Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

Name: Cilantro Lime Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 250 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 Tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon paprika; 2 teaspoon salt; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups chicken broth; ¼ cup lime juice; ½ cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed; 1 tablespoon cold water; 2 Tablespoons cilantro (chopped)

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This is an easy and delicious cilantro-lime chicken recipe. With just 10 minutes of prep, this recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners is full of slow-cooked creamy chicken flavors your family will love.

serving of cilantro lime chicken, shredded on a bed of white rice sauce on the side , cilantro and lime garnish

Serve this meal with Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa and chips, or some salsa verde and don't forget a beverage! Adults would love a strawberry rhubarb margarita or my spicy peach bourbon smash.

🍗 Ingredients:

chicken thighs
chili powder
cumin
salt
olive oil
chicken broth
lime juice
heavy cream
cornstarch
cold water
cilantro, chopped

📝 Notes on the ingredients

This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I like to use bone-in dark meat chicken because they are full of flavor and often they can be found on sale at my local grocery store. Other cuts of meat such as chicken breasts can be used but I find the greatest depths of flavor comes from using dark meat chicken.

🤩 Why this recipe works:

With just a few minutes of prep and then a few hours in the crock pot slow cooker your slow cooker cilantro lime chicken dinner is ready for you and your family.
A little bit of prep in the morning will give you a delicious meal when you get home.
I was never a fan of chicken thighs until this recipe. I know that the thighs are full of flavor and are a favorite for a lot of people but I was just not that into them. Until this recipe. If any recipe is going to make me go from the light side to the dark side of meat this is the recipe that is going to do that.

♨️ Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot Instructions:

Make a dry rub with the chili powder, cumin, and salt.
Rub the chicken with the spice mixture.
Add the olive oil to a heavy bottom pan and sear the chicken
Place the chicken in the crockpot/slow cooker.
Add the 2 cups of chicken broth and lime juice.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8.
Remove the chicken (be careful not to let it fall apart!) It is so tender!!!!
Mix together the heavy cream, cornstarch and water.
Add the chopped cilantro to the slow cooker.
Add the cream/cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker.
Replace the chicken back to the slow cooker.
Allow the sauce to thicken for 20 minutes.
Serve over rice or starch of your choosing!

🥘 Oven Instructions:

horizontal image of cilantro lime chicken on a bed of rice with sauce

Preheat your oven to 350.
Make a dry rub with the chili powder, cumin, and salt.
Rub the chicken with the spice mixture.
Add the olive oil to a heavy bottom dutch oven or cast iron pan and sear the chicken
Add the 2 cups of chicken broth and lime juice.
Bake for 60 minutes, with the cover on the pot.
Remove the pot from the oven.
Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
Mix together the heavy cream, cornstarch and water.
Add the chopped cilantro to the pot.
Add the cream/cornstarch mixture to the pot.
Replace the chicken back to the pot.
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and allow the sauce to thicken.
Serve over rice or starch of your choosing!

🍽️ What do you serve with cilantro lime chicken?

I will serve cilantro lime chicken over white rice but other delicious options would be spaetzle, gnocchi, wide noodles or even cauliflower rice. Serve with Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa and chips, or some salsa verde and don't forget a beverage! Adults would love a strawberry rhubarb margarita or my spicy peach bourbon smash.

📝 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, ANSWERS AND TIPS:

Can cilantro lime chicken be cooked in the oven?

See the instructions above. If you do not have a slow cooker, this recipe will work well in the oven. You just need a dutch oven or a large pot with an oven safe lid. A cast-iron pot will work well.