5 Ingredient Crispy Lime Chicken
on May 10, 2022, Updated Aug 26, 2023
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My 5 Ingredient Crispy Lime Chicken is made with a very special “secret” ingredient called Tajín. Tajín is a chili-lime seasoning that is absolutely incredible on pretty much anything and everything. It takes this chicken recipe to a whole new level, and I hope you give it a try. You can find Tajín online or at most local grocery stores. It’s a staple in my house and I love it sprinkled on my Mango Lime Salsa, dusted on Watermelon Fries, coating Mexican Street Corn (Elote), and so much more. Here, it adds tang, zestiness, and a little bit of fiery heat to this crispy chicken.
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This recipe only take a few minutes to prepare, making it perfect for weeknight meals or meal prep, and it can be made in the oven or in an air fryer. The crispiness takes place by running the chicken under the oven’s broiler for just a few minutes, to turn the chicken skin into a crackly crust. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, but they will not get as crispy without skin, and they will cook a bit faster than bone-in cuts of chicken. I prefer bone-in and skin-on, as it stays juicier throughout cooking.
5 Ingredient Crispy Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, (or any cut of chicken)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Tajín seasoning to taste
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Add the chicken to a baking dish large enough so that the chicken does not overlap. Add a generous drizzle of oil, season with salt, pepper, Tajin, and paprika. With clean hands, massage the chicken to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a piece of chicken registers 165F.
- I like to put the top broiler on for 1 to 2 minutes at the very end of cooking, to crisp up the chicken skin. Please keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks, as it can burn quickly.
- Enjoy the chicken with lime wedges and serve with rice, salad, or veggies, or pull apart the meat and serve in tacos.
Omg I recently discovered Tajin, which I’m hooked. Then I found your recipe and it takes chicken to a whole new level of yum! Absolutely love this and I make it all the time. Family and friends are hooked now too. And so easy!!! Thanks!
Tajin is truly the best! So glad you enjoyed Holli 🙂
What a great recipe and was a hit with the entire family!
So happy to hear this James!
Excited to try it!! It’s in the oven now. When is the lime added though??
The lime taste comes from the Tajin which is a lime seasoning. You CAN however add lime juice too though 🙂
Omg! I remembered this recipe when I saw chicken thighs at home and decided to try it. It was bomb! I never thought of baking chicken with tajin, loved the zesty and savoury flavour it gave. Thank you 😀
SO thrilled, this review means so much to me
About to make this tonight. Can you do this in the air fryer?
You absolutely can but take a look at the air fryer manual that you have because every air fryer is a little bit different so check for chicken thighs or the cut of chicken you are using for the time and temperature