Add minced garlic, lime zest, lime juice, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sesame oil, soy sauce and to a zippered plastic bag. Add chicken and seal the bag. Place bag on a clean plate or inside a casserole dish and place in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes (no need to do it more than 20 minutes).
Now we're going to sear the chicken. Add grape seed oil to an oven-safe nonstick skillet pan and turn heat on medium high. Heat the pan for 3 minutes.
Remove chicken from plastic bag, pat the chicken with a paper towel (see notes below).
Then, add chicken to the pan and cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes (if using bone-in, 4 to 6 minutes per side). Remove the chicken from the skillet, place on a clean plate and set aside.
Wipe the pan clean with paper towels and place back on the range.
Add 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Bring the water to a boil. Add rice and cook for 15 minutes.
Place chicken on top of the rice, carefully cover the pan with foil and place in the oven to cook the rest of the way. About 10 to 15 minutes (if you’re using bone-in chicken, it will take about 24 to 25 minutes), or until chicken is fully cooked.
Cook the CIlantro Lime Rice
Remove the skillet carefully from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 6 minutes before cutting into it to check for doneness. Serve the chicken with Zatarain’s Cilantro Lime Rice with your favorite vegetable.
Optional: Squeeze lime wedges on top of the chicken before serving.
Notes
Notes: You’re not patting the chicken completely dry. But enough so that you’re not boiling the chicken in the marinade when you place it in the pan.