Servings
Font
Back
One Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
5 from 27 votes

One Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice

This one-pan cilantro lime chicken and rice dish combines seasoned chicken thighs with basmati rice cooked in chicken stock, enhanced by lime zest and fresh cilantro. The chicken is browned first to add depth, then simmered with rice and aromatic onion and garlic until tender. The fresh cilantro and lime juice mixed in at the end give the dish a bright, fresh finish. It's a convenient, all-in-one meal with balanced savory and citrus flavors.

Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin ground
  • salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
  • 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 1 onion diced, small
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice or jasmine rice
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • ⅓ cup cilantro fresh, chopped leaves
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in chicken until well combined; set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, if desired.
  2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
  3. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. Stir in rice and lime zest until rice is lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes.
  6. Stir in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Return chicken to the Dutch oven in an even layer.
  7. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
  8. Remove chicken; add cilantro and lime juice to the rice, fluffing with a fork; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  9. Serve chicken immediately with rice and desired toppings.