Juicy chicken thighs cooked in a flavorful marinade, this Keto Cilantro Lime Chicken is an easy dinner idea that the whole family will love.
Keto Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
This is the perfect easy keto chicken recipe to keep on hand whenever you need a fast and easy dinner! And it’s always a crowd-pleaser!
One of the misconceptions about keto is that you have to cook separate meals for yourself and a non-keto meal for the kids. But who has time to make two meals every day?!
That’s why I love simple recipes like this Cilantro Lime Chicken! This is a dish that the whole family can enjoy together — you can serve with low carb sides or regular sides for the non-keto eaters.
There is SO much flavor in this recipe, but it is made with just a handful of simple, real food ingredients. And it’s practically foolproof, because chicken thighs stay moist and juicy when you bake them.
Did I mention that this recipe is easy? All you need is one mixing bowl and one pan to cook this dish, so clean up is a breeze! And with just 20-25 minutes of cooking time and 45 minutes total time, you can get dinner on the table in less than an hour.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy meal that only uses one bowl and one pan to prepare.
- ZERO net carbs per serving!
- A flavorful, restaurant-quality dish that’s made with simple ingredients.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free
Ingredients
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- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Olive Oil
- Minced Garlic
- Fresh Lime Juice and Zest
- Keto Honey Substitute (optional)
- Chili Powder
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
For Garnish
- Lime Slices
- Fresh Cilantro Leaves
Kitchen Tools Used
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix.
- Place the bowl in the fridge to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- Add 1-2 TB olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat. Place the marinated chicken thighs in the hot pan and sear evenly on both sides.
- Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Prep Tips
- Garnish with lime slices and fresh cilantro before serving. I love to garnish in the pan because it looks so pretty!
- Add a little heat with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes!
- Make this a paleo recipe by swapping keto-friendly sweetener with real honey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Serve With Cilantro Lime Chicken?
These are some tasty keto-friendly accompaniments that pair well with this recipe:
- Sliced avocado
- Cauliflower rice
- Side salad
Can I Use Chicken Breasts Instead?
We used chicken thighs for this recipe because thighs have a higher fat content, which means they are much harder to overcook, so they stay nice and juicy. Also, fat is our friend on keto! Chicken thighs provide fats that the body uses for energy on a ketogenic diet.
That being said, you can substitute with chicken breast in this recipe, with a couple considerations. First, I recommend using a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast versus boneless skinless chicken breasts. The skin will help protect the protein and retain moisture during cooking.
If using chicken breast, I also recommend utilizing a meat thermometer to prevent overcooking. As soon as the thickest part of the breast hits an internal temperature of 160°F, pull the pan out of the oven.
Is This Recipe Paleo?
The paleo diet does not allow artificial sweeteners, so in order to make this recipe paleo you’d need to skip the keto honey sweetener and use real honey instead. This would add a negligible amount of carbs, since it is only one Tablespoon for the entire recipe. So you could use real honey and this would still be a low carb meal AND it would be paleo friendly too!
KETO FAQ – Learn More About The Keto Diet
- How many carbs can you eat on keto?
- Keto-friendly Food List
- What is the Keto flu and how to avoid it?
- What is a Targeted Keto Diet?
- 8 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight on Keto
Keto Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Cilantro Lime Chicken (Keto, Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 5 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 TB Olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon Minced garlic
- Juice and zest from 1 lime
- 1 TB Keto honey substitute optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro
For Garnish
- Lime slices
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, minced garlic, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper. Toss to mix.
- Place in the fridge to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- Heat 1-2TB olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Sear the chicken evenly on both sides.
- Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with additional cilantro and lime slices before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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