This Cilantro Lime Chicken is the perfect healthy dinner recipe and can be made in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot. Serve it over rice or as a filling for tacos. You can even prep it ahead of time and freeze until you need it.
*This post was originally published 2/2014. Photos and post updated 12/2017*
Hi Friends!
When I asked in my survey this year what types of meals you guys wanted to see more of, slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes definitely topped the list. While I’m in the process of testing some new recipes to share, I thought I’d also take the time to go back and highlight a couple winners that are already on the blog that you might not even know about!
I shared this Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe almost 4 years ago and still make it fairly often. I love it because it’s super forgiving – you don’t need exact measurements you can prep several batches ahead of time, freeze in ziploc bags and then just pull one out to thaw and cook during a busy week.
Cilantro Lime Chicken
It’s also super versatile. You can serve it on its own over rice, or use it as the filling for tacos or burritos. I’ve even served it over chips topped with cheese for some easy nachos!
Since it had been awhile since I made it, I actually made two batches. One in the crockpot like the original recipe so that I could reshoot the photos and then another batch in the Instant Pot so I could give you those directions too!
So here’s how you make it:
PrintCilantro Lime Chicken
This Cilantro Lime Chicken is the perfect healthy dinner recipe and can be made in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot. Serve it over rice or as a filling for tacos. You can even prep it ahead of time and freeze until you need it.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 (15 oz) can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernals (fresh, frozen or canned)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 serrano (or jalapeno) peppers, minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- Optional toppings for serving: salsa, cheese, avocado
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
- Stir to combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Remove chicken, shred, return to pot, stir and serve.
- Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and freeze flat.
- Prior to cooking, defrost over night in the refrigerator or under cold running water.
- Dump contents into the crockpot. Add a little bit of water to the bag, shake it around and add to crockpot to help get some of the cilantro out if it sticks to the bag.
- Cook on low 4-6 hours.
- Shred chicken breasts and serve over rice, as is or in tortillas.
Notes
To prep for freezer: Combine all ingedients in a ziploc bag and freeze flat. Thaw in the fridge the night before cooking. Pour contents into crockpot and cook according to directions.
You may need to add a little water to the ziploc bag and swirl it around to get cilantro out if it sticks to the sides of the bag.
To cook in the Instant Pot: Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot. Seal, press the manual button and set time for 10 minutes. Shred chicken and serve.
Keep in mind you can use 90 second rice or even make your rice ahead of time and freeze it to make this dinner even easier. This is also one of my favorite meals to deliver to families with sick kids, families with new babies, etc
Top will all sorts of goodness like salsa, avocado, cheese etc and dig in!
Let’s chat: What’s your favorite make-ahead crockpot meal?
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
Looks tasty! I’ll have to try it.
Oh, how I love a good quick crockpot meal like this! And it’s a freezer meal on top of that? So perfect for busy days/nights. Thanks for sharing your freezer meal success. 🙂
That does look really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I never would have thought to cook and freeze my own beans. Genius! Do you have a how-to post on this? Or I guess, do you let the beans cool to room temp before freezing?
I have never made a freeze ahead crockpot, but I do love using mine for meals during the week! I had never even thought about it until I read your post! This is a great idea, I love cooking soups, which would be perfect for a freezer meal, and pulled pork! Yum yum yum! I am now really hungry, but 9 miles lie between me and a giant breakfast…..This would be a great meal to come back to after an afternoon run! Love cilantro and lime combination!
I don’t think I’ve ever prepped a crockpot meal for the freezer. The crockpot is so easy that this just makes it 1000 times easier. Great recipe, Lindsay!
perfect for taco tuesdays!!
i’ve never done a make ahead crockpot freezer meal!! i always just throw it in the morning of – great idea!!
Looks wonderful!
I have a question though- why do you need to defrost it before putting in the crockpot? I’m trying to learn more about freezing meals!
Thanks 🙂
Looks delicious! A whole chicken in the crock pot is one of our favorite, easy meals.
This looks awesome! I would totally make something like this. I love the idea of prepping this ahead of time, something I”m terrible at remembering to do!
