Ridiculously Easy Lime Chicken
Our Ridiculously Easy Lime Chicken is as simple as it gets. If you want to make a quick, but tasty, roasted chicken breast that goes with everything, then this high protein, low fat recipe is the one. It takes only 1 minute of prep time and the results are fantastic. This recipe is not only quick and easy, but it’s healthy, dairy-free, gluten-free, and keto!
Chicken breast is well seasoned, roasted in the oven, and finished with fresh lime. Serve with steamed or roasted vegetables for a healthy weeknight meal, or use for paninis, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, or in anything that would taste great with chicken. Want to know more about this quick and easy, clean eating main dish, and the numerous ways you can use this chicken recipe? You can find it in our Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe Updated: 4/1/22
RIDICULOUSLY EASY LIME CHICKEN
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Then line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil. Lightly spray foil with olive oil spray.
- Trim any fat off of chicken breasts. Season the bottom of the chicken breasts with a pinch of kosher salt (half of ⅛ tsp.), and a pinch of ground black pepper (half of ⅛ tsp.), and place them seasoned side down on the prepared baking sheet. Fold under thin ends of the chicken (see Note #1), then season the top of each breast with Tajin seasoning, Citrus Herb Seasoning, and remaining pinches of salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 17-20 minutes (based on size and thickness), then test for doneness (see Note #2).
- Remove from the oven, and immediately squeeze lime juice all over the chicken breasts (see #3 in Notes section). Using tongs, transfer chicken and juices to a plate, and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing. Serve with extra lime wedges and a side of vegetables for a healthy meal.
Notes
- Folding under the thinner ends of the chicken breast creates a more even thickness that allows the chicken to cook more evenly. This will help prevent the thinner parts of the chicken from being overcooked.
- If you don't have a thermometer, you can test for doneness by pressing down with the edge of a fork on the thick end of the chicken. If it's firm (not hard), it's done. Make sure to cover with foil and let the chicken rest for a full 5 minutes or more. This will allow the juices to redistribute back into the meat.
- If you want a stronger citrus flavor, squeeze up to 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (1 whole lime) over the chicken immediately after removing from the oven.
- Make ahead and use for our Epic Chicken Nachos, or our for a variation of our Spicy Avocado Turkey Panini!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
243.29Fat (grams)
5.87Sat. Fat (grams)
1.56Carbs (grams)
2.28Fiber (grams)
0.58Net carbs
1.70Sugar (grams)
0.36Protein (grams)
44.15Sodium (milligrams)
286.41Cholesterol (grams)
120.48Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Then line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil (for easy clean up). Lightly spray foil with olive oil spray.
STEP 2
With a sharp knife, trim any fat off of 1 ¼ pounds organic chicken breasts (2 large or 4 small breasts, boneless and skinless).
a) Season the bottom of both chicken breasts with a pinch of kosher salt (half of ⅛ tsp.), and a pinch of ground black pepper (half of ⅛ tsp.).
b) Place them seasoned side down on the prepared baking sheet.
c) Fold under thin ends of the chicken to create a more even thickness throughout (see Note below), then season the top of each breast with remaining pinches of kosher salt and ground black pepper.
d) Then season with ⅛ teaspoon Tajin seasoning clasico (chile lime), and 1 teaspoon Citrus Herb Seasoning. Bake uncovered for 17-20 minutes (based on size and thickness), then test for doneness by pressing down with the edge of a fork on the thick end of the chicken.
Note: Folding under the thinner ends of the chicken breast creates an even thickness that allows the chicken to cook more evenly. This will help prevent the thinner parts of the chicken from being overcooked. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test for doneness by pressing down with the edge of a fork on the thick end of the chicken. If it's firm (not hard), it's done. Make sure to cover with foil and let the chicken rest a full 5 minutes or more. This will allow the juices to redistribute back into the meat.
STEP 3a
Remove from the oven, and immediately squeeze 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half a lime) all over the chicken breasts (see Notes section). Using tongs, transfer chicken and juices to a plate, and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
STEP 3b
Cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
Note: You can also transfer to a warm plate, and cover with foil.
SERVE
Serve with more slices of lime, and a side of vegetables for a healthy weeknight meal. Or use in any recipe that would taste great with chicken.
Notes:
If you want a stronger citrus flavor, squeeze up to 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (1 whole lime) over the chicken immediately after removing from the oven.
Make ahead and use for our Epic Chicken Nachos, or our for a variation of our Spicy Avocado Turkey Panini!
VIDEO
How to Make this Clean Eating Chicken Recipe in Only 3 Easy Steps!
Blog Comments & Tips
Quick and easy, clean eating chicken recipe, that is tasty and healthy!
For fast weeknight meals, this is our go to recipe for chicken. It’s ridiculously easy to prepare, and goes with almost anything. This healthy roasted chicken breast recipe may be simple, but it’s quite tasty, too! Serve it with steamed or roasted vegetables for a healthy weeknight meal, or use it with other recipes. Sliced, shredded, or diced, this chicken is great in so many recipes!
Try it in paninis, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, casseroles, or anything that would taste great with chicken.
When adding to other recipes, it’s easy to make ahead of time. For our Epic Chicken Nachos, we made the chicken the night before, placed it in a Ziploc bag, and refrigerated it overnight. When we were ready to assemble the nachos, we diced the cold chicken (it’s much easier to dice when it’s cold), then added it to our recipe! If you are going to need shredded chicken for another recipe, it’s best to shred the chicken when it’s warm (not hot), then refrigerate in an airtight glass container. Check out our new Tips & Tricks Video (coming soon), on how to shred chicken quickly!
My husband and I have been making this chicken for years. When the kids were younger, this was definitely our go to recipe for quick healthy dinners. Despite using a chili seasoning, this recipe is truly family friendly. It’s kid friendly to eat, and easy enough for them to make!
We have pimped up this recipe over time, by using Tajin seasoning clasico (chile lime), which gives it a mild chili and lime flavor, but does not overpower the chicken. The addition of Citrus Herb Seasoning gives this chicken recipe a simple, but nicely seasoned flavor. Instead of marinating the chicken in citrus juice, we opted to finish it with lime juice, to give it a fresh lime flavor. Although we love marinated chicken recipes, you need time for that (often overnight). So, this recipe is our solution to getting the flavor, but making it quick and easy.
Now you have the recipe, here are some tips to ensure the best results.
Our 4 tips to making this easy, clean eating chicken recipe:
Use organic boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
Roll your limes on the counter to get the most juice out of them. Place a lime on the counter, then press down with the palm of your hand, and roll back and forth.
Let the chicken rest a full 5 minutes covered with foil, to allow the juices to redistribute back into the meat. If the breasts are large, you can even let them rest up to 10 minutes.
Don’t overcook your chicken! 165° is a good internal temperature.
It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Even More Keto-Friendly: Before adding the seasoning, rub or brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over chicken breasts. When ready to serve, arrange some fresh slices of avocado on top of the chicken, sprinkle a little s&p on the avocado, and finish with another squeeze of lime.
Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Make it Milder: It’s already pretty mild, but if you cannot take any spice, omit the Tajin seasoning.
Make it Lemony: Omit the Tajin (which has a chili and lime flavor), and replace the lime juice with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by leaving a comment and rating, and/or following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember as soon as you remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest a full five minutes!
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