Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken
This Cilantro Lime Chicken provides 27g protein and 296 calories per serving — solid macros for a stovetop dinner that fits most cutting phases. Makes 6 servings in quick prep time, letting you tackle multiple meals in one cooking session. Use it as your protein base to anchor meals around vegetables and carbs while staying on target.
Ingredients
- •Olive oil(30g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Garlic(240g)
- •Cumin, Ground(3g)
- •1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- •freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
- •Lime
- •Cilantro, Fresh
- •Chicken Thigh, Boneless Skinless(794g)
Boneless skinless thighs. Fattier than breast but more forgiving to cook.
Instructions
- 1Combine the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill) in a small bowl.
- 2Zest one of the limes and then squeeze the juice. You'll need 2-3 Tbsp juice, so if needed, juice half of the second lime. Cut the remaining lime into wedges to garnish the chicken once cooked. Roughly chop the cilantro.
- 3Add 1 tsp of the lime zest, 2-3 Tbsp of the lime juice, and half of the chopped cilantro to the marinade. Stir to combine. (The remaining cilantro will be added fresh after cooking the chicken.)
- 4Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or a large zip top bag. Add the marinade and toss the chicken to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours (refrigerated), turning it once or twice as it marinates.
- 5When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until well browned and cooked through. My chicken had enough of an oil coating from the marinade that I did not need to add any extra to the skillet.
- 6Top the cooked chicken with more fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with any extra lime wedges.
Nutrition — Per Serving
296
calories
27g
protein
16g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 13g
- Saturated fat
- 2.9g
- Sodium
- 90 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 0.9g
6 servings per batch · ~178g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken have per serving?
Each serving contains 27g of protein and 296 calories, with 16g fat and 13g carbs. The macros provide a balanced profile for maintenance or moderate calorie surplus eating.
How long does Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken take to prep?
This recipe has quick prep time and makes 6 servings in a single batch, so you can prepare multiple days of lunches or dinners during one cooking session. Stovetop cooking is efficient for meal prepping.
Is Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken good for muscle gain?
At 27g protein and 296 calories per serving with moderate carbs, this chicken works as a lunch component in muscle-gain phases, though you'd want to pair it with higher-calorie sides to hit surplus targets. The lean macros provide versatility across different meal compositions.
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