Cilantro Lime Chicken (Pollo al Cilantro)

Chicken

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total, halved horizontally into 4 cutlets)

Cilantro Lime Marinade

• ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped, including tender stems)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 cloves garlic (finely grated or minced)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin (ground)
• ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (crumbled)
• ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (coarse, freshly ground)

For Cooking and Finishing

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (for sautéing)
• ¾ cup Cilantro Pesto Sauce (Pesto de Cilantro); divided)

Garnish

• cilantro (chopped)
• lime (wedges)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken: Halve each chicken breast horizontally to make 4 cutlets. Place the cutlets between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound only the thicker areas until every piece is approximately ½ inch thick.2 large chicken breasts
2. Make the Marinade: In a shallow dish or mixing bowl, stir together the cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, avocado oil, garlic, fine sea salt, cumin, Mexican oregano, ancho chile powder, and black pepper.¼ cup cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp lime zest, 1 tbsp avocado oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp Mexican oregano, ½ tsp ancho chile powder, ¼ tsp black pepper
3. Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken cutlets and turn them until every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 2 hours.prepared chicken cutlets, cilantro lime marinade
4. Prepare the Broiler and Sauce: Position an oven rack approximately 6 inches beneath the broiler and preheat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Measure ½ cup of the Cilantro Pesto Sauce into one bowl for cooking. Place the remaining ¼ cup in a separate clean bowl for serving.¾ cup Cilantro Pesto Sauce
5. Remove the Chicken from the Marinade: Lift the chicken from the marinade and allow the excess liquid to drip away. Remove any large clumps of garlic or cilantro that could burn in the skillet. Discard the used marinade.marinated chicken cutlets
6. Sear the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken without crowding the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes on the first side, until well browned. Turn and cook for another 1–2 minutes. The chicken will not be completely cooked at this stage.1 tbsp avocado oil, marinated chicken cutlets
7. Transfer the Chicken: Arrange the seared cutlets on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece.seared chicken cutlets
8. Coat with Pesto: Divide the ½ cup pesto reserved for cooking among the cutlets. Spread it evenly over the top of each piece, covering the chicken without allowing large pools of sauce to collect on the baking sheet.½ cup Cilantro Pesto Sauce
9. Broil Until Finished: Place the chicken beneath the broiler and cook for 2–4 minutes, watching continuously, until the pesto is hot and begins to darken lightly around the edges. The thickest portion of every cutlet should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.pesto-coated chicken cutlets
10. Rest the Chicken: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.finished cilantro lime chicken
11. Serve: Spoon the clean reserved pesto over or around the chicken. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.¼ cup reserved Cilantro Pesto Sauce, cilantro, lime wedges