Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe has tender, seasoned cilantro chicken in a creamy lime sauce. This effortless weeknight dinner can be cooked in either a crock pot or instant pot and served over fluffy rice.
Easy cilantro chicken recipe has become a favorite meal at our house. I love how it can be prepared in either the slow cooker or instant pot to fit in our busy schedules.
The juicy, tender chicken breasts cook in a creamy cilantro lime sauce to spoon over rice or pasta. Alternatively, check out other serving suggestions below for a low carb meal.
Ingredient Notes
I’m pretty much a cilantro junkie (ahem Sweet and Spicy Tacos, Shrimp Avocado Salsa, Chorizo Chicken Chili, BBQ Pulled Chicken …).
Adding lime plays off cilantro’s bright, fresh, flavor, and makes pretty much every dish taste like heaven.
The cream cheese addition gives Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken a richness. This dish makes a sauce along with it, so serve it with rice to soak up all that goodness or serve with veggies to keep it a low carb meal.
- Chicken
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Onion
- Lime – zested and juiced
- Chicken broth
- Red pepper flakes
- Cilantro
- Cream cheese
How to Make Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken recipe is an easy dump and start recipe! In the last 30 minutes of cooking the sauce is thickened by adding cornstarch.
- Mix together garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning over the chicken breasts.
- Place chicken in the crock pot with chopped onion. Sprinkle on 1/4 cup fresh cilantro and red pepper flakes.
- Pour in chicken broth, lime juice, lime zest and cook the chicken for 3-4 hours on low.
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, scoop out a ladle of hot liquid. Whisk cornstarch into the small amount of liquid and add back to the slow cooker.
- Cook the remaining time. Remove the lid to add cubed cream cheese and remaining chopped cilantro. Stir until smooth and creamy.
How to Make Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Creamy lime and cilantro chicken recipe also makes a 30 minute quick and easy dinner when prepared in the pressure cooker.
- Mix together garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning over the chicken breasts.
- Heat olive oil on SAUTE setting. Brown the chicken breasts, half at a time, about 2-3 minutes per side. Set chicken aside and repeat with remaining breasts.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the instant pot and saute onion until tender, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth to the hot pot, scraping up browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes, lime juice, lime zest, and browned chicken.
- Close lid and seal valve. Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes.
- Quickly release pressure and transfer chicken to a plate to keep warm.
- Ladle out some hot liquid and whisk in cornstarch. Press SAUTE LOW and add cornstarch mixture back to pot, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Stir in remaining cilantro and cream cheese until smooth. Serve creamy sauce over chicken.
What type of chicken to use
This recipe has been tested with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs may also be used, if preferred.
For chicken thighs, cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes in the instant pot. For the slow cooker version, cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
Can I use something besides cream cheese for creamy sauce?
Yes, if you prefer to not use cream cheese in the sauce, heavy cream or sour cream may be substituted.
The sauce may not be as thick, but you can add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch or just enjoy a thinner sauce.
REcommended sides
Since a rich, flavorful creamy sauce is made with the cilantro chicken, it is best served over rice or pasta.
Cilantro chicken may also be chopped up and served in tortillas as tacos or over a large dinner salad with black beans and salsa.
However, here are some additional serving suggestions to keep the meal low carb.
- cauliflower rice
- spaghetti squash
- roasted vegetables, such brussels sprouts, zucchini or cabbage
- salad
More Easy tips
- Zest lime first, then extract juice (Learn from me – zesting an already squeezed lime can result in scrapped fingers. No bueno👎)
- If you prefer no hint of spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
- For golden brown chicken out of the crock pot, brown the chicken in a skillet over medium high heat first in a little olive oil.
- To save time when preparing the instant pot version, browning the chicken can be skipped. However, the chicken will need to be cooked for 8 minutes.
- Use leftover chicken for tacos or make a double batch and freeze half for tacos later.
- Substituting light cream cheese for regular works great in this recipe.
- If you prefer shredded chicken, cook the chicken on LOW for 6-7 hours in crock pot, or HIGH pressure for 10 minutes in the instant pot.
- This dish is best served over rice. Have you tried making rice in the Instant Pot?
More Chicken Recipes to LOVE!
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Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for instant pot directions)
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, divided
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (increase to 1 cup for instant pot directions)
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and room temperature
- for serving: cooked rice, additional lime wedges, cilantro
Instructions
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:
- Place chopped onion on bottom of slow cooker. In a small bowl combine garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub seasonings all over chicken breasts and place chicken on top of chopped onion.
- Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 cup cilantro and red pepper flakes. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth, lime juice, and lime zest. Cover and cook chicken on LOW for 3 hours.
