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. Lauren says:

    I made this recipe last week and really loved it. So easy and very few ingredients! I am making again tonight!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Nice!?

  2. Linda T says:

    This looks amazing. I want to try this but no one in my household likes cilantro. Can you recommend a substitute? Would fresh parsley work?

  3. Vanessa says:

    Can I marinate overnight..?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yes.

  4. Lany Susanto says:

    5 stars
    Good

  5. zFPWdwPk says:

    4 stars
    1

  6. Dee says:

    Hi Kelly…does the recipe ingredients need to be doubled up or that is a print error?

  7. Olivia says:

    We absolutely love this chicken recipe (made with chicken breast) I have made it a few times. Did I mention my husband is a picky eater? Last time instead of honey I subbed it with maple syrup so my toddler could enjoy it and I double the chilli powder !! It’s awesome. Going to try it with chicken thigh tonight ! It’s not spicy whatsoever it’s just packed with flavour !

    1. Admin says:

      Thanks for your support.

  8. Chris Williams says:

    Did this recipe tonight in the oven. Was AMAZING!!! I then shredded the chicken and we did chicken tacos. My wife went back for seconds AND thirds!
    Definitely a keeper!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Awesome!

    2. Helen Leong says:

      Hi, did you grill the chicken in the oven or bake? When she mentioned grill does that mean oven grill or on the pan?

    3. Smits says:

      Tossing chicken over a mixed green salad with corn, black beans, avocado, pepper jack cheese, and pico de Gallo with an avocado ranch dressing.

  9. Janet Oswald says:

    I made this delicious dish, Chili Lime Chicken for my family tonight. It was absolutely perfect! I followed the recipe & will add it to my recipes my family loves. And did I mention easy & quick? Perfect for busy people today. I want my children to have recipes that are fast, easy on the budget & delicious!

    1. Admin says:

      Thanks for trying my recipe!

    2. Stacia says:

      Am I seeing double or are some of the ingredients listed twice? I’m confused.

      1. GK says:

        Same thing happened to me

      2. Mary Tognazzini says:

        ME TO.

  10. Dee Dee says:

    I can’t even count how many times I’ve made this. I use bone in skin on thighs because I think bone in chicken is just more flavorful. Then have my husband throw it on the grill. I’ve even (accidentally) had it sit in the marinade for a couple of days and it’s even better. I’m going to try another reviewer’s idea of using it with shrimp.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks for trying my recipe!