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Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot recipe is so simple and easy. The slow cooker does all the work. Crockpot cilantro lime chicken is an amazing dish that is packed with flavor!
Crock-Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
You can serve this over rice for an easy meal. We also love this Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe. If you’re looking for a simple and delicious meal, this is it!
Cilantro Lime Chicken makes meal prep painless, too! Some of our favorite ways to enjoy the leftovers is in burritos or quesadillas. We have even eaten it by itself or in a salad. This option is great if you are eating low carb.
Above all, it is packed with so much flavor, you will be shocked by how delicious it is with so little work!
Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken is delicious!
Since I have been trying to eat healthier I have been jazzing up some of my old recipes. I’m in love with creating new recipes that are packed with more flavor so I will not be tempted to top it with cheese.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
It always amazes me just how easy crockpot meals are but just how delicious they end up! All of my kids raved about how good it was. I liked it because it is good for you and it only took seconds to throw it in the crockpot.
Try Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos!
You can put this in tortillas for tacos. If you like Crock Pot Chicken Tacos – only 3 ingredients, try Cilantro Lime Chicken.
I love the extra flavor the cilantro and lime adds. The cilantro and lime make such an amazing meal packed with tons of flavor, the entire family will love this recipe.
Also, try Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken with corn and black beans!
It’s so easy to add corn and black beans to this recipe for a delicious and filling add on. I love doing this when I’m trying to bulk up a meal and stretch the meat.
Serve over Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe and it’s just SO good! We also learned how to freeze rice. I like to keep plain white rice and also this amazing Cilantro Lime Rice in the freezer. Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken and rice is my favorite way to eat this delicious meal!
It’s so nice to come home from a long day and have this Cilantro Lime Chicken waiting in the crockpot and rice that can be taken out of the freezer easily!
Ingredients for Cilantro lime chicken recipe:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1(15oz) can of tomato sauce
- Bunch of cilantro (torn apart) – If you don’t like cilantro check out our The Best Cilantro Substitutes
- Lime, juiced (Best Substitute for Lime Juice)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- Garlic salt or powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make cilantro lime chicken in the crockpot:
Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot (mine were frozen)
Dump in the seasonings (including chopped cilantro – Check out How to Cut Cilantro) and squeeze the juice from the lime. (this is what I use to get all the lime juice out).
However, if you do not have cumin or chili powder, you could use taco seasoning instead.
Pour 1 can of tomato sauce on top.
Cook the chicken on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. (If you have to cook it longer than 8 hours due to work, then add ½ can of water)
Shred chicken, stir and serve.
Serve over rice and top with some fresh cilantro. I also like to serve with fresh lime wedges. See How to Cut Lime Wedges.
Salt and pepper to taste. I love to use sea salt. Sometimes I add red peppers flaked on top.
Cilantro lime chicken recipe is the perfect meal for a busy day!
The results:
The kids love this recipe and it is packed with flavor. The cilantro in the crockpot practically disappears so they kids won’t complain.
I just like to top it with fresh cilantro on my plate because… well… I love cilantro. Sour cream is also a great addition if you want it to make it a little creamier.
I also made this for the “Taste of Seasons” at my church where a TON of people sampled it. I received lots of GREAT feedback.
You have to try this great recipe to believe it.
Can this recipe be made in the Instant Pot?
Yes, definitely! To create this recipe in the instant pot, throw all the ingredients in the instant pot and add 1 cup of chicken broth.
Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes with a quick release and the chicken will be shreddable and ready to enjoy! This is a great option if you accidentally forgot to throw this in your crock pot that morning!
Could you freeze this?
In addition to be a super simple meal, you can also freeze this recipe! You can either freeze it already cooked to use later in quesadillas or tacos or you can toss everything in a freezer bag (not cooked yet) – then you just toss all the ingredients in the crockpot to cook straight from the freezer.
Cilantro lime chicken slow cooker freezer meal is a great idea for busy days!
Print this Cilantro lime chicken recipe below:
Slow Cooker: Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 can of tomato sauce 15 oz can
- 1 bunch of cilantro torn apart
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- Garlic salt or powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the crockpot (mine were frozen)
- Dump in the seasonings (including cilantro) and squeeze the juice from the lime.
- Pour 1 can of tomato sauce on top.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. (If you have to cook it longer than 8 hours due to work, then add ½ can of water)
- Shred chicken, stir and serve.
- Serve over rice and top with some fresh cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken drumsticks taste amazing too!
Another variation on this recipe is to use drum sticks because they are tender and oh so yummy. Use what you have on hand or what is on sale. I bet chicken thighs would taste great too.
More delicious chicken recipes for you to try:
- Easy Crockpot BBQ Ranch Chicken Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing Recipe
- Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe
- Easy Chicken Enchilada Foil Packet Meal
- Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
Try these other crockpot recipes:
- The Best Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe – Only 3 ingredients
- Crockpot Beef Tacos
- Crock Pot Mexican Taco Casserole Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Crock Pot Street Tacos
Love cilantro? Try these other easy recipes:
1 Tbls of chili or chili powder?
Chili Powder – I fixed it. Thanks!
What size is the can of tomato sauce?
Hello, what size can of tomato sauce please!!! ?
Victoria – I updated the recipe. I use a 15 oz can of tomato sauce with this recipe. Thank you and I hope you enjoy it 🙂
How long on low if the chicken is thawed?
6-8 hours based on the size of the chicken. Thank you!
If I wanted to add corn and black beans, how and when should it be done? What amounts and would frozen corn work? Thank you!
I would do a can of each beans and corn. Put them in the slow cooker with the chicken and it’ll work great. Also, yes, you can use canned or frozen corn. I would do 1 cup of frozen corn. Let us know how it turns out!
Could you do in Instapot?
Are those full chicken breasts or chicken breast halves? Roughly how many ounces would that be? I am excited to try this recipe!
I made this and it was delicious! I served it over yellow rice and mixed in some sauteed onions and green peppers. Excellent! It will definitely go in the dinner rotation.
I’m glad you loved it!
Hi, I have made this once but I am unsure how much garlic powder??i guessed about 1tsp. What would you recommend?
I will say I loved this recipe. I made enchiladas last time & tacos with the leftovers!
So good.
I’m so glad that you enjoy it. I recommend using approximately 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. Thank you!
I have made this a few times now and I absolutely LOVE it!!
Woohoo! Great to hear – Thank you!
Can’t wait to try it! Please be more specific on the chicken breasts, it seems they can go from very small to huge at a meat market. Thank you 🙂
Generally I use around 2.5-3 pounds of chicken for this recipe. Thank you!
How much cilantro do you typically use?
Generally, I use whatever I have on hand. I don’t measure it out, I just grab a handful and it works great!
How much dried cilantro can I use if I don’t have fresh?
I would start with 2 Tbsp of dried cilantro and then add more if needed at the end. Thanks!
hi,
I loved this chicken, realized to give a squeeze of lime once it was cooked to bring the favors all together.
very easy
Hello,
When you say tomato sauce do you mean like ketchup? Or do you mean sieved tomatoes?
Thanks.
No ketchup – It’s a can of cooked pureed tomatoes. Thanks!
Just made this!!! AMAZING!! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Carrie….I have this recipe bookmarked and use it often! My husband loves ground beef tacos and my daughter does not like ground beef. So I make a big batch of this on taco night as well as ground beef, and we just pick our favorite protein :-).
I had a large pack of chicken breasts (7 of them) and used the same amount of sauce, and it turned out great.
Could you use chicken broth instead? I am highly allergic to tomatoes.
Yes, it’ll have a different flavor but will still be good with the cilantro.
Hello, made it today. I only cooked for 6 hours since it was super easy to shred. Was the 6 hours okay? I’ve seen a lot of recipes where it says 6-8 hours and I didn’t want to overcook my chicken lol so I just stopped at 6 hours. I used 3 chicken boneless breast just like your video.
Yes, the 6 hours is fine if the chicken was shreddable after that time. Each crock pot cooks a bit differently so yours probably cooks hotter than mine.
I tried this recipe yesterday I was very excited for the slow cooker to stop to feed my family, however you should specify lime juice versus lime, because I cut up the lime squeezed it into the crockpot and cooked it all together, when it was done it was an edible due to the strong lime rind flavoring I had to throw it out ?? I wasted to organic chicken breast
I’m so sorry about that. We will update the recipe to be more clear.
My guys loved this. My hubby ate it on rice and said it was amazing with the delicious sauce..
This was amazing! My husband said it was restaurant quality.
We love this recipe too!