SKILLET CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO LIME SAUCE

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Yield: 4

This is an amazing one-pan dish with lush chicken smothered in an impressive cilantro lime sauce. A gluten-free dinner that you can easily whip up in less than forty minutes!

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 c. chicken broth (I recommend reduced sodium)
• 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (I use closer to 1.5 tablespoons)
• optional: lime wedges and more cilantro for garnish, steamed asparagus for serving
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS :

Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C.

Step 2: make sure that the chicken breasts are all of even thickness. Pound them if needed. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, flipping once until the chicken is nice and browned. At this point, the chicken does not have to be cooked all the way. On a plate, transfer the chicken and tightly cover it with foil.

Step 4: Take the skillet off the heat and pour it into the broth. Add the lime juice, onion, cilantro, and red pepper. Place the skillet back to the heat and cook while stirring to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring everything to a boil. Gently boil for about 10 minutes, uncovered, until the liquid has decreased to about 1/4 cup. Adjust the heat to medium-low before adding the cream and butter. Stir well until the butter has melted.

Step 5: To the sauce, add the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 to 10 minutes, uncovered until the chicken is fully cooked.

Step 6: Remove from the oven when done and serve the chicken immediately. Spoon the sauce on top and garnish with lime wedges and more cilantro. If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat before serving.

Notes:

• Feel free to adjust the number of red pepper flakes. This dish is mildly spicy, you can add more if you want an extra kick.
• You can swap heavy cream with whole milk. But if you prefer the richest, thickest, do not skip the heavy cream. Or if using whole milk, ensure that it is at room temperature. This way you’ll prevent curdling.
• This dish has around 300 calories, 14g fat, 2g carbs, and 33g protein per serving. This includes the extra sauce.