Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn is a quick and easy weeknight meal that takes 30 minutes and is packed with fresh flavors! Your family will love bold flavors and vibrant colors in this delicious chicken dinner!
Easy and delicious 30-minute dinner
- Cilantro lime chicken and corn is a well-balanced meal that combines protein (chicken thighs) with corn. This recipe is high in protein and gluten-free.
- It’s so easy to make which makes it perfect for meal prep, to make ahead, to prepare on a busy weeknight, or freeze for the future! The whole recipe uses just a few ingredients and takes only 30 minutes.
- If you’re looking for more cilantro-lime chicken inspiration, don’t miss these 2 delicious recipes: One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice and Cilantro-Lime Chicken Pasta.
Why make cilantro-lime chicken and corn
- The combination of flavors is amazing! The savory cilantro-lime flavors of this dish are perfectly balanced by the subtle sweetness of corn, together with chili powder.
- The juiciest chicken. Skinless and boneless chicken thighs are quickly seared in a pan with olive oil and chili powder and then combined with cilantro-lime flavors.
- It’s a flexible recipe that is easily adjustable to whatever you have available.
What kind of chicken to use?
- Skinless and boneless chicken thighs work best here! They are juicy and tender and are usually quite forgiving to cook.
- Chicken tenders are also a perfect choice for this recipe. Make sure to avoid overcooking as chicken tenders cook fast.
- Skinless and boneless chicken breasts tend to dry out faster, so be sure to watch your cooking times closely, ensuring that the chicken is cooked all the way through quickly, without drying out.
- Can you use bone-in chicken? I do not recommend it as it takes much longer to cook. However, I do have a delicious and very popular chicken thighs recipe with lime flavors that you will love: honey lime chicken thighs.
What kind of corn to use?
- Fresh corn is the best option, of course. The fasted way to cook fresh corn is to boil it.
- Frozen corn is a solution for when fresh corn is out of season or when you can’t find fresh corn.
- Canned corn is also an option, however, the freshly cooked corn tastes the best!
How to boil corn on the cob
For the purposes of this recipe, the easiest way to cook corn is to simply boil it in water.
- Bring a pot of water to boil.
- Add the corn ears and boil for about 5 minutes.
- Drain and let the corn cool.
- Once the corn is cooled, cut the corn off the cob using a knife.
How to make cilantro-lime chicken
You will start by cooking the fresh corn in boiling water. Drain, let it cool, and remove corn kernels from the cob with a knife.
Then, you will add corn, crumbled feta cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, and chili powder to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.
For this cilantro-lime chicken, first season skinless boneless chicken thighs with salt and chili powder.
Then, cook chicken thighs (seasoned with salt and chili powder) in a cast-iron skillet until cooked through.
Finally, combine cooked chicken with cilantro-lime corn and feta cheese, and squeeze fresh lime juice all over the chicken.
Recipe notes and cooking tips
- Feta cheese or cotija. Both work well with cilantro-lime chicken.
- Fresh cilantro. Use only fresh cilantro and lots of it! Cilantro is what makes this dish so flavorful, so be sure to use the freshest herbs you can find! Chop the cilantro and mix it together with corn and feta cheese. And also use it as garnish.
- Fresh lime tastes so much better than bottled lime juice. Purchase a couple of limes and only use freshly squeezed lime juice in this recipe.
- Great for leftovers. This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator. Cilantro-lime chicken is great for leftovers which you can later use in salads or tacos, or even for breakfast.
- Make a double batch of this recipe to use for leftovers!
- Great for meal prep. Make the chicken, then refrigerate or freeze it for future use.
- Add veggies. This is a great recipe to use up your favorite vegetables and serve them alongside the cilantro-lime chicken. Broccoli, asparagus, chopped carrots, mushrooms, green beans, peas – all will work great here!
Storage and reheating tips
Because this recipe does not use any cream or cheese, it is very easy to store and reheat. You can also easily make this ahead and freeze.
- Fridge. Store cooked cilantro-lime chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat this dish in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil when reheating to prevent the chicken and corn from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
What to serve with it?
This cilantro lime chicken and corn is a meal on its own that doesn’t really need any side dishes. But if you want other sides, here are some delicious ideas:
- Rice. Cook some jasmine rice or prepare flavored rice. Be sure to check out this delicious cilantro-lime and black bean rice and this tasty sun-dried tomato and basil rice.
- Cauliflower rice. You can use fresh or frozen (defrosted).
- Quinoa. Cook quinoa in chicken broth to add richness. Then toss with garlic and fresh herbs.
- Vegetables. This is a great recipe to use up whatever veggies you have sitting in your fridge. Serve cilantro-lime chicken with steamed, sauteed, or grilled veggies. Good choices are broccoli, asparagus, chopped carrots, mushrooms, green beans, and peas.
- Salad. Make a simple salad with spinach, arugula leaves, or garden greens. Or, try these refreshing salads: tomato cucumber avocado salad with mozzarella and basil pesto and this healthy arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans.
- Pasta. Cook a small amount of pasta, flavored with butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper. I suggest spaghetti, angel hair pasta, penne, bow-tie pasta, orzo, or gnocchi.
More cilantro-lime chicken dinners you might like
If you’re looking for more quick and easy weeknight dinners featuring fresh and bold flavors, don’t miss these recipes:
- One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Cilantro-Lime Black Bean Rice
- Chicken Pasta with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Alfredo Sauce
- Cilantro-Lime Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
- Chicken and Bacon Pasta in a homemade creamy Cilantro-Lime Alfredo Sauce
30-Minute Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn
Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn is a quick and easy weeknight meal that takes 30 minutes and is packed with fresh flavors! Your family will love bold flavors and vibrant colors in this delicious chicken dinner!
Ingredients
Corn
- 4 ears corn husks and silks removed
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled or cotija cheese
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 lime small
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder to taste
Chicken
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- 1.5 lb chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Prepare corn
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Cook corn in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain, let the corn cool off.
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Using knife, remove corn kernels from the cob.
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Add cooked corn kernels them to a medium bowl.
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Add crumbled feta cheese. Add fresh cilantro. Squeeze half a lime over the mixture. Mix.
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Top with chili powder to taste.
Prepare chicken
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Generously season the chicken thighs with salt and chili powder.
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Heat an empty cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes, without moving it. This allows the chicken to sear.
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Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it’s cooked through. Remove from heat.
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Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir, off heat, to coat the chicken.
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Squeeze the other half of the lime over the cooked chicken, or slice it and stir it around the chicken, squeezing out the lime juice with the spoon in the process.
Assembly
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Add half of the corn mixture into the skillet with chicken. Mix it well with chicken juices.
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Taste and add another tablespoon of butter, if needed, over the corn and chicken, if desired.
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Squeeze more fresh lime over the corn and chicken, if desired. Taste before adding more lime juice to ensure your dish is not too sour.
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When serving, top with the remaining half of the corn mixture.