Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken is an easy and flavorful grilling recipe that is perfect for a summer taco night! It is also delicious with rice and grilled veggies, or burrito bowls!
I've been on a mission to create the most flavorful and juicy grilled chicken recipes for easy summer grilling. This Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken knocks it out of the park! This chicken recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients to create an explosion of flavor on chicken breast. Oh and if you're looking for another flavor bomb chicken recipe, check out Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs!
This grilled chicken recipe is super versatile and the cilantro lime marinade is so flavorful! You can definitely prep this ahead of time to make this grilled cilantro lime chicken a super easy weeknight meal!
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Chicken Breasts vs. Chicken Thighs vs. Chicken Tenderloins
While I typically use chicken breast for this recipe, boneless skinless chicken thighs and chicken tenderloins will also work! Chicken thighs will be darker meat, and I like them for grilling as they tend to be more tender and moist after cooked.
The chicken tenderloins will have a similar look to chicken breasts, but are typically more tender than breasts. They are found next to the breast in the chicken, and come in smaller pieces, meaning they will cook faster. If you want smaller pieces of chicken breast, simply cut the breasts into slices prior to marinating. Then adjust your cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - I have made this recipe using chicken breast, chicken tenders, and chicken thighs. All work well!
- Olive Oil - olive oil is the fat used in the cilantro lime marinade that helps keep the chicken tender.
- Lime - this recipe uses both lime juice and lime zest for maximum lime flavor
- Fresh Cilantro - fresh cilantro adds delicious fresh flavor to the cilantro lime marinade.
