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Chili Lime Grilled Chicken - moist and delicious chicken marinated in chili and lime and grilled to golden perfection in this easy recipe that takes 30 mins
The Best Grilled Chicken
This chili lime grilled chicken is absolutely delicious, juicy, and flavorful. It hits all the right notes: citrusy, aromatic, with a pleasant nuance of the cilantro and garlic.
Ingredients For Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Lime juice and zest
- Olive oil
- Cilantro
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
- Honey
- Chili powder
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Chili Lime Grilled Chicken Recipe
For the chicken, the original recipe calls for chicken breast but I opted for chicken thighs with the skin and bone.
I remove the bones prior to marinating the chicken and still keep the skin. The end result is crispy skin, and tender, juicy chicken meat.
I love the combination of chili, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in the marinade. They pair so well with the chicken, with a tint of spiciness from the chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep at medium heat covered for about 5-7 minutes, then flip it over. Grill for another 5-7 minutes, or until the thermometer reads 165°.
Yes, chicken is high in protein and also low in calories. It is very useful in diets working to shed body fat.
No. You can make it anytime with a cast-iron grill pan or regular skillet, or bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes at 400F. The end result is always amazing.
This recipe is only 515 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
For a wholesome meal and easy BBQ party, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 – 2 1/2 lbs. (900g-1.1kg) skin on chicken thighs
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 teaspoons fresh lime zest
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped finely
- 2 jalapeño, chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder , or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken thighs, remove the bones, leaving the skin on, and pat them dry with paper towels. Set aside.
- Get a big bowl and mix all the ingredients for the marinade together using a whisk. Make sure the marinade is well combined.
- Add the chicken to the marinade, making sure to stir and coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for 2 hours.
- Fire up the grill, brush a little oil on the surface. Add some of the garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno from the marinade on top of the chicken and grill until golden brown and charred on both sides. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I make this with chicken breast?
Yes you can!
I only do chicken without the skin
Would this recipe work?
Thanks
Yes, of course!
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Best chicken i’ve ever had. Restaurant quality in my own home! So easy and so flavorful.
Awesome Randi. I am so happy you love my recipe. Please try more recipes on my site and thanks for the 5 stars review! :)
I tried this for the first time several years ago and it was an instant hit. It’s my go to for grilled chicken and my whole family loves it. The lime zest is a game changer for keeping a strong lime flavor after it’s been grilled. I just made it again last night and decided I need to leave a review. If you have kids you know how rare it is that all 3 of mine love this chicken and devour it while making happy sounds.
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I am very glad that your children love the chicken recipe.
We love this recipe and have made it several times. Sometimes we sub 1 jalepeno for a Serrano pepper for more heat. I do need to make it twice this week and was wondering how long I could leave it marinating in the fridge before grilling. I was hoping I could make both batches of marinade on Monday night and cook one batch on Tuesday night and the other of Wednesday night. Thoughts? I’m a bit of a newbie to food safety when it comes to marinades.
Thank you! Rule of thumb is up to 24 hours, 2 days max as it can make the meat start to break down.
Fantastic chicken! A keeper for sure! And, if it’s raining outside and you don’t want to grill, it comes out great in an air fryer also!
Excellent!
Best chicken I have ever made. Marinated it for 3 hours. Juicy and a hint of the lime. I omitted cilantro but added some cayenne. DELISH!
Awesome!
Going to try the marinade with thin cut pork chops tonight
:)
I love the recipe and it’s easy to make,super delicious :)
:)