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
- 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
- Cook corn in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain, let the corn cool off.
- Using knife, remove corn kernels from the cob.
- Add cooked corn kernels them to a medium bowl.
- Add crumbled feta cheese. Add fresh cilantro. Squeeze half a lime over the mixture. Mix.
- Top with chili powder to taste.
Prepare chicken
- Generously season the chicken thighs with salt and chili powder.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir, off heat, to coat the chicken.
- 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
- Add half of the corn mixture into the skillet with chicken. Mix it well with chicken juices.
- Taste and add another tablespoon of butter, if needed, over the corn and chicken, if desired.
- 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.
- When serving, top with the remaining half of the corn mixture.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
30-Minute Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn
Amount per Serving
Calories
592
% Daily Value*
Fat
49
g
75
%
Saturated Fat
17
g
106
%
Trans Fat
0.4
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
20
g
Cholesterol
215
mg
72
%
Sodium
760
mg
33
%
Potassium
416
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
4
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
0.4
g
0
%
Protein
33
g
66
%
Vitamin A
797
IU
16
%
Vitamin C
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
209
mg
21
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
It has become a family request. Excellent fresh flavours. I had a coleslaw side and couscous. Fabulous
Love your sides - thank you for sharing! ❤️
This recipe is incredible! I was getting so tired of cooking chicken the same 3 ways every time we eat it and am so happy I found this recipe to mix it up! I used chicken tenderloins because it’s what I already had in the freezer, cotija instead of feta because I’m not a feta fan (also only did probably 1/4-1/3c of the cotija, I just eyeballed it), and made a box of cilantro lime rice a roni to serve with the chicken and corn. When I tell you we all had seconds, even my picky 1.5 and 3yos!!!! This will become a new go-to for sure!
Oh Wow, Megan, your comment really made my day! 🙂 So glad everyone loved it, including your toddlers! I love that you served it with cilantro lime rice.
This was a big hit! I made it with chicken breasts and cilantro-lime rice. It had so much flavor and I’ll definitely be making this one again… it took me longer than a half hour, but it always takes me longer than the time-estimates on recipes.
Thank you, Heather, for your rave review!! 🙂 I love that you served this with cilantro-lime rice!
This recipe is amazing! Is there a fish alternative you could suggest or vegan alternative instead of chicken you could recommend? I'm a pescatarian.
Ashley, this would be great with shrimp or scallops (or both!).
How much frozen corn would equal 4 ears?
Deb, that would be 10 oz frozen corn. Enjoy! 🙂
My favorite mixed flavors! I tried this tonight and used frozen corn because that was all I had, but wow!! So, so delicious! My only complaint is I don’t have enough for seconds! That’s my own fault though, next time I will definitely double this recipe for my family! I made it with some Uncle Ben’s Jasmine ready rice (being lazy) and cut an avocado and squeezed lime juice on top of the avocado as my sides! Thanks for the recipe, this is definitely a go to for a quick and easy delicious family dinner!
I have to say, I made this again tonight for dinner using fresh ears of corn, and wow! I mean I thought using the frozen corn was good the first time I made this, fresh corn is a game changer! Just when I thought this recipe couldn’t get any better, it did! Thanks again for sharing such a delicious recipe!
I did try this recipe yesterday. Amazing! The combination of flavor is unusual but perfect and fresh. My kids and husband loved it! I highly recommend! I used frozen corn. Can't wait to use fresh ripe corn in July and August.
Annie, I am so glad you tried this recipe and that it was a success! This recipe will be especially delicious with fresh corn!
Can I use a nonstick pan instead of cast iron?
Definitely! Just make sure it's high-sided.
I’m really excited to try this recipe but there are 19 Net carbs in an ear or corn. Can you explain how your recipe is only 3 Net carbs per serving?
This was amazing! I actually added extra pesto to chicken. I will make this again over and over!
Adding pesto sounds so good! What a great idea!
Sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Served with salad and garlic bread. Everyone went back for seconds. Thanks for the idea!
Love that you sprinkled this with grated Parmesan - sounds delicious! 🙂
This is seriously the best chicken dish I've had in a while and has very easily become our new favorite!
I am so flattered by your comment! Thank you for taking the time to write a positive review!
Can you use grilled corn?
Yes, it would be delicious here!
Unless someone has an induction stovetop, the fastest way to cook corn is to grill it since a pot of water takes at least 10 minutes on a non-induction stovetop plus the cook time to boil it. Grilling with the husk takes 15 minutes on high heat. Wear insulated gloves, peel the husk and there’s your cooked corn.
Loved this dish! Thank you for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5-star review! 🙂