Cilantro lime chicken rice is one of those meals that hits all the right notes—fresh, tangy, sweet, and crispy. I make this when I want something that tastes like it took hours but comes together fast. The chicken’s got a crunchy outside and juicy inside, and that honey-lime glaze? So good over warm rice. The cucumber salad on the side keeps things light, and a few cherry tomatoes make it feel complete. This one’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep for the next few days.
What you’ll need
Fried Chicken Breast
- 2 chicken breasts
- Salt (for dry brining)
- ½ cup flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- ½ cup cornflakes, crushed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- Oil spray (for air frying)
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 5 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- ½ cup pickle juice
- Chopped cilantro (add at the end)
Cucumber Salad
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced onion
- Garlic powder
- Lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Cilantro Lime Rice
- Steamed rice
- Cumin
- Salt
- Chopped cilantro
- Olive oil
Others
- Cherry tomatoes
- Extra cilantro for garnish
How to make cilantro lime chicken rice in 20 minutes
- Prep the chicken
- Clean the chicken and pat dry.
- Sprinkle both sides with salt and let sit for 15 minutes, and pat dry again.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to even out the thickness.
- Marinate with oil, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper on both sides. Set aside
- Clean the chicken and pat dry.
- Bread and air fry
- Set up three bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs, one with crushed cornflakes.
- Dip chicken in flour, then egg, then cornflakes. Press gently to stick.
- Spray with oil and air fry at 450°F for 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Make sure the internal temp hits 170°F.
- Set up three bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs, one with crushed cornflakes.
- Make the sauce
- In a bowl, mix together avocado oil, garlic, honey, lime juice, paprika, salt, pepper, water, and pickle juice.
- Cook the sauce in pan, and let it simmer and reduce to about half.
- Once thickened, toss in the cooked chicken and coat it in the sauce.
- Finish with chopped cilantro.
- In a bowl, mix together avocado oil, garlic, honey, lime juice, paprika, salt, pepper, water, and pickle juice.
- Cucumber salad
- Toss sliced cucumber and onion with garlic powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Shake or stir well. Let it chill while everything else cooks.
- Toss sliced cucumber and onion with garlic powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Cilantro lime rice
- Stir steamed rice with cumin, salt, chopped cilantro, and olive oil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Stir steamed rice with cumin, salt, chopped cilantro, and olive oil.
- Assemble
- Plate the rice first, top with saucy chicken.
- Add cucumber salad and cherry tomatoes on the side.
- Garnish with more cilantro if you like.
- Plate the rice first, top with saucy chicken.
Tips to make a perfect cilantro lime chicken rice
Pound your chicken for even cooking
Uneven chicken leads to dry spots or undercooked areas. Pounding it flat gives you consistent thickness, which means even cooking in the air fryer. It also helps the breading stick better. Wrap it in plastic before pounding to avoid mess. You’re aiming for about ½ inch thick.
Salt the chicken
Brine the chicken with salt makes a big difference. When you salt the chicken ahead of time, it draws out moisture, then reabsorbs it, seasoning deeper. Don’t skip the pat-dry step after brining. That extra moisture can ruin the crust.
Let the sauce reduce
The cilantro lime sauce needs time to thicken and concentrate. Don’t rush this step—reducing by half is the goal. You want it sticky enough to coat the chicken, not watery. Once the sauce is ready, toss the chicken in right before serving.
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Use cornflakes for a better crunch
Flour and egg are fine, but the cornflakes are what give the chicken that crispy shell. Crush them fine, but not into dust—you still want texture. This combo stays crunchy even after tossing in sauce.
Crush cornflakes by hand, not a food processor. When you crush the cornflakes too fine (like a powder), you lose the crunch. Instead, toss them in a zip bag and roll a rolling pin over them gently. You want small flakes, not dust. That uneven texture gives a better crispy coating after air frying.
Build your rice flavor
Don’t just stop at steamed rice. Stirring in olive oil, cumin, and fresh cilantro adds layers of flavor. The olive oil keeps the rice from drying out, and the cumin ties in with the lime and honey in the sauce.
Use pickle juice for a tangy kick
Don’t skip the pickle juice in the sauce—it’s what sets this apart. It cuts the sweetness from the honey and brightens everything up. If you don’t have pickle juice, you can sub with apple cider vinegar, but the flavor won’t be the same. Trust me, this one’s worth keeping in.
Chill the cucumber salad before serving
Let the cucumber salad sit in the fridge for at least 10–15 minutes. It gives time for the flavors to come together and keeps everything crisp. The cold salad also balances the warm, sweet-savory chicken and rice. It’s simple but refreshing.
Mix the rice while it’s still warm
Don’t wait too long to season the rice—add cumin, olive oil, and cilantro while it’s warm so the flavors blend in better. Warm rice absorbs more flavor and the herbs don’t taste raw. If you’re using leftover rice, microwave it a bit before mixing in the seasonings.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer
If you’re cooking two chicken breasts, make sure there’s space around each piece. If they’re too close, they’ll steam instead of crisp. You may need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer size. A crowded basket = soggy coating.
Make sure to flip the chicken halfway to ensure even browning and prevents soggy spots. Use tongs to turn the chicken and spray a little more oil before putting it back in. It keeps the crust golden and crisp.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Rice
Equipment
- 1 airfryer
Ingredients
Fried Chicken Breast
- 2 chicken breasts
- Salt for dry brining
- ½ cup flour
- 2 eggs whisked
- ½ cup cornflakes crushed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- Oil spray for air frying
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lime juiced
- 5 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- ½ cup pickle juice
- Chopped cilantro add at the end
Cucumber Salad
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced onion
- Garlic powder
- Lime juice
- Salt and pepper
Cilantro Lime Rice
- Steamed rice
- Cumin
- Salt
- Chopped cilantro
- Olive oil
Others
- Cherry tomatoes
- Extra cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Prep the chicken
- Clean the chicken and pat dry.
- Sprinkle both sides with salt and let sit for 15 minutes, and pat dry again.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to even out the thickness.
- Marinate with oil, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper on both sides. Set aside
Bread and air fry
- Set up three bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs, one with crushed cornflakes.
- Dip chicken in flour, then egg, then cornflakes. Press gently to stick.
- Spray with oil and air fry at 450°F for 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Make sure the internal temp hits 170°F.
Make the sauce
- In a bowl, mix together avocado oil, garlic, honey, lime juice, paprika, salt, pepper, water, and pickle juice.
- Cook the sauce in pan, and let it simmer and reduce to about half.
- Once thickened, toss in the cooked chicken and coat it in the sauce.
- Finish with chopped cilantro.
Cucumber salad
- Toss sliced cucumber and onion with garlic powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Shake or stir well. Let it chill while everything else cooks.
Cilantro lime rice
- Stir steamed rice with cumin, salt, chopped cilantro, and olive oil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Assemble
- Plate the rice first, top with saucy chicken.
- Add cucumber salad and cherry tomatoes on the side.
- Garnish with more cilantro if you like.
