Cilantro Lime Chicken – Thai Summer Flavors

The Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe brings home the essential exotic flavors of Thailand into your kitchen.

We love Thailand, the people, the three glorious hours of massages, the food, and the weather. Every occasion to visit, I am the first in line, and if I had my way, I would spend a month just sitting on a beach and enjoying simple yet fantastic food.

This wonderful recipe contains the essential flavors of Thai cooking: black pepper, cilantro stems, garlic, and salted with a dash of Thai fish sauce, creating this fantastic paste.

Use this paste with your cilantro lime marinade, as I did here, with the rich flavors of ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and limes.

As soon as your bone-in chicken thighs hit the grill, the smell will surround you, becoming mouthwatering and irresistible.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this is a fantastic dinner that you can enjoy all year round.

The wonderful thing about food is that it transports you to faraway places and makes you reminisce about a beautiful time. This recipe does that for me.

What is Peppercorn Cilantro Paste

This peppercorn cilantro paste combines the essential flavors of Thailand: a compound combination of peppercorns, garlic, cilantro stems, salt, and Thai fish sauce.

Use this paste as a marinade for your fish, grilled chicken or pork.

Due to its versatile nature, this paste stores well in the freezer. Whenever you have leftover cilantro stems, do not toss them; instead, place them in a bag and store them in the freezer.

No need to defrost them, just add the other ingredients and chop while still frozen.

This recipe only makes two tablespoons of paste, double it or triple it to keep some handy for your next use. 

Why you will love this recipe

Easy – it can be prepared the day before, stored in the refrigerator and once ready to enjoy it, will take no time to cook.

The paste is versatile – so it is handy to stash it in your freezer and use it when needed.

Excellent the day after – This is one of the few dishes that I love to have leftover of. I cannot seem to ever make enough of it.

It makes great leftovers – you can enjoy them as is, in salads or wraps, or with warm tortillas and avocado salsa.

My family favorite – and hopefully your family favorite too. I double the recipe and each time it is all gone.

Ingredients needed to make this recipe

Chicken drumsticks – Rich in flavor and so much fun for the little one to grab and eat.

Ginger – grated and with all the juices that it renders

Soy sauce – Asian seasoning

Sesame oil – Asian seasoning

Limes – Use the zest and fresh lime juice. Reserve a lime to serve alongside your dinner. When paired with the cilantro, it creates a fantastic refreshing taste.

Cilantro—Use the stems to create a paste to add to your marinade. It is an excellent seasoning herb that is refreshing and savory. Chopped leaves as a topping, optional step.

Black peppercorn – give that kick that is needed yet not overpowering to the paste.

Garlic cloves – one of the key ingredients of the peppercorn cilantro paste.

Salt – seasoning

Thai fish sauce – I enjoy adding Thai fish sauce to all my Asian cooking. It has that extra touch that finishes your dish.

Equipment Needed

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Small blender or a mortar and pestle

Large bowl

Broiler pan or grill pan

Cooking brush

Cooking tongs

Serving platter

Step-by-step instructions on how to make these delicious cilantro lime chicken

This recipe is super easy and divided into three easy steps. Gather all your ingredients before you start cooking.

The first step is to create your Peppercorn Cilantro Paste. The second is the marinade. Lastly, broil or grill your chicken. Let’s get started!

Making the Peppercorn Paste

• I use a small food processor to grind the peppercorns, peeled garlic, cilantro stems and salt. Once a paste is formed, I add the Thai fish sauce. Give it a quick pulse and proceed to the next step.

Marinade

• In a large bowl, add the peppercorn paste and mix well with the soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger with the ginger juice ( do not let it go to waste as it gives us a great seasoning), lime zest, and juice. Mix well.

• Add the chicken drum pieces to your bowl and coat them all over.

• Let it stand covered in the refrigerator or at room temperature for several hours.

If placed in the refrigerator, please return it to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.

Broiling or Grilling

I chose to use the broiler. It was quick and easy and made less mess in my kitchen. I leave this step to you. Below in the recipe card, I have the directions for both methods.

• Preheat the broiler. While the broiler is warming up, place the chicken pieces you just removed from the marinade on a grill pan.

A grill pan is a two-part pan, one bottom part that is a bit shallow, and the top part which is grate-like, where you have slits. The slits are there to let any fat drip thru and be removed from the meat, in this case chicken.

• Place your grill pan 4 to 5 inches from the flame or heat source, and grill for about 6 to 8 minutes.

If using a grill pan oil it prior so the chicken will not stick to the pan.

• Turn the pieces over and grill for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the juices are clear.

• Transfer to a platter and serve with some chopped cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lemon, and plenty of Cilantro-Lime Rice

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