slice it up in tacos or a wrap – I have been obsessed with making fresh wraps for lunch lately!

Can you I use bone-in chicken thighs?

Of course! You can use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. If you don’t want to use chicken thighs, you can easily use chicken tenders and chicken breasts. If you are not a fan of chicken, this is still the perfect marinade for fish, beef, tofu, beans or even for grilled vegetables!

Can I make any substitutions or add more ingredients?

Chicken Thighs: see the above list for substitutions!
Fresh Cilantro: If you do not have fresh cilantro on hand, you can absolutely use dried cilantro. I would reduce to 1 tbsp of dried cilantro

Need more chicken recipes? Check these out!

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Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs

Natalie Mitchell

The most flavorful Mexican-inspired chicken thighs you will ever make. They are super easy, juicy and made in under 20 minutes. Pair it with some seasonal vegetables and cauliflower rice to make this recipe Paleo, Whole 30 and Gluten Free!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Course Main Course

Servings chicken thighs

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

1 lb chicken thighs boneless skinless; see notes
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, juice of 1 lime, chopped cilantro, paprika, cumin, minced garlic and onion powder. Whisk together well
Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and marinade for at least 15 minutes. If you are cooking vegetables to pair with this dish, now is a great time to cut those up and start cooking them!
Add the marinated chicken thighs to a hot skillet with the remaining marinate as well. Cook on one side for 5-6 minutes. Then flip over and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165°F
Serve with side dishes of choice!

Notes

You can use bone-in and/or skin-on chicken thighs as well!

Keyword 30 minute meals, baked chicken thighs, chicken thighs, cilantro lime chicken, cilantro lime chicken thighs, paleo recipes, whole 30 chicken recipes

Did you make this recipe?Leave a rate and review below. And be sure to tag @naturallybeingnat on Instagram!