Cilantro Lime Baked Chicken

Growing up in the 80’s, it seemed there was always a new seasoning or marinade. A packet, a bottle, a shaker, something to make you believe that you couldn’t or shouldn’t do it yourself, you should just pick up a bottle and add meat. It stole our confidence in cooking fresh and of course you never really knew what was going into that bottle. I think that’s why I’ve always leaned toward my grandmother’s way of cooking over my mother’s – I love the taste of cooking fresh and want to bring it back to basics. That’s exactly what I’m doing in our kitchen and with this easy Cilantro Lime Baked Chicken.

In college, I was all too guilty of making dinner from a box. It wasn’t good, but it was cheap and I was broke. What I didn’t think about at the time was how I was depriving my body of much needed nutrients. Another mistake I made? Washing my dishes with orange dish soap. One night I made a box of pasta and and the first bite tasted even less appealing than usual. It tasted like dish soap – a taste I will never forget. The pot I had made pasta in had not been rinsed well enough and my dinner had absorbed the taste of the dish detergent. It was the first time I questioned what I was cleaning with and the ingredients in it. Now I wash dishes without fear of the product I’m using – I love Seventh Generation’s plant-based dish wash that gets grease and dried on food off, but non-toxic, dye free and doesn’t use synthetic fragrances. My personal favorite is Lavender Floral & Mint, of course, but I love the Free & Clear as well {even using it to get tough stains out of the girls’ clothes.}

This made from scratch baked chicken is a family favorite, though we each enjoy it a little differently. The sauce takes just 5 minutes to make and coat the chicken. While it’s baking, I shred cheese for my salad and for the girls’ quesadillas. Chris loves eating this cilantro lime baked chicken a la carte, topped with avocado salsa and I eat mine on a bed of lettuce.

I save a little time using a food processor to make the sauce, but don’t fret if you don’t have one, just finely chop the ingredients and stir well. I’d love to hear what your family thinks as well! Tag me on Instagram or leave me a comment below!

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

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Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 0:30

Serves 4     adjust servings

Ingredients

• 1 c cilantro {no stems}
• 1/2 jalapeno {remove seeds}
• 1/4 c lime juice
• 1/8 c olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 400.
2. Meanwhile, add cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, olive oil and minced garlic to a food processor {not required, but I love it ground fine}.
3. Add half of the sauce to a small bowl and coat chicken. Place on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes {it will continue cooking}.
5. Brush chicken with remaining cilantro lime sauce.

by Julie

This delicious cilantro lime baked chicken recipe is sponsored by Seventh Generation. As always, all opinions are own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this site possible! I appreciate your support.

Tools I use to make Cilantro Lime Baked Chicken
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