Easy Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken – Real Food Whole Life

Cilantro lime chicken recipe slow cooker

Easy to make and very satisfying, this chicken with cilantro and lime is perfect to fill in hot tortillas! It is elevated by the tastiest homemade coriander and lime sauce and can be made with chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

Top and bottom view of the cilantro and lime chicken dinner in a black pot on a white background.

About this recipe

Very easy to make with ultra satisfactory results, this chicken with cilantro and lime is perfect to fill in hot tortillas or with rice and beans.

Since it makes tons of leftovers, this shredded chicken is perfect for preparing meals on busy weeks and using throughout the week on a variety of meals.

Yes, we love a quick and easy slow cooker recipe

around here, and this one fits the bill, as all you have to do is mix the sauce and pour it into the slow cooker along with

the chicken.

I love that!

Now, the secret to elevating simple chicken breasts to something special is to cook them slowly and slowly in a delicious sauce.

And this cilantro lime sauce is one of my all-time favorites: it’s vibrant, spicy, herby, and full of flavor.

But don’t let the mention of a homemade sauce stop you from making this recipe, just take a few ingredients and a few minutes to make it.

This recipe is fantastic made with chicken breasts or chicken thighs, so you can keep your options open and use the ones you have on hand.

Top and bottom view of a transparent blender cup filled with fresh ingredients for a coriander sauce, on a white background.

Process and tips

This slow cooker chicken

couldn’t be easier to assemble and it’s easy enough for a weeknight!

Just add your chicken and sauce, set the timer, and let your slow cooker do all the hard work for you.

Before you know it, you’ll have plenty of tender shredded chicken in the tastiest sauce ready to use throughout the week.

I love that cilantro lime sauce is so easy to make and ready with just a quick buzz in the blender or food processor.

You can even do it up to 5 days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for an even faster preparation day.

Note: If you prepare the sauce in advance, you may lose some of its vibrant color, but don’t worry, it will still taste great! The sauce also freezes well, so make a double batch for the next time you want to make this recipe.

Top and bottom view of chicken breasts in cilantro sauce, inside a black slow cooker.

Serving Tips

This chicken with cilantro and shredded lime is delicious as a simple filling for tacos: just serve with hot corn or flour tortillas, plus any taco dressing you want ( Think sour cream, chopped onion, sliced jalapeño and crumbled cotija cheese!).

If you don’t like tacos, the slow-cooked cilantro and lime chicken is also lovely served over cooked white or brown rice, or quinoa.

You can even serve it with some grilled or roasted vegetables, or over a bed of cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

Close-up of shredded chicken in a green sauce in a black slow cooker.

Fun variations to try

Feel free to set aside honey for a low-carb, Whole30-compatible version

If you like a little warmer, feel free to add sliced jalapeños on top before serving or some red pepper flakes.

Augment this recipe by adding 1 cup of fresh or frozen thawed corn kernels and a can of drained and rinsed black beans.

Create your own cilantro and lime chicken burrito bowls loaded by serving them with cooked rice, corn, black beans, grated romaine lettuce and stack them with fun ingredients like this easy 4-ingredient guacamole and fresh tomato sauce.

White bowl filled with chicken with cilantro and lime, topped with fresh herbs on a white background with a striped blue napkin.

Ingredients and modifications

Chicken breasts

: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but chicken thighs would also work instead. If you want to use frozen chicken, be sure to thaw it completely before adding it to your slow cooker.

Cilantro: Since it’s the star ingredient in cilantro lime sauce, fresh cilantro works best for this recipe. In addition to the fresh, herbal flavor, it adds a beautiful vibrant green color that makes this simple sauce feel special enough to serve for any occasion. Keep in mind that since this sauce is mixed, it’s okay to use both coriander stems and leaves.

Garlic: I love the taste of fresh garlic in this recipe, especially since we are using so few ingredients. But you can also use garlic powder instead.

Avocado oil

: I love the light taste of avocado oil in this recipe. But you can also use any other neutral-tasting oil instead, such as olive, vegetable, or canola oil.

Ground cumin: The earthy flavor of ground cumin complements the other ingredients of this sauce very well. It’s one of my favorite and most versatile spices to have on hand in my pantry!

Lemon juice

: Lemon juice adds a bright, fresh and acidic flavor to this sauce and pairs very well with cilantro. You can also use fresh lemon juice instead.

Honey: This ingredient is completely optional, but the natural sweetness of honey can provide a good balance to the other flavors in this recipe. For a whole30, low-carb or low-sugar version, simply skip the honey altogether.

Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a more subtle flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.