- Remove lid and ladle out about 1/4 cup hot liquid into a small bowl. Whisk cornstarch into the small amount of liquid and stir back into the slow cooker. Cook for 30 additional minutes, until chicken temperature reaches 160ºF.
- Remove the lid to add cubed cream cheese and remaining chopped cilantro. Stir until smooth and creamy. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve creamy sauce over chicken with rice, additional cilantro, and lime wedges.
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS:
- In a small bowl combine garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub seasonings all over chicken breasts and set aside.
- Turn instant pot onto SAUTE and heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Brown 2 chicken breasts in heated oil 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden (but not cooked through). Set aside and repeat with remaining 2 chicken breasts, adding remaining oil. Remove browned chicken and set aside.
- Add onion to instant pot and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pot, scraping up browned bits with silicone spoon. Add in 1/4 cup cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and red pepper flakes.
- Place chicken back in pressure cooker. Close lid and seal valve. Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release pressure and transfer chicken to a clean plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Remove lid and ladle out about 1/4 cup hot liquid into a small bowl. Whisk cornstarch into the small amount of liquid. Press SAUTE LOW and add cornstarch mixture back to pot, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in remaining cilantro and cream cheese until smooth. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve creamy sauce over chicken with rice, additional cilantro, and lime wedges.
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Recipe Notes
Tips for Cooking Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
- Zest lime first, then extract juice.
- If you prefer no hint of spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
- For golden brown chicken out of the crock pot, brown the chicken in a skillet over medium high heat first in a little olive oil.
- To save time when preparing the instant pot version, browning the chicken can be skipped. However, the chicken will need to be cooked for 8 minutes.
- Use leftover chicken for tacos or make a double batch and freeze half for tacos later.
- Substituting light cream cheese for regular works great in this recipe.
- If you prefer shredded chicken, cook the chicken on LOW for 6-7 hours in crock pot, or HIGH pressure for 10 minutes in the instant pot.
Katie says
This recipe is SO good, my fiancé asks for it several times a month! It will make your palate POP (Ps – it isn’t spicy unless you want it to be)! I have always done it the instant pot way. I serve it with black beans and juiced up basmati rice (add butter, ginger, cumin, and lemon to your rice after it’s done cooking)! I am soooo grateful for this recipe!
Melissa Erdelac says
Hey Katie,
I love the idea to serve it with black beans! I’m going to try that next time. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Emily says
This recipe was very easy and delicious. There wasn’t a time listed for how long it would take in the instant pot. My rice cooker, which was set for 35 minutes, finished just as I was getting the sauce ready, so it was perfect! The sauce was so flavorful and the chicken was nice and moist.
Melissa says
Hi Emily,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for taking the time to write! I have 5 minutes cook time for chicken in the instant pot. I’m curious what time you used, but it still sounds like it turned out well!
Best,
Melissa
Peggy says
This is delicious. My son has been asking for me to make it again! I made in the crock pot last time, I’m going to try the Instant Pot!
Melissa says
Hi Peggy, Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed the recipe. To be honest, I think it turns out even better in the Instant Pot. Please try it that way too!
Best,
Melissa
Peggy Kidwell says
Melissa,
I made it in the Instant Pot tonight and it was fabulous. It seemed like more work though, I will plan ahead the next time because I could multi-task a bit easier with the crock pot! This time I used chicken tenderloins and when I moved the chicken from the pot to the plate, I cut them in two. The chicken was so tender and I had doubled the recipe so we had lots of gravy.
Both times I paired this with my sister in law’s rice recipe, which calls for rice that is sauteed in olive oil and garlic before adding the chicken broth to finish the cooking. Not sure if I used basmati or jasmine this time.
Thank you, everyone was thrilled again! 🙂 I’m looking forward to trying another of your recipes.
Peggy
Melissa says
Thanks for sharing Peggy and that rice dish sounds like the perfect accompaniment for it. Yes, the Instant Pot version is a little more hands on, but I usually just have rice going in my rice cooker while I’m making it. The slow cooker version is perfect if you want to have a meal waiting for you when you get home.
Best,
Melissa
Cheryl Rothman says
I made this for dinner tonight and we loved it! The flavors were refreshing- I know that’s an odd description but it’s true! It was not difficult to make either, so I will definitely make Cilantro Lime Chicken again. Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
Hi Cheryl, Thank you so much for taking the time to me know how much you enjoyed this dish. Glad it’s a keeper recipe!
Brooke Brumm says
Just finished this meal and it was DELICiOUS! So much flavor and everyone finished their plates! Loved it! Will definitely make this again. Thanks so much!
Melissa says
Hey Brooke, This is a goodie recipe that I haven’t made in awhile. You’ve inspired me to put it on the shopping list for next week. Glad you liked it!
Best,
Melissa