Cilantro Lime Chicken made in the crockpot (slow cooker) or as a freezer meal is packed with flavor! You’re family is going to love this dinner, you’re going to love how easy it is to prepare!
Table of Contents
Why this Recipe is Best
It’s safe to assume that if you’ve popped over to read about today’s Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, it means you love cilantro.
For those of you who think cilantro tastes like soap, you’re better off making this Chicken Tetrazzini recipe or this Classic Chicken Pot Pie.
PRO TIP: I usually use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for slow cooker dinners as it doesn’t dry out like breasts do. HOWEVER, today’s meal is so flavorful and juicy, the chicken breasts work perfectly!
PRO TIP: When chopping cilantro, you can use the stems too! Lots of flavor is actually stored in the cilantro stems.
What to serve with Cilantro Lime Chicken
Your chicken is finished and you’ve got an entire crockpot full of juicy, tender cilantro lime chicken. What do you serve with it?
- Cilantro Lime Rice – just like Chipotle!
- Pico de Gallo
- Chips and Salsa– or salsa verde
- Guacamole -or sliced avocados
- Sour Cream
Cilantro Lime Chicken makes great TACOS too! Fill up your tortilla with the contents of the crockpot. Add some homemade mango salsa and you’ve got a delicious Cilantro Lime Taco recipe.
This makes a great use of the leftovers!
How to freeze Cilantro Lime Chicken
For our freezer meal prep, take a large gallon sized freezer safe ziploc bag and add all the ingredients to the bag (instead of putting them in the slow cooker).
Label the bag. I usually double bag my freezer meals, just in case anything has dripped out, I like them super clean and safe!
If you’re wondering how long you can freeze chicken, I usually opt for 3 months for best flavor! If it’s a deep freezer (like a chest freezer), I go as long as 6 months.
When ready to use, either thaw in refrigerator overnight, or cut away the ziploc bag and place contents in slow cooker. Cook according to recipe directions. ENJOY.
More Dinner Ideas
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
- Sweet Chili Chicken – for the Slow Cooker!
- Balsamic Chicken – can also use Pork!
- Tequila Chicken
- Carne Asada
- Firecracker Chicken Wraps
- Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless, chicken breasts
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 15 oz
- 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained 15 oz
- 1 can diced green chilies 4 oz
- 1 can sweet corn, drained 15 oz
- ½ cup salsa
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 2 jalapeno diced and seeded
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 limes juiced
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro chopped (with stems)- about one full bunch
Instructions
- Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker. Top with remaining ingredients. Cover.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 4 hours).
- Shred chicken and serve over cilantro lime rice.
Notes
- To prepare as freezer meal, place all ingredients in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Label and store for up to three months.
- To heat, cut off ziploc bag and place contents in slow cooker. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. ENJOY.
Nutrition
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken is your answer for an easy, flavorful, freezer meal recipe!
This was DELICIOUS! We made this for a small party, served with the Cilantro Lime Rice and also Cumin Brown Rice. We had chips and queso as well. Everyone gave the recipe a 10/10! And it only required about 15 minutes of assembly in the crockpot to begin with! Will be making again.
I made this for dinner tonight. Family said 10/10 over white rice. I made it in the pressure cooker with frozen chicken breast. PC on hi 35 min QR add cornstarch slurry to thicken and served over rice.
Yay! So happy to hear it 🙂
This might be a dumb question, but do you put the cilantro in and let it cook with all the ingredients, or do you just sprinkle the cilantro on the top when its completed?
I do both 🙂
Love that this can be made in a slow cooker. So easy and delicious!
I want this for dinner tonight! So easy and so much flavor, my family is going to love it.
Such a fantastic meal!! My family would LOVE this!!
So easy and delicious – this chicken is our family’s new go-to!
I’m always looking for freezer meals to add to my stash! Perfectly easy and delicious!