Ummm this looks amazing! I am definitely busting out the crock pot and making this next week! xo
Oooh I love this and the fact that it is via the crock pot makes it that much better to me 🙂 Delicious!
YUM! LOVE crockpot chicken recipes!! cannot wait to try this one 🙂 great flavor combos!
That looks delish!! I am such a crockpot freak — this is right up my alley 🙂 Can’t wait to try it — thanks for sharing!!
Looks great!
I got a slow cooker in December and can’t believe I existed so long without one!
My favorite creations so far have been black bean chili and a ginger/curry red lentil & butternut squash soup. (Recipe to come.)
I just made a beef stew with a sweet potato instead of white potatoes and it turned out pretty well. Perfect for these chilly Houston days we’ve been having and SO EASY for me when I come home at night! Thanks for sharing!
Still crockpot-less, but I froze a bunch of my Mexican Chicken Soup and I’m SO glad to have it right now during out non-existent snow storm. 😉
Slow cooker meals are the absolute best! Throw it all in and come home to a hot and delicious meal…perfection!
LOVE! This reminds me of chipotle, but better, healthier, and easier! My husband is going to marry me all over again when I make this, just wait 🙂
this is just awesome. I have been trying to plan my meals since last week – this is on for next week 🙂 thanks for your Sunday Food Prep posts, its really what got me going 🙂
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This is awesome!! I also freeze my own beans that I cook, and I find that they defrost so quickly that it is just as easy to freeze a ton and throw them into the crockpot with other things. I will have to try out the cilantro lime in the crockpot because those are my favorite flavors. Thanks for the idea, Lindsay!
yum!! this is really similar to the white bean chili I did the other weekend and it was awesome!
I love this healthier version! I think this will be a meal we try next week. I love making soups in the crock pot.
Oh my goodness- this looks delicious. Sending the recipe to my husband so he can buy everything while I am out of town so that I can make it on Sunday!
I’ve got a whole chicken in the crockpot right now! To be shredded tonight for BBQ chicken sandwiches.
Oh yes! We love shredded chicken and shredded pork done with lots of different spices and veggies in the crock. Looks great, this one!
Mmm so easy!!! I have a recipe for crock pot chicken tacos that is super easy, pretty similar, but with a few more mixins’ 🙂 Sometimes we’ll just throw in a bunch of potatoes too with a can of soup, and add it to whatever meat we’re having that night.
This is completely my kind of meal. This is the type of food we eat and love in my house. It may not look that great, but the flavor and ease of making it = perfection!
I so need a crockpot!!! 🙂
Such a great idea! I love the ease of the crockpot and especially love the added benefit of prepping ahead of time. Looking forward to see any other creations you might come up with.
Yessss this looks absolutely delicious and so simple. Thanks for sharing!
Yum – this looks and sounds every bit as good as Chipotle!!! And, the fact that you can make it in the crock pot makes it a winner for me!!
i don’t like cilantro but everything about this recipe is ON key 🙂
Yummm!! Looks so simple and so delicious! I love using my crockpot for those days when I’m super busy, or my husband and I are going to be eating dinner at different times. It just makes life so much easier!
Lindsay! This looks so good! I have a crock pot that needs to be used more! haha. I’m sure my family will enjoy this. Thanks for sharing!
Ah yesss thanks for sharing! My fiance and I are currently living in a hotel, so I have been using a crock pot to cook dinner every night. I have been looking for new recipes and I can’t wait to try this one!
Ashley, Married to the Game
This needs some cheese and avocado 🙂
Looks SO good! You know that freezer/crockpot meals are right up my alley 😉
You had me at crockpot! Great recipe that I will be pinning!
★★★★★
This sounds absolutely delish! I’m pinning it for the future. My Crockpot broke last month and I still have to get the crock replaced. Unfortunate braindead moment when I added cold liquid to a hot Crockpot. Oops. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, do you drain the beans before putting them in the crockpot?
good question! yes, drained and rinsed. Updated the recipe!
If I want to cook this the day of, and not to freeze, does it just stay in the crockpot longer…? Or is it ready to eat after 4-6 hours on low?
It’ll still be ready in 4-6 hours on low!
For the instapot – do a quick or natural release?
So excited to try this!
i do quick release, but natural would also probably be fine.