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 straightforward hen dinner recipe is a favourite in my dwelling—and plenty of readers’ houses too—all 12 months spherical!
I initially revealed this recipe in 2015 and have since added new images and extra useful success ideas. And primarily based on reader suggestions, elevated the quantity of creamy sauce! 😉
Whereas I get pleasure from baking desserts essentially the most, dinner is an on a regular basis journey. And if you happen to’re like me, you’re continuously looking for fast and straightforward dinner recipes. Nicely, you’ve come to the best 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; we’ve it a minimum of 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 repeatedly!! ★★★★★“
And one other reader, Allison, commented: “STAPLE DINNER in our home and a GREAT factor to serve to friends! 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 lots like my skillet apple cider hen and this creamy lemon thyme hen. Pan-sear the hen on the range, make 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 Hen
- Fast and straightforward 1-pan meal
- Additional tender, juicy hen
- Creamy, buttery, zesty sauce tastes superb on rice and greens, too!
- Undeniably attention-grabbing, so that you’ll wish to make it repeatedly
Seize These Substances
- Hen: I exploit boneless, skinless hen breasts. Pound them right down to even thickness. You could possibly use boneless, skinless hen thighs as a substitute if desired.
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Hen Broth
- Recent Lime Juice
- Onion: Yellow, white, or pink—chef’s alternative!
- Cilantro
- Crimson Pepper Flakes: Provides a bit of warmth, however be happy to cut back or improve the quantity to your liking.
- Heavy Cream: Simply sufficient to make the sauce style creamy and wealthy. See beneath for a dairy-free different.
- Butter: Provides a lot scrumptious taste!
Begin the Hen, Then Make the Pan Sauce
The method is identical as my lemon thyme hen and creamy garlic hen and greens, so if you happen to’ve made both of these earlier than you understand how straightforward it’s!
Cook dinner the hen in a big oven-proof skillet till each side are browned—the hen will cook dinner once more within the oven so if the facilities aren’t cooked during but, that’s positive. Take away the hen quickly and set it apart.
In case 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 via. 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 a substitute of heavy cream and coconut oil as a substitute of butter for a dairy-free model with a scrumptious coconut-y twist.
No downside! After you cook dinner the hen and sauce on the range, you’ll be able to switch each to a baking dish.
Sure, you should use hen thighs as a substitute if you happen to favor. No modifications essential!
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 a lot to generously coat the hen and spoon over any sides you’re serving.
What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Hen
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 things, in fact!), however listed here are just a few extra recommendations for tasty pairings:
Description
This cilantro lime hen simmers in a creamy flavor-packed sauce and comes collectively in just one pan!
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- If the hen breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them down in order that they’re all even. This fashion all of the breasts will cook dinner via concurrently. Sprinkle each 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 during 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 pink pepper flakes. Return to warmth. Cook dinner and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the underside of the skillet. Convey to a boil. Permit 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 each side within the sauce. Switch the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered till the hen is totally cooked via, about 5–10 minutes (inner temperature must be a minimum of 165°F (74°C)).
- Serve hen with sauce spooned on prime, and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro, if desired.
- Leftovers hold properly within the fridge for just a few days. You possibly can 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 | On the spot-Learn Thermometer
- Crimson Pepper Flakes: Modify the quantity of pink pepper flakes to your liking. This quantity made the hen mildly spicy. The cream within the sauce mellows out the spice.
- Heavy Cream: You should use complete milk or half-and-half as a substitute, however for the thickest, richest sauce I extremely suggest heavy cream. If utilizing complete milk, be sure that it’s at room temperature to assist forestall curdling.
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream as a substitute of heavy cream and coconut oil as a substitute of butter.
Diet
- 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
