I’ve been seeing some pretty good deals on chicken parts, lately. So, I’ve been sifting through chicken recipes. Particularly no-sweat (literally), Summer-season ones. And I found an all-time easiest, tasti-est one-pan chicken gem…
For some reason that’s not immediately apparent, Cilantro-Lime-themed dishes are popping up with notable frequency this summer. The flavour team is an Asian classic – particularly in Thai dishes – and is also a great example of a light, sparky, cheeky take on ‘summer’ flavours.
Easy, peasy
‘Cilantro Lime Chicken’ is as easy make as it is to say. For the marinade, you just whisk together fresh cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and some carefully selected spices. Consisting of 1/2 tsp. cumin and, a pinch of hot pepper flakes. Allow to marinate covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Recipe contributor Lauren Miyashiro says longer is definitely better!
Brown the chicken skin-side down, in an oven-safe skillet, in a tablespoon or two of oil. It will take 5 or 6 minutes for the skin to totally crisp up. Then turn the chicken pieces just to sear the other side.
Add the reserved marinade to the pan and place it in a preheated 425 F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 165 F.
Serve over steamed white rice and drizzle with the pan drippings.
All you need to complete the meal is a simple tossed salad.
Brownie points
This dish makes Brownie points on it’s ease of execution. But it racks them up on other factors as well.
First, crisping the chicken skin is just as important to the final flavour profile of the dish as the cil-antro and lime. In fact, it’s a crucial component.
The recipe calls for chicken thighs – my favourite cut of the bird. I’m a dark meat fan to start with. It just has loads more flavour and overall character. But nutritionists say poultry dark meat is hands-down more nutrient rich than white meat. And Chicken thighs are one of less-expensive cuts. On top of that, you can often get them in ‘Family’ or ‘Club’ packs at even better prices.
In general, the relatively short stove-top cooking time involved is a great way to beat the summer heat in the kitchen. Making the rice in a rice cooker or slow cooker helps on the account, too.
Finally, if you cook up a whole ‘family Pack’ of thighs at once, you’ll have versatile leftovers for shred-ding into tacos, burritos, enchiladas or other Tex-mex dishes. The stuff is also a great upgrade in chicken salads or sandwiches.
My take
This dish delivers Summer flavour and simplicity on all fronts. And I think you could even grill the chicken rather than pan-searing it for even more flavour!
I love the idea of pairing just two ultra-complementary flavours on a culinary ‘blank canvas’ like chicken. I’m contemplating sleuthing out other such simple dishes which demonstrate the exquisite simplicity of other flavour pairings. But it’s going to take a while. There are untold millions of options online!
~ Maggie J.