This creamy cilantro lime chicken is an easy 30-minute dinner made with tender, pan-seared chicken in a rich, tangy lime cream sauce. Fresh cilantro and garlic add bright flavor, and the creamy sauce brings everything together for a delicious one-pan meal.
If you’re looking for a quick creamy lime chicken recipe that doesn’t taste basic, this is it. The chicken cooks quickly, then simmers in a smooth cilantro cream sauce that’s perfect over rice, pasta, or vegetables.
It’s the kind of easy chicken recipe you can make on a busy weeknight that’s elegant enough to serve for a special occasion.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase through an affiliate link.
Why you’ll love this creamy cilantro lime chicken
- Easy 30-minute dinner: This creamy cilantro lime chicken comes together quickly in one pan, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Bold, fresh flavor: Bright lime and fresh cilantro keep the creamy sauce from feeling heavy
- Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of pantry staples to make this creamy lime chicken recipe.
- Versatile and family-friendly: Serve this chicken with cilantro cream sauce over rice, pasta, or vegetables for a meal everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients for creamy cilantro lime chicken
To make this creamy cilantro chicken recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 16 ounces of chicken tenders, boneless and skinless
- ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ¼ cup of onion, finely chopped
- ¾ cup of fat-free chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (you can make your own with this recipe)
- 1 tablespoon of butter, cubed
- Lime wedges and parsley to garnish
How to make creamy cilantro lime chicken
With just one pan and less than 30 minutes, you’ll have this dish on the table!
Prepare the chicken
Sprinkle the chicken tenders with Kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
Cook the chicken
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken tenders for 10 minutes until they are lightly browned and no longer pink inside.
- Set the chicken aside while you prepare the sauce.
How to make cilantro lime cream sauce for chicken
- Cook the onions in the same pan, gently using a spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the broth, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.
- Turn the heat to medium and cook, bringing the mixture to a boil.
- Continue to boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the cream and butter. Stir until butter has melted.
Adding the chicken
- Return the chicken to the pan and coat both sides with the sauce.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the chicken tenders are thoroughly cooked, another 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with lime wedges and fresh parsley.
Serving the creamy cilantro chicken
Serve the chicken and cilantro lime sauce with lime rounds and steamed broccoli. If you want something a bit heavier, the dish also goes well with my spicy Mexican rice.
Don’t be surprised if your family asks you to make this recipe again and again. Fortunately, this is not a problem, since the creamy cilantro chicken recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish!
More creamy chicken recipes to try
If you like to serve chicken with a cream sauce, be sure to try these recipes, too.
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas – Made with a sour cream sauce
- Easy Weeknight Chicken Scallopini – 30-minute meal
- Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup – Another easy 30-minute recipe
Share this cilantro lime cream chicken recipe on X
If you enjoyed learning how to make cilantro lime chicken, why not share this recipe with a friend?
Creamy, zesty, and ready in less than 30 minutes 🍗✨ This Cilantro Lime Chicken is the easy weeknight dinner that tastes anything but basic. Rich lime cream sauce + fresh herbs = SO good! #DinnerIdeas #EasyRecipes #ChickenDinner… Share on XPin this creamy cilantro chicken recipe
Would you like a reminder of this recipe for creamy lime chicken? Pin this image to one of your recipe boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Admin note: This cilantro lime chicken creamy recipe first appeared on the blog in September 2015. This post has been updated with new photos, a printable recipe card, and a slideshow video of more chicken recipes.
Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken (Easy 30-Minute Dinner)
Juicy chicken simmered in a creamy cilantro lime sauce with bold, fresh flavor. This quick and easy one-pan recipe is perfect for a simple weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of chicken tenders, boneless and skinless
- ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ¼ cup of onion, finely chopped
- ¾ cup of fat free chicken broth
- 1½ tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
- Lime wedges and parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken tenders with Kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken tenders and cook for about 10 minutes, turning once until the chicken is lightly browned and no longer pink inside.
- Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Put the onions in the same pan, and cook them gently using a spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the broth, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro. Turn the heat to medium and cook, bringing the mixture to a boil.
- Continue to boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the cream and butter. Stir until butter has melted.
- Return the chicken to the pan and coat both sides with the sauce.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the chicken tenders are thoroughly cooked, another 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with lime wedges and fresh parsley.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 743Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 13gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1871mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 39g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.
Liz
Wednesday 11th of January 2017
Your recipe has some mistakes was gonna try and make but had to guess at some stuff
Carol
Wednesday 11th of January 2017
Thanks for letting me know about the errors. I have fixed them now. Carol