Name: Oven Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken with Strawberry Salsa and Black Bean Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 12 oz boneless chicken thighs; 1 cup cilantro ((chopped)); 1 lime ((juiced)); 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 garlic cloves ((peeled)); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 4 cups spring mix salad; 1 cup black beans ((drained and rinsed)); 1/2 cup strawberries ((diced)); 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes ((sliced)); 1/4 cup red onions ((diced)); 1/4 cup cilantro ((chopped)); 1 lime ((juiced)); 1/4 teaspoon salt

Let’s keep your basic baked chicken breasts from being boring for your next meal prep. We’re keeping it tasty with this cilantro lime pesto marinade, paired with perfect sides and condiments. Great for lunch or a chicken dinner with style.

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Round plate with cilantro marinated chicken topped with strawberry salsa, black beans.

Not only do you get a good protein source from the chicken, but you also get an additional protein and fiber load from the tasty black beans.

To top it off, your tastebuds are going to be feeling fresh with the sweet and savory strawberry salsa.

Now we know what you are thinking…” Wow, that’s a lot to meal prep!”. Don’t worry, we’ll show you how to make this beautiful dish in no time.

Gather the Following Ingredients

Ingredients For the Chicken and Cilantro Lime Pesto:

Chicken: We used boneless chicken thighs, but you can also use chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins.
Fresh Cilantro: If you don’t have cilantro, you can swap it out with green onions
Lime: You can also use oranges or lemons
Pine Nuts: If you don’t have pine nuts, you can use whatever nuts you have on hand
Garlic: We used fresh garlic, but you can also use garlic paste or garlic powder

Ingredients For the Strawberry Salsa and Salad Mix:

Strawberries: Mango or pineapple are also good fruits to use in salsa
Cherry Tomatoes: We like cherry tomatoes because they are easy to slice into small pieces, but feel free to use regular tomatoes
Red Onions: Use whatever onions you have on hand, including shallots
Cilantro: You can also use green onions
Lime: Oranges or lemon can also be used
Spring Mix: Choose any kind of lettuce mix you like
Black Beans: Pinto beans will also work

How to Bake Cilantro Lime Chicken:

Make the Cilantro Pesto: In a blender, add the cilantro, pine nuts, juice of a lime, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.
Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken in a mixing bowl. Pour in the cilantro pesto that you just blended. Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes.
Bake the Chicken: Place the chicken on a sheet pan. Bake the chicken in the oven for 25-30 minutes until it is fully cooked. Meanwhile, prepare the strawberry salsa, salad, and black beans.

Reference the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

Glass meal prep container with cilantro marinated chicken topped with strawberry salsa, black beans.

Meal Prep Tips for Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken Dinner

Cook method variations: You can also cook the chicken in a small toaster oven or in the Air Fryer (cook at 360F for 20-25 minutes). Another option is to grill it on an outdoor grill or on an indoor grill pan which will give it a nice char and caramelized flavor.
To Serve: After the chicken cooks, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into bite-size pieces. This chicken dinner brings so much color and excitement to the plate.
To Store: Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Keep the salsa and beans separate from the spring mix to prevent the spring mix from getting soggy.
To Reheat: You can serve this meal chilled, but if want to reheat the chicken, you can warm it up in the microwave until it is heated through.

Oven Baked Cilantro Lime Chicken with Strawberry Salsa and Black Bean Salad

Cilantro Lime Marinated Chicken served with a light and refreshing strawberry salsa.

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Prep Time 5

Course lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings

Equipment

knife
cutting board
blender
sheet pan
oven
mixing bowls

Ingredients

Chicken and Pesto

12 oz boneless chicken thighs
1 cup cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (juiced)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 garlic cloves (peeled)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad and Black Beans

4 cups spring mix salad
1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)

Strawberry Salsa

1/2 cup strawberries (diced)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced)
1/4 cup red onions (diced)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (juiced)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the cilantro, pine nuts, juice of a lime, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.
Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and pour in the cilantro pesto. Marinate the chicken for about 10 minutes.
Next, place the chicken on a sheet pan and bake it in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F (half way through, flip over the chicken)
Meanwhile, rinse the strawberries and remove the stems. Cut them into quarters. Add them to another mixing bowl with the cherry tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix it all together.
After the chicken cooks, top it off with the strawberry salsa and enjoy it with a side of black beans and a side salad.

Notes

Instead of baking the chicken, you can also grill the chicken on an indoor grill pan for about 6 to 7 minutes on each side until it is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165F