Dinner just doesn’t get any easier! One skillet (or one pan) dinners are my absolute favorite to make. They require minimal prep and clean-up so you don’t end you stressing about dirty pots and pans later!
This creamy cilantro lime chicken is extremely easy to make and has become a weekly part of our dinner routine. The chicken is tender and flavorful and the creamy sauce is just out of this world. The chicken can be served with a side of veggies, rice, or even pasta.
For the creamy texture, heavy cream or half and half works great but if you’re on a diet, we like to use sour-cream or greek yogurt instead. You end up with the same flavor and texture and skip out on some of the added calories.
Easy One Skillet Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon oil of choice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 cup chicken broth, water can also be used
- Juice of 1 lime, or 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half, or sour-cream or greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a large heavy-duty skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper then add the chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning once or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and cover with foil on a separate plate, set aside.
- Add onions to the same skillet (without washing it) and cook onion for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for just 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, lime juice, cilantro, red peppers flaked, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle boil for 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by 1/4 cup.
- Whisk in cream during the last minute. Turn off heat and return chicken to the sauce. Garnish with more cilantro. Serve with aside of steamed veggies or rice. Enjoy!
nutritional facts per serving with heavy cream:
nutritional Facts per serving with greek yogurt: 
Very yummy!! I like that it’s so easy and only uses 1 skillet. I also love that I can get it all cooked in 30 minutes and it looks and tastes like it took much longer. As a busy mom of 3 this is super important!
I have made this dish probably about 10 times now. I use extra cilantro and only half a lime. I found using the full lime to be a bit to much for my taste. I also highly recommend cooking extra. This is one dish that the leftovers are even better because all the flavors have had time to rest and really come out.
My version. I cubed the chicken, fried it with the onion and then added 1/2 bag frozen peppers, the remaining ingredients (minus cream), and let it simmer for 10 min. After I added 1c sour cream and 2 tbs of cream with 1 tbs of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Over rice it was amazing. Fabulous flavor! Total keeper.
Delicious! I had some cilantro to use up and I was sick of cilantro and lime marinade so I thought I would try this. I started cooking When realized that I didn’t have any lime but I did have lemon and that worked out just fine. I had Greek yogurt for the dairy and I took the others advice and removed it from the heat as I quickly whisked it in and I avoided it curdling. I will definitely make this again, it was easy and very flavorful.
I was really excited to make this because we LOVE cilantro but I found the lime to overpower the cilantro and I had added extra cilantro so if I ever make it again I would cut the lime in to half.
Delicious. My fussy daughter loved this dish. It is a regular meal in our household now. I serve it with roasted potatoes and broccoli.
This was delicious but my sauce didn’t thicken, any suggestions?
Make a quick cornstarch slurry and whisk it in. It should thicken it up 🙂
This a high end restaurant quality recipe. Made it tonight for dinner and it was scrumptious. I added a bit more garlic, lime juice and cilantro because I love them so much. Served it with a salad of lettuce, green onions and grape tomatoes. Didn’t even need a salad dressing because of that yummy sauce.
And for people who find the sauce too thin, just add an 1/8 tsp of Xanthum gum and cook it for a few minutes longer.
This is a keeper for me. Thank you so much for posting this lovely dish.
What are some good sides items that go with this dish . I need a few ideas !! 🙂
white rice for sure!
Cilantro Black beans and corn season the beans with salsa
Honestly I thought it was bland. I had to more than doubled the seasonings and the lime.
3 stars because was fairly quick and easy to make.
OMG! Super delish! I used chicken broth, doubled the garlic, added a pat of butter with the onions, and used light sour cream. My son (who hates cilantro) said I could make it every night. Served over long grain and wild rice with toasted baby carrots.
This recipe is amazing! My husband literally licks his plate!
I make it as stolen only doubled.
This recipe is probably awesome as written. I used low-fat greek yogurt because it’s all I had and I baked my chicken to save myself having to clean oil splatters from pan frying chicken breasts. I think these two deviations greatly affected the outcome of this dish. Next time, I’m going to follow the directions to a T. The flavor is definitely there. Like others mentioned, the sauce needs corn starch to thicken it up a little.
This came out delicious! Thank you! I used chicken drumsticks because that’s what I had on hand. I browned them and removed from the pan. I used a couple more cloves of garlic simply because I like garlic and used the juice of two limes instead of one. Once the liquids minus the heavy cream were simmering for a few minutes I added back the drumsticks, put the lid on and let it simmer on low/medium for about 10 minutes. Removed the chicken and stirred in the cream at the end and added back the chicken. Very flavorful and relatively quick!
This was excellent, thank you!
Low carb, low calories and it was very delicious! I put this with cauliflower rice and green beans and this was a hit! Definitely a do again meal.
Amazing! Tastes a bit like chicken piccata. I added 1/2 cup Bella mushrooms and added cream with the chicken broth instead of at the end. Stirred often. Also used fresh lime juice about 2 -2 1/2 ounces.
Could not taste the lime at all. Needs double the amount of lime. Very good. Needs a little tweaking with the constancy. Maybe add corn starch or flour.
QUESTION: I’m a beginner. I used half-and-half at the end and it looks like it curdled as soon as I poured it in. What did I do wrong? It still tasted good but I was hoping for a great photo too!
Mine curdled too! I used the recommended Greek yogurt alternative and it curdled 🙁 not sure what I did wrong
Whenever you add acid (lime) to anything not full cream it will curdle…. higher the fat content the chances are less to curdle.. if you are going to add it especially to half n half … take it off the heat and whisk quickly before it curdles. Hope this helps.
