This delicious Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice features marinated cilantro lime chicken mixed with rice, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, red pepper, cilantro, lime, cheese, and seasonings. The marinade gives the chicken tremendous flavor and we love how the chicken compliments the rice in this tasty and easy southwestern dish.
What we love about this Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
First, we love the flavor of the Cilantro Lime Chicken. The marinade for the chicken tenderizes the meat and gives it more moisture and incredible flavor. You only need to marinate the chicken for 30 minutes since the lime juice in the marinade can start to break down the chicken if marinated for too long. With just a few simple ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and seasonings, in a short amount of marinating time, the chicken develops great flavor and texture.
We love all the ingredients in the rice! The black beans, onion, garlic, red pepper, green chilies, tomatoes, cilantro, lime, broth, and cheese all give this southwestern rice an amazing flavor. Add the Cilantro Lime Chicken, and it takes it over the top. I have made this with leftover chicken as well and I prefer the Cilantro Lime Chicken with the rice.
It is a flexible dish, and you can substitute the same amount of different vegetables or different beans and cheese for your favorites. The canned tomatoes add liquid, so be sure to substitute enough liquid if you choose to not use the tomatoes.
For another southwestern family favorite, try our Chili and Cornbread Casserole!
What you need to make this Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice
You will need the following ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Cilantro
- Olive oil
- Limes
- Garlic
- Salt
- Coarsely ground pepper
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Long-grain rice
- Chicken broth
- Petite-diced canned tomatoes
- Canned diced green chiles
- Canned black beans
- Monterey Jack shredded cheese
Cilantro Lime Rice and Chicken Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- You can use leftover chicken (about 2 ½ cups worth) in place of the cilantro lime chicken if desired, but it will lack a little flavor.
- The additions to the rice are flexible. Pinto beans or other beans could substitute for black beans.
- A different kind of pepper could be added in place of a red bell pepper.
- You could add corn or another vegetable.
- Different types of cheese like cheddar, cheddar jack, or pepper jack could be used.
- You could use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- If you want a little more heat, you could substitute jalapeño peppers for the green chili peppers.
- Another type of cooking oil could substitute for the olive oil.
Step-by-step Instructions for Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice
Step 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the chopped cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, lime zest, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade and set aside.
Step 2. In a medium-sized bowl or gallon-sized sealable bag, combine the marinade and the chicken. Turn the chicken until fully covered with the marinade. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate covered for no more than 2 hours, turning halfway through marinating time.
Step 3. Preheat a large skillet that has a lid to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and cook on skillet for 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4. Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade.
Step 5. Wipe the skillet clean, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, and heat on medium-low. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion looks more translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the rice, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes to cook the rice briefly with the seasonings. Add the chicken broth, chopped tomatoes with juice, chopped cilantro, diced green chiles, and lime juice. Cover the skillet with the lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
Step 6.While the rice cooks, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken, black beans, and cheese to the rice mixture and stir to mix in evenly after the rice cooks for 20 minutes. Cover the pot and cook on the lowest setting on the stove for 15 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Add additional broth if necessary and cook longer if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and additional toppings if desired and serve immediately.
Tips
- I don’t marinate the chicken longer than about an hour maximum, though you could for 2 hours, because after about 2 hours, the lime juice starts to break down the chicken and essentially starts to cook it. The lime juice tenderizes the chicken and adds great flavor. Marinating for 30 minutes at room temperature works really well in this recipe.
- Using freshly grated lime zest and freshly squeezed lime juice makes a huge difference in the flavor of this dish. When zesting limes, I love using my microplane zester/grater to get finely grated lime zest. It is very sharp and makes it easy to zest the lime. Be careful not to remove the white pith underneath the lime peel as it has a bitter flavor.
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Frequently Asked Questions
| How to store Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice? |
| The chicken and rice can be safely stored in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days, or kept in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for about 3-4 months for best quality. Thaw chicken and rice completely in the fridge before warming to eat. |
| How to reheat Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice? |
| Warm chicken and rice in a skillet on low heat, adding additional broth if needed, until completely warmed through. You can also stir in a little broth and microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. |
| What should I serve with shredded beef sliders? |
| We like topping this rice with chopped cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and sometimes crushed tortilla chips. Additional sides could include a roasted vegetable, corn or corn salad, avocado salad, side salad, chips and salsa, a side of fruit, or a cornbread or roll. This one-pot meal is basically a meal within itself and we sometimes serve it alone with toppings. |
Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice
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minutesThis delicious Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice features marinated cilantro lime chicken mixed with rice, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, red pepper, cilantro, lime, cheese, and seasonings. The marinade gives the chicken tremendous flavor and we love how the chicken compliments the rice in this tasty and easy southwestern dish.
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade:
1 pound 1 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally (2 chicken breasts)
½ bunch of cilantro, chopped (about ¼ cup)
3 tablespoons 3 olive oil
2 tablespoons 2 fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
2 teaspoons 2 minced garlic (2-3 garlic cloves)
1 teaspoon 1 lime zest
1 teaspoon 1 salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Rice:
1 cup 1 chopped onion (about ½ a medium onion)
⅓ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon 1 minced garlic
1 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups 2 chicken broth
1 cup 1 petite-diced canned tomatoes with juice
½ bunch of cilantro, chopped (about ¼ cup), plus additional tablespoon chopped for optional garnish
2 tablespoons 2 diced green chiles from a 4-ounce can
½ lime squeezed (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup 1 black beans, rinsed and drained
¾ cup Monterey Jack shredded cheese
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chopped cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, lime zest, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl or gallon-sized sealable bag, combine the marinade and the chicken. Turn the chicken until fully covered with the marinade. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate covered for no more than 2 hours, turning halfway through marinating time.
- Preheat a large skillet that has a lid to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and cook on skillet for 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken and set it on a large plate, brush the chicken with the remaining marinade.
- Wipe the skillet clean, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, and heat on medium-low. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion looks more translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the rice, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes to cook the rice briefly with the seasonings. Add the chicken broth, chopped tomatoes with juice, chopped cilantro, diced green chiles, and lime juice. Cover the skillet with the lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken, black beans, and cheese to the rice mixture and stir to mix in evenly after the rice cooks for 20 minutes. Cover the pot and cook on the lowest setting on the stove for 15 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Add additional broth if necessary and cook longer if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and additional toppings if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Want the dish extra cheesy? Add an additional ¾ cup of cheese to the top of the dish and stick it under the broiler for 2 minutes to melt the cheese after the final step in the recipe when the rice is cooked.
The Cilantro Lime Chicken is so delicious. It is great served on its own with other sides or in other Mexican dishes as well. You could try it in a rice bowl, salad, tacos, quesadillas, etc.- You can save some cooking time by using 2 skillets and cooking the chicken and the first 20 minutes of the rice at the same time. I usually just use the same pan, but this could save about 8 minutes if desired.
- For toppings, we like serving this with avocado and sour cream. Crushed tortilla chips are an option as well.
Our family love’s rice and chicken, saving this recipe to make it for dinner tonight!
Let me know if you make it! We love chicken and rice too, and this southwestern rice with marinated cilantro lime chicken is a great combination. I hope you enjoy it!
This sounds so flavorful, and this combo is perfect for a quick, tasty meal!
Thank you! It really is so good with the marinated chicken. I appreciate you stopping by, thanks for the great feedback!
What a great and easy dinner for school nights!
Thank you so much Cara! We love the flavors in this dish. Thanks for the positive feedback!