Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (2024)

Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe Notes Can I Omit the Jalapeno Peppers? How To Chop Jalapenos How To Serve Cilantro Lime Chicken Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Recipes – 7 Delicious Ideas! Uses For Taco Seasoning Uses For Rice Party Food Recipes Slow Cooker Recipes Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe Equipment Ingredients Instructions Notes Nutrition FAQs

Published: · Modified: by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

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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!

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (1)

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!

See Also
America's Most Wanted Recipes: Delicious Recipes from Your Family's Favorite RestaurantsPaperbackTodd Wilbur's Top Secret RecipesBecky Higgins' Garlic Chicken Farfalle | Chicken Pasta RecipeGomae (Japanese Spinach Salad) - Salu Salo Recipes

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!

Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Recipes – 7 Delicious Ideas!

Chicken and potatoes make a hearty, affordable team! Click over for 7 delicious baked chicken and sweet potatoes recipes for your next perfect meal.

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!
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (2)

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!

  • Crockpot Mac and Cheese
  • Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (3)

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Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (4)

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

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!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours hours

Servings: 6

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Megan Porta

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

Click here for an Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe + VIDEO

Recipe adapted from this one over at All Recipes: https://allrecipes.com/recipe/218863/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken/

  • 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!

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 739mg | Potassium: 859mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 717IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!

See Also
Clean Eating Lemon Almond Chicken Salad Recipe
Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does chicken get more tender the longer you slow cook it? ›

The connective tissue is turned to gelatin after slow cooking in moist heat for several hours. That is why tough meats become “fork tender” in the slow cooker.

Tell Me More ›
Do you put lime on chicken before or after cooking? ›

Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, or until it's browned and cooked through. Add the remaining chopped cilantro to the cooked chicken. Squeeze fresh lime over the finished chicken or serve with lime wedges so each person can squeeze their own. That fresh pop of lime is 👌.

Continue Reading ›
Why is my slow cooker chicken tough? ›

Aside from accidentally overcooking the meals, the most common reason we see for tough, rubbery, or overdone chicken is customers using a Crockpot that is far too big. Each of our meals comes with a recommended slow cooker size.

Learn More ›
How do I keep chicken from drying out in the crockpot? ›

Using a nice, long, low-and-slow cook time helps chicken breasts retain plenty of moisture - but you can certainly opt to add a splash of water or chicken stock to the crockpot if you like!

View More ›
Why does chicken get rubbery in slow cooker? ›

It's easy to throw in an Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup or shred it in Healthy Chicken Enchiladas. Rubbery chicken is usually an indicator of overcooked chicken. The longer the chicken cooks, the more moisture it loses, and without moisture, the protein fibers become elastic, AKA rubbery.

Explore More ›
How long can you leave chicken in slow cooker on low? ›

For a whole chicken – Place it in your slow cooker breast side down. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. For bone-in pieces - Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 3-4 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.

Explore More ›
What happens if you marinate chicken in lime? ›

The Lime Marinade makes the chicken juicy on the inside and injects with flavour so you won't need a sauce with it. And after resting the chicken for a few minutes before serving it, some of those juices will sweat to the surface, like you see below.

Explore More ›
Why do people rub lime on chicken? ›

Using lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar to wash off chicken and fish before cooking is a common practice in the West Indies/Caribbean. Before the invention of refrigerators, people applied an acidic solution because they thought it would kill any bacteria on the chicken, and also give a hint of extra flavor.

Tell Me More ›
Can you put lime on raw chicken? ›

Use the lime and its juices to scrub the surface of each individual piece of chicken. This helps to remove the slime and film off the chicken. The salt helps to "exfoliate" as you scrub the limes on the chicken like a "sponge".

Discover More ›
What is difference between crockpot and slow cooker? ›

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

Read On ›

Is it better to cook chicken breast on high or low in crockpot? ›

Chicken Breast Cooking Times

Cook boneless chicken breasts in slow cooker on LOW for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Always cook your boneless skinless chicken breasts on LOW for the best results. I do not recommend cooking boneless chicken breast on HIGH, as it will become very dry and tough, even if you check it early.

View Details ›
How long does it take for chicken to cook in the crockpot? ›

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with plenty of salt and pepper. Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes.

Read More ›
Can I put raw chicken in the crockpot? ›

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!

Read More ›
Does chicken need to be covered in liquid in crockpot? ›

When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and directions for best results.

View More ›
Do you need to put liquid in the slow cooker when cooking chicken? ›

Yes. For example though, if you throw some boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the slow cooker with zero liquid they will cook just fine. As they cook, they provide their own juices so no additional liquid is required if you don't want to use any.

Read The Full Story ›
How do you make chicken more tender? ›

1) Marinate the chicken in water, wine, or other liquids for up to an hour before cooking. This will tenderize the meat and add flavor. 2) Slowly cook the chicken on low heat with a lid on top for about 15-20 minutes per pound of chicken. The lid prevents the chicken from drying out too much.

Keep Reading ›
Does meat get softer the longer you slow cook? ›

Stew is the ideal time to skip the lean, pricier cuts of meat and go for the less expensive, tougher cuts. The long, slow cook time leaves lean meat, like sirloin, tough and chewy, while tougher cuts, like chuck, break down and become really tender.

Discover More Details ›
How do chefs get chicken so tender? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Keep Reading ›
Does cooking chicken too long make it tough? ›

Overcooking leads to dry, tough, sawdusty meat with nearly no flavor. High doneness temperature for food safety. Salmonella is the food safety enemy in chicken that dies only at higher temperatures. But cooking chicken breast to an instant thermal-kill doneness temperature will cause it to dry out excessively.

Get More Info ›
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