I think it also helps if it’s not cold when you add it. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 10-15 mins. I’m going to try this tonight with heavy cream. It looks delicious!
Obsessed! This recipe is AMAZING and low cal. I’m in heaven! This will definitely become a staple in my house.
Any time you add cold dairy to hot liquid it will curdle unless you temper it. You need to take a small amount of hot stirred into cold, then add more to bring the temps closer before adding the cold into the hot.
Whenever adding cream, turn the heat off, wait a minute for it to settle down, and then whisk the cream in – the constant whisking is key to preventing it from curdling.
I hear my cream slowly until hot before I quickly mix it into a base they has acidity (tomato, lemon or lime juice infused, vinegary sauces etc)
Thanks a lot.
It looks delicious 😋.
1/How much the weight of chicken in gram per one serving approximately ?
2/ How much the calories of half a cup of heavy cream because I expected the total calories of serving will reach 300 calories.
Thanks and sorry for my questions
Np Alaa! A standard serving size of chicken breast is about 4 oz. There are about 215 calories in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Hope that helps!
I cook A LOT for my s/o and he said this is his favorite meal I’ve ever made. Thanks for the recipe! Made it as written but added a bit of cayenne for a kick. Will definitely make it again (and again!)
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I love this recipe. I make it so often that I have it memorized lol.
My sister made it today and it was soooooo good.
I’m trying to pin this recipe but it won’t allow it
We are working on getting the pins back up!
Easy and Delicious! Added some mushrooms and a little green pepper, diced. Husband had two helpings!
Yum, mushrooms and bell pepper sound like a great addition!
This recipe is AMAZING! My picky kids love it, heck the whole family loves it! It’s so easy to make!!! I love the one pan, all the ingredients come together SO WELL. I use sour cream, yummy! Thank you !!!
Happy the kids liked it 😀
I THOUGHT THIS WAS VERY GOOD. I REVOLVED THE WHOLE MEAL AROUND SOME EXTRA CILANTRO I HAD AND SERVED IT WITH BROWN RICE AND BROCOLLI. I USED FAT FREE HALF AND HALF BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I HAD IN THE FRIDGE. I WOULD MAKE IT AGAIN.
I wouldn’t recommend the yogurt. It tastes good, but isn’t exactly creamy. But such a good recipe.
Oops – and we put it on a bed of zoodles. Amazing.
This was the best meal i’ve ever had! i made this on sunday and i definitely will be making this tonight because it was too good. i almost did not want to share! also, i will be making this weekly with a side of brussel sprouts!!! thank you so much! i also recommend adding the brussel sprouts to the same pan, it all tastes so good together!!
This was INSANE! i absolutely love cilantro and this dish Was perfect. I would 100% make this again! I was literally licking my plate and the pan!
Loved it!!i substituted the heavy cream with SOUR cream.. and used sea salt… i also used water instead of the chicken broth.. and it was still delicious
Back again….so I added some cornstarch/water mixture to thicken it up. Using the sour cream (I doubled the broth and sour cream), and it is scrumptious! However, I had brain fade and forgot to add the lime! I did put some shredded parmesan on it. To die for!
I am making this right now! While the chicken is cooking, I added in the last bits of some frozen veggies: stir fry mix (onions, bell peppers), chopped spinach, and some peas. I’m going to do the broth and sour cream. Smells so good! Hopefully it’ll taste good, too! Will serve with steamed rice.
Love this recipe. I’ve done it with shrimp as well and it’s bomb!
Not good
Made this but used coconut milk for the cream part for a more Thai flavor and served over coconut lime/cilantro brown rice. Yum!
Ang, what did you not like about it?
Super easy and delicious!
This is one of my all time favorite recipes. So easy and flavorful. I like to serve it over brown rice or quinoa to soak up the amazing sauce (I usually double the sauce because I love it so much)! Thank you!!!
Absolutely love this recipe major hit with the hubby. The kids ,not so much,too much cilantro (they say).
It is easy and very tasty. I made it with greek yogurt because I think it’s healthier. My boyfriend loved it and said that there is no reason for us to go to restaurants… well, i’m the one cooking…
I make this at least once a week! My kids love it!
Thanks for the 5 stars! So happy you and your family enjoyed the dish! <3
This was sooo good!! Even the Little one loveD it!
I have made this both the way the original recipe called for, and also substituting low FODMAP ingredients so that my boyfriend could eat it. This recipe came out beautifully both ways. The substitutions I’ve made are to use garlic oil and chives instead of garlic and onions. I add a tablespoon of garlic oil and two tablespoons of dried chives along with the rest of the sauce ingredients, and I cannot tell any difference in flavor. We also use lactose free half and half to finish the sauce. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s become a staple in our home.
NoVice cook here. Made this recipe using greek yogurt and learned something new.
My sauce curdled just at the End and I thought i’d ruined this dish. Turns out, Dairy sauces have specific needs pertaining to fat content, acidity and heat. Lesson learned! I was able to salvage the sauce by reducing the heat to low and Whisking in an egg yolk, but i do believe that altered the taste of what this should have been.
Perhaps you could add some more specific directions for substitutions?
I will be trying again using the Original ingredients 🙂
Same here, yogurt curdled….sad girl here 🙁
Delicious, followed the receipe, and used half and half.Poached the chicken in the sauce at the very end because it was n ot quite done. The whole family enjoyed it with savory rice and sauteed fresh corn. We had half a bottle of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Calcaire sitting in the fridge, and it was a lovely match. Will definitely make it again.