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Close up of a chicken breast in creamy cilantro lime sauce with red onions and green onions for garnish.
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Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken skillet is a 30 minute, one-pan meal with major Southwest-inspired flavor and the most delicious light cream sauce. This is a family favorite quick weeknight dinner!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, southwest, Tex-Mex
Keyword: cilantro lime chicken, creamy cilantro lime chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Monica Lensink

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • lime wedges, green onions, more cilantro optional garnishes

Instructions

  • Slice the chicken breasts in half, length-wise through the middle, so you are left with two thinner cutlets. Season both sides with a light sprinkle of salt, pepper, and the cumin.
  • Melt butter together with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and just cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • If the skillet is very dry, add another small drizzle of olive oil, then add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until beginning to soften.
  • Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant, then quickly pour in the broth and lime juice. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove any stuck on browned bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium and let it bubble for 3-4 minutes, until slightly reduced.
  • Reduce the heat further to medium-low, then add the cream and chopped cilantro. Stir gently until the cream is incorporated, then nestle the chicken breasts back into the sauce.
  • Let the sauce simmer very gently for about 2 minutes to warm the chicken through. During this time, spoon the sauce generously over the chicken, and sample the sauce and season with more salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste. Serve right away with lime wedges, green onions, more cilantro, etc. sprinkled on top as optional garnishes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 513mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg