Chili Lime Grilled Chicken

4.57 from 166 votes
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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

Chili lime chicken - moist and delicious chicken marinated with chili and lime and grill to perfection.
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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

Delicious chili lime grilled chicken on a wooden chopping board.
  • 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

Easy and quick skillet grilled chicken marinated with chili and lime.

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

How do I grill the perfect chicken breast?

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°.

Is it healthy to eat grilled chicken?

Yes, chicken is high in protein and also low in calories. It is very useful in diets working to shed body fat.

Does this recipe have to grilled?

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.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is only 515 calories per serving.

Asian style Chili lime chicken featuring grilled chciken sliced and ready to serve on a wooden chopping board.

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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4.57 from 166 votes

Chili Lime Grilled Chicken

Chili lime chicken – moist and delicious chicken marinated with chili and lime and grill to perfection. Easy recipe that takes 30 mins! 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 people
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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, leave the skin on, and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Get a big bowl, mixing all the ingredients of the Marinade together using a whisk. Make sure the Marinade is well combined together.
  • Add chicken to the Marinade, make sure to stir and coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for 2 hours.
  • Fire up the grill, brush a little bit of oil on the surface. Add a little bit of the garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno from the Marinade on top of the chicken and grill them until they turn golden brown and charred on both sides. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.
You can make this chili lime chicken with a cast-iron grill pan or regular skillet, or bake in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F and bake it for about 20-25 minutes or until the skin becomes brown and charred. You can also use skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts.

Nutrition

Serving: 6people, Calories: 515kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 185mg, Sodium: 928mg, Potassium: 442mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 325IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





208 Comments

  1. John says:

    Love this recipe. It is great with shrimp too. I love to let the shrimp sit in the marinade for a bit and the I dump the whole thing in a baking dish and cook it in the oven. The shrimp is delicious and the sauce is amazing spooned over rice or cauliflower.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Awesome.

  2. Minette says:

    We are having close friends over for a back to school party and this is on the menu. Itโ€™s always a hit and easy to make. I use boneless skinless but have made it with drumsticks as well. Add a little coconut milk and it takes it to a new level!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yummy, coconut milk is a good idea!

  3. Mark says:

    I really want to try this recipe it looks delicious, but canโ€™t seem to get cilantro in the UK, is there any alternative?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Cilantro is called coriander in the UK.

  4. Joey says:

    Excellent recipe! Wonderful flavor with a clean taste…allows the chicken and lime to come through
    This is a keeper!, served with lemon zucchini, also excellent

  5. Joel says:

    This looks amazing but I don’t see how this can have 98gms of fat (25 saturated). This has to be a typo???

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Joel, there seems to be a miscalculation of calories on my program. I ran it again and now it’s updated.

  6. Bee says:

    5 stars
    So good.

  7. Poornima says:

    5 stars
    What a great recipe!! I just had a quick question – what kind of chili powder do you use? Is it Mexican or Indian? I always have Indian chilli powder at home. Thank you!
    Hope you and and your family have a great 2020!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      I just used regular chili powder I got from the US grocery stores.

    2. Laura says:

      Amazing recipe! Used the marinade as a dressing for a mexican inspired bowl and it was TO DIE FOR! So much flavour!

  8. Michelle says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely fantastic marinade – simple and super tasty. One of the best I’ve come across.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Awesome thanks Michelle.

  9. Jack says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I made this recipe with chicken tenderloins and marinated them for 30 hours and the result was tender, zesty, flavorful chicken. 100% will make again!

  10. Kelly J says:

    5 stars
    Our favorite go to grilled chicken now!!