Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken is a no-fail dinner recipe, great any night of the week. Tender, flavorful chicken is slow-cooked in a zingy, delicious sauce! All done in your slow cooker, so less effort and clean-up for you!
Why This Recipe Works
Do you know those recipes in your dinner rotation that never fail? Cilantro Lime Chicken made in the slow cooker is one of those recipes for me. It takes almost no time to prep this easy dinner and my crock pot does all the work!
The end result is a spicy (feel free to keep it on the mild side, if you’d like!), flavorful meal with the most tender chicken my teeth have ever met.
The first time I made this meal I could not believe that my fork (no knife required!) was easily cutting into a piece of chicken like it was butter. No lie, it’s really that tender. (Recipe adapted from this one over at All Recipes.)
Add this recipe to your dinner rotation pronto. I promise you’ll keep it around! This is a GREAT recipe, tried and tested approximately 9,000 times in our home.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken
Aside from the ridiculously tender chicken, the ease of preparing Cilantro Lime Chicken is my favorite thing about this recipe. Follow these simple instructions for a delicious, no-fail, easy meal!
Step 1
In a slow cooker, mix together salsa, lime juice, cilantro, taco seasoning and jalapenos (if using). Add 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts and coat with the salsa mixture.
Step 2
Cook on low heat for 6 hours, or high heat for 3 hours (low and slow is definitely recommended). After the chicken is cooked, serve with rice and with salsa mixture spooned over top, or shred it and use as a taco filling!
Recipe Notes
- Grate lime zest over the top of the meal just before serving it. I love the flavor this tiny little step adds!
- The sauce in this recipe can also be used as a chicken marinade if you would rather grill chicken on a hot summer day. Marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until breasts are cooked in the centers.
- If you want to know exactly what is inside your taco seasoning, make your own!
- For a creamier sauce, add 1/4 cup sour cream to the sauce mixture before cooking.
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker in pieces rather than adding whole breasts so the meat will be ready to eat when time is up!
Can I Omit the Jalapeno Peppers?
Of course! There is plenty of room to turn up the heat on this recipe, if that’s your thing, and it it also easy enough to keep it on the mild side. Tailor it to your liking!
How To Chop Jalapenos
Chop the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds, then you can dice or slice your jalapeno. However if you want more heat, then you can leave some seeds in.
The heat from jalapenos is stored in the oil of the skin and the seeds so be sure to wear gloves!
How To Serve Cilantro Lime Chicken
Serve the chicken with the salsa mixture spooned over the top, all over a bed of white, brown or Spanish rice (or go no rice!). If you’re feeling crazy, throw a dollop of sour cream on top with some crushed tortilla chips and extra cilantro.
Or grab two forks and start shredding! Add the shredded chicken to a tortilla or turn it into a delicious taco salad. Don’t forget to spoon the sauce over the top. It is so bold and delicious.
Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top just before serving for an added zing!
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Uses For Taco Seasoning
If you have extra taco seasoning on hand and you want to use it up, here are some other recipe ideas to throw it into!
- Add it to ground beef and top Campfire Nachos with it!
- Really, you could add it to just about any meat-based meal to transform it into a tasty, spicy food. I’m thinking meatballs, burgers or even chicken.
- Use it as a rub on your next Rotisserie chicken or batch of ribs!
- Add it to salad dressing for an extra zing.
Uses For Rice
If you have extra rice hanging around your fridge after making this recipe, here are a few other ways to enjoy rice!
- Sprinkle in some chopped fresh cilantro and mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and juice from 1 lime. No need for Chipotle!
- Serve underneath a heaping scoop of Hoisin Chicken Rice Bowls, Orange Chicken or Mongolian Beef. DELISH!
- Serve alongside Instant Pot Chicken for the perfect complete meal.
- Mix a bit of ginger sauce with rice for a delish side dish.
- Go simple and serve with a few pats of butter or olive oil. Stir until the butter has melted.
- Mix together with salsa, black beans, lime juice and chopped avocado. Add shredded chicken for a meaty dish!
Party Food Recipes
- The classic, crowd-pleasing Fruit Pizza has a cookie dough crust, dreamy cream cheese frosting and a colorful top layer of fruit and a tasty glaze.
- Taco Ranch Pasta Salad gets totally devoured at gatherings, no matter the season.
- Sausage Cheese Dip is easy to make (let your crockpot do the work for you!), cheesy, flavorful and totally irresistible! Only 6 ingredients required for this delicious party food!
- This is the best 7-Layer Taco Dip you’ll ever meet! It’s the perfect appetizer and party food and it is always the first thing to get devoured.
- Pickle Rollups are most perfect appetizer for any type of gathering! Only THREE ingredients, ten minutes of your time and guests will be raving!
- If you have fallen in love with the delicious Harry Potter Butterbeer Recipe from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you are in luck! This drink tastes just like the original beverage that is so loved by adults and kids alike.
Slow Cooker Recipes
Here are a few of my other favorite EASY crockpot creations! Enjoy, friends!
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Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 oz medium salsa
- 1 lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1.25 oz taco seasoning or 2 TBSP homemade taco seasoning
- 2 jalapeno peppers finely chopped (optional)
- 6 chicken breasts boneless, thawed
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, mix together the salsa, lime juice, cilantro, taco seasoning and jalapenos (if using). Add the chicken and coat with the salsa mixture.
- Cook on Low heat for 6 hours, or High heat for 3 hours. Serve chicken with rice and with salsa mixture spooned over top, or shred and use as a taco filling!
Notes
- Grate lime zest over the top of the meal just before serving it. I love the flavor this tiny little step adds!
- The sauce in this recipe can also be used as a chicken marinade if you would rather grill chicken on a hot summer day. Marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Cook for 6 minutes on each side, or until breasts are cooked in the centers.
- If you want to know exactly what is inside your taco seasoning, make your own!
- For a creamier sauce, add 1/4 cup sour cream to the sauce mixture before cooking.
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker in pieces rather than adding whole breasts so the meat will be ready to eat when time is up!
Candace
Hey there, I got this recipe from a friend and I am very excited to make it! I've already got the sauce put together for easy assembly this weekend. I was wondering how many people this recipe served? I'm cooking for about 8 people and originally had estimated a whole chicken breast per person.
daisy
answered my own question. 2tbs lime juice = juice from one lime according to google lol. if anyone else out there doesnt have fresh limes on hand!
daisy
Hi there I am making this tonight for dinner but I don't have a fresh lime, I just have the squeeze bottle of lime…How much would you recommend using from a squeeze bottle?
Aggie
This looks awesome!
Diane
Hi Pip & Ebby~~I apologize for my earlier post. I must've been having an extreme senior moment! lol I just went to print out this recipe today to make and noticed that I had asked about trying the boneless,skinless chicken breasts. The recipe CALLS for boneless, skinless, Diane!!!! This whole month, I've been on holiday recipe overload! lol! Anyhoo, I am going to make this for New Years Eve with all of the trimmings, all the way down to Margaritas and flan! I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe Christmas and all the best for a blessed New Year.
Autumn
This was an awesome dish! The house smelled so good for hours! I did double the recipe since I was feeding 5 people and I like to have leftovers, also my tomatoes really cooked down so it was pretty watery, so the last half hour or so I cooked it with the lid off to help thicken it up a little! YUMMY!
Bethany
This is in my crockpot right now. Made it a couple weeks ago and it was EXCELLENT! Thank you!
Sue
This is on the crock pot as I type… I have made it once before and then I also saw a similar one that added Cream of Mushroom soup. So this time I am adding one can … lets hope it turns out as good! I have doubled the recipe.
Megan Porta
Hi Tina! Honestly, it doesn't matter. Do whatever is easiest and it will work out. Throw it all in separately or mix it and then pour it over. Either way, it will turn out great!
Megan
Tina
Making this tommorow. I was wondering do you mix the taco seasoning, cilantro and lime with the salsa and then pour it over the chicken. Directions doesn't say.
Diane
Hello everyone! I really feel for all of you in Minnesota and S. Dakota! Here in Las Vegas, Nv. it's a cool day (for us) at 67°at 2 p.m.!! Probably get down to around 50° tonight. I can't wait to try this, it looks so amazing! Love Julia's idea of onions and green peppers!Has anyone tried to make this using the boneless, skinless breasts? I buy the big bags at Sam's Club, so always have them on hand. Boneless, skinless thighs also. Would so love to try them, probably both in the same batch. Someone asked about salsas. Pace is always a good choice, but there are so many great ones out there. Just trial and error I guess.
Whitney
Well it was 72 in Georgia today, but I'm making this anyway! Smells sooo good and is falling apart. Can't wait to try it 🙂 Thanks!
Jaime
I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it! It was delicious. I featured it on my blog:
http://pinterestprojects.blog.com/2012/11/21/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken/
Thanks for the great recipe! It's definitely a keeper. 🙂
beth
This recipe is OUTSTANDING! Just delicious!! I used green salsa and added an extra jalapeno. I served it to my friends and everyone was raving about it!!
CB
A coworker recommended this recipe from her Pinterest page, and it is one of the most delicious things I've ever made! I couldn't wait to eat because the house smelled so good! Thanks for a super delicious, satisfying meal!
Jeana
I make this all the time and tried it with a small beef chuck roast the other night and made shredded beef tacos. It was AMAZING!
jonna
Just finished getting this into the crock pot! Can't wait to dig into tonight. Thanks for a super simple recipe 🙂
Megan Porta
Hi Jen! Hmm, not sure what to suggest. You can give the frozen a try. Hoping for the best for you! Let me know how it goes..
Megan
Jen
I work pretty long hours and don't have a programmable crockpot. Generally any crockpot meal I make stays in for 10 hours which can lead to dry ingredients. Any recommendations for stretching the time out on this recipe? Frozen chicken? Additional salsa or water? Hoping to try your recipe this week-it looks amazing!
Sarah
Awesome! Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!