Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs

Why This Is Strictly Keto

Skin-on chicken thighs are naturally rich in fat and protein, and the marinade is made of olive oil, lime, garlic, cilantro and spices. The honey that the original version uses has been left out, so there is no added sugar and each serving has about 3g of net carbs.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (2 for the marinade, 1 for searing)
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Extra lime slices and cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the marinade: Whisk 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the lime zest and juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, pepper and cilantro.

2. Marinate: Coat the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before cooking.

3. Preheat: Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

4. Sear: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until golden, then flip and sear the other side for 2–3 minutes.

5. Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

6. Rest and serve: Rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with lime slices and fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Info (per serving (1 thigh), approximate)

Tips

• Use a meat thermometer — oven temperatures vary and thighs stay juicy up to about 175°F.
• Freshly squeezed lime juice tastes much better than bottled.
• Swap the chili powder for guajillo or chipotle powder to change the heat and smokiness.
• Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge and are great shredded over a salad.
• Prep time includes the 30-minute marinade.