Cilantro and lime may be one of my favorite combinations. Cilantro lime aioli, cilantro lime vinaigrette, cilantro lime marinades, I love them all. I wanted to throw together a quick meal so I used that flavor profile, topped it with salsa, and called it a day. This cilantro lime chicken with charred corn salsa was easy to prepare and delivered on flavor. Just the type of meal I was looking for!
Cilantro Lime Chicken with Charred Corn Salsa
Ingredients
Cilantro lime chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Corn salsa
- 2 ears corn shucked
- ½ cup snap peas trimmed and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup tomatoes chopped
- ¼ cup radish thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Combine minced garlic with cilantro, lime juice, cumin, coriander, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken, tossing to coat. Let sit for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the corn salsa. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan. Add the corn kernels and saute until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Add the snap peas and saute 1-2 more minutes or until charred. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly and toss with tomatoes, radish, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and let sit.
- Heat grill to medium heat.
- Cook the chicken on the grill until deep grill marks form, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook on the other side until the chicken is fully cooked, another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with the corn salsa.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
When you look at the time for this recipe, it reads "1 hour and 20 minutes" total cooking time but in actuality, 1 hour of that is for marinating the chicken. You can also marinate the chicken the night before and throw it on the grill the next day to make it even easier.
The cilantro lime chicken is really just that with a touch of cumin, coriander, and garlic for added goodness. Mix everything up together and let it sit for at least one hour or up to overnight.
While the chicken is getting nice and flavorful, make the salsa. There's just something about charred corn that makes it so darn tasty. The slight char with the sweet corn kernels makes it my favorite way to eat corn. Just a quick tip: salt the corn after it's done cooking. The salt draws out the water which is what makes the corn sweet, so season after!
Sear the snap peas with the corn and let it cool slightly before mixing in the tomatoes, thinly sliced radish, red onion, and more cilantro and lime. You know salsas aren't complete without cilantro and lime!
You can cook the chicken on the grill, saute pan, or even in the oven but preparing it on the grill just seemed the most appropriate since it is the summertime. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes after it is done to let the juices permeate and then serve with the salsa. This cilantro lime chicken with charred corn salsa is one of those simple but delicious meals. Don't tell but I like to make extra salsa and eat it by the spoonful. Corn season, please don't ever end!
For more chicken inspiration check out these garlic parmesan chicken wings!
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