This cilantro lime hen simmers in a creamy flavor-packed sauce and comes collectively in only one pan and in round 40 minutes from begin to end. This simple hen dinner recipe is a favourite in my residence—and lots of readers’ properties too—all yr spherical!
I initially printed this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photographs and extra useful success suggestions. And primarily based on reader suggestions, elevated the quantity of creamy sauce! 
Whereas I get pleasure from baking desserts probably the most, dinner is an on a regular basis journey. And when you’re like me, you’re continually trying to find fast and straightforward dinner recipes. Effectively, you’ve come to the suitable place! That is my one-pan creamy cilantro lime hen, a constant crowd favourite.
One reader, Marci, commented: “Thanks for this recipe. My household has been obsessed for months now we have it at the least as soon as every week and I like to recommend it to everybody. ★★★★★“
One other reader, Rose, commented: “Omg what a taste bomb!!! This was completely scrumptious!! … Want I made a double batch, however can be making time and again!! ★★★★★“
And one other reader, Allison, commented: “STAPLE DINNER in our home and a GREAT factor to serve to company! Everybody LOVES this ★★★★★“
Right now I’m going to indicate you that one skillet is all it takes to remodel hen into one thing you and your loved ones will love. The method is loads like my skillet apple cider hen and this creamy lemon thyme hen. Pan-sear the hen on the range, make the a flavorful cilantro lime pan sauce, then bake the hen within the sauce to complete.
Right here’s Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Rooster
- Fast and straightforward 1-pan meal
- Additional tender, juicy hen
- Creamy, buttery, zesty sauce tastes wonderful on rice and greens, too!
- Undeniably attention-grabbing, so that you’ll wish to make it time and again
Seize These Elements
- Rooster: I take advantage of boneless, skinless hen breasts. Pound them right down to even thickness. You may use boneless, skinless hen thighs as an alternative if desired.
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Rooster Broth
- Contemporary Lime Juice
- Onion: Yellow, white, or crimson—chef’s alternative!
- Cilantro
- Purple Pepper Flakes: Provides a bit of warmth, however be happy to cut back or enhance the quantity to your liking.
- Heavy Cream: Simply sufficient to make the sauce style creamy and wealthy. See beneath for a dairy-free various.
- Butter: Provides a lot scrumptious taste!
Begin the Rooster, Then Make the Pan Sauce
The method is similar as my lemon thyme hen and creamy garlic hen and greens, so when you’ve made both of these earlier than you understand how simple it’s!
Prepare dinner the hen in a big oven-proof skillet till either side are browned—the hen will cook dinner once more within the oven so if the facilities aren’t cooked all over but, that’s high quality. Take away the hen quickly and set it apart.
In the event you’re out there for a brand new skillet, I personal and love this one.
Now, utilizing the identical skillet, make the pan sauce. The juices left behind by the hen are key for taste, so don’t clear the skillet earlier than making the sauce!
Simmer the pan sauce till it has diminished and thickened.
Add the hen again to the skillet:
Bake within the oven till the hen is cooked by. Garnish the saucy hen with additional cilantro (taste! taste!) and a squeeze of lime. Serve with rice and veggies and smother them with the sauce, too!
Sure! Use full-fat canned coconut cream as an alternative of heavy cream and coconut oil as an alternative of butter for a dairy-free model with a scrumptious coconut-y twist.
No drawback! After you cook dinner the hen and sauce on the range, you may switch each to a baking dish.
Sure, you should utilize hen thighs as an alternative when you desire. No adjustments vital!
Sure! The recipe beneath displays an almost-doubled portion of the sauce. Earlier than 2025, it made solely about half as a lot, however now there’s lots to generously coat the hen and spoon over any sides you’re serving.
What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Rooster
We get pleasure from this hen with a aspect of rice and a inexperienced vegetable like roasted broccoli (and the cilantro lime sauce poured over all the pieces, after all!), however listed here are just a few extra strategies for tasty pairings:
Description
This cilantro lime hen simmers in a creamy flavor-packed sauce and comes collectively in only one pan!
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- If the hen breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them down so that they’re all even. This fashion all of the breasts will cook dinner by concurrently. Sprinkle either side with salt and pepper.
- In a big ovenproof skillet, warmth the oil over medium-high warmth. Add the hen and cook dinner for six–7 minutes, turning as soon as. You need the hen good and browned on the skin. (It doesn’t need to be cooked all over but.) Switch hen to a plate and canopy with foil till step 5.
- Take away skillet from warmth and add the broth, lime juice, onion, cilantro, and crimson pepper flakes. Return to warmth. Prepare dinner and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the underside of the skillet. Carry to a boil. Enable to boil, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or till the liquid is diminished to 1/2 cup. Scale back warmth to medium-low, then add the cream and butter. Stir till butter has melted, then take away from warmth.
- Add the hen again to the skillet, turning as soon as to coat either side within the sauce. Switch the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered till the hen is totally cooked by, about 5–10 minutes (inner temperature ought to be at the least 165°F (74°C)).
- Serve hen with sauce spooned on high, and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro, if desired.
- Leftovers preserve properly within the fridge for just a few days. You’ll be able to reheat on the range over medium warmth, within the microwave, or within the oven.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Meat Tenderizer | Massive Oven-Proof Skillet (I personal and love this one) | Tongs | Citrus Juicer | Prompt-Learn Thermometer
- Purple Pepper Flakes: Alter the quantity of crimson pepper flakes to your liking. This quantity made the hen mildly spicy. The cream within the sauce mellows out the spice.
- Heavy Cream: You need to use complete milk or half-and-half as an alternative, however for the thickest, richest sauce I extremely advocate heavy cream. If utilizing complete milk, be sure it’s at room temperature to assist stop curdling.
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream as an alternative of heavy cream and coconut oil as an alternative of butter.
Vitamin
- Serving Measurement: 1 hen breast + 1/4 of the sauce
- Energy: 396
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 254.4 mg
- Fats: 23.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.3 g
- Protein: 40.8 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 165.9 mg
