Quick Look at this Easy Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Ready In: about 4 hours
- Difficulty Level: super easy, beginner-friendly (only 10 minutes of prep time)
- Serves: 6-8
- Main Ingredients: chicken breasts, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, fresh cilantro, and garlic!
- Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Whole30/Paleo friendly
- Equipment: small food processor and slow cooker
- Best For: tacos, rice bowls, enchiladas, nachos, wraps or burritos (like our cilantro lime chicken burritos)!
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Why This Chicken Ends Up on Repeat!
- So simple! Only 10 minutes of prep and let it cook away all day.
- The BEST light & refreshing flavors!
- Leftovers might be as good or better than eating it fresh out of the slow cooker.
- Freezer-friendly – enjoy for dinner and freeze leftovers for another day!
- Versatile – it can be enjoyed in so many different ways for quick and easy dinners.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Breasts – highly recommend using some fresh or thawed chicken breasts. The hearty texture of chicken breasts tend to hold up the best when slow cooking.
- Olive Oil – substitute avocado oil to make this recipe Whole30 and Paleo compliant.
- Lime Juice + Lime Zest – a double punch of fresh acidity to bring the best flavor!
How To Make Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Step 1 – Put cilantro, oil, lime juice, zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor.
Step 2 – Blend until smooth.
No Food Processor? No Problem!
Feel free to use a blender or simply mince the cilantro and garlic with a knife and whisk together. The flavor is better distributed when blended but either way can be used in a pinch.
Step 3 – Put chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour in the cilantro lime sauce.
Step 4 – Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4-5 hours.
Step 5 – Shred the chicken and toss in the crockpot with the sauce. Enjoy any way you want!
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
After making this incredibly easy slow cooker chicken dinner for years, we have a few tips to share with you:
– Don’t overcook the chicken breasts. This is hard to do in the slow cooker, but overcooked chicken will result in a mushy texture.
– Shred the meat while it is still warm and stir the chicken juices back in to the crockpot for maximum flavor.
– Great option for meal prep! Store leftover shredded chicken in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Best Ways To Serve Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken
This easy cilantro lime chicken recipe is super versatile. There are several different ways you can serve it! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Rice Bowls – enjoy the juicy, shredded chicken on top of instant pot jasmine rice or homemade cauliflower rice with any of your favorite toppings! Or increase the flavor with our cilantro lime rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
- Tacos – serve it up in flour tortillas or corn tortillas with fresh taco toppings.
- Enchiladas – the perfect filling for some super easy chicken enchiladas!
- Nachos – add the shredded chicken to a plate of nachos with lots of melty cheese.
- Salads – add on top of a salad – we love our ultimate southwest salad!
- Burritos – wrap it all up in a large tortilla, like in our cilantro lime chicken burritos (perfect for meal prep).
Any of these options can be served with a variety of fresh toppings. We recommend avocado, red onion, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, dairy free sour cream, and a big scoop of our fresh homemade guacamole!
Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken FAQs
Yes, they can be used but they should have a shorter cook time and due to their higher fat content might be a little more greasy.
Yes, simply add some diced jalapeños or chipotle peppers.
Yes, once it is cooked and cooled, it can be transferred to freezer-safe containers and frozen for up to 3 months.
Made this recipe and loved it?!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped & tightly packed
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, sub avocado oil
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Serving Suggestions:
- cooked rice
- fresh homemade guacamole, sub store-bought
Instructions
- Blend Sauce: In a blender or food processor, add 1 cup fresh cilantro, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of 1 lime, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Cook: Add a little of the cilantro lime sauce to the bottom of a slow cooker, place 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts on top, and then add the rest of the sauce. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until cooked through (internal temperature of 165℉) or cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Shred: Remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred with two forks and return to the crockpot. Toss to coat in the sauce.
- Serve: Enjoy right away with cooked rice and fresh homemade guacamole or use in a burrito bowl, tacos, enchiladas, etc!
Notes
- Lime flavor: If you want the lime flavor to be more intense, feel free to add additional lime zest or lime juice.
- Serving suggestions: homemade cauliflower rice (Whole30 + Paleo), Instant Pot jasmine rice, tacos, salad or enchiladas.
- Storage: any chicken leftovers can go in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Original post published on 3/2/2020. Retested and new photos added on 7/30/26.
Bridget says
So easy and such a delicious dinner option!!
Angie says
This slow cooker recipe is easy to make and turned out delicious!
Erin Jensen says
Thanks, Angie!! So glad you enjoyed this one – thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review – I really appreciate it!
Michael Harrison says
Love this recipe! My wife and I made it last night with great results. One word of caution though…we left the lime wedges in the slow cooker and it kind of gave the chicken a bitter aftertaste. Totally our fault but live and learn I guess. Thanks for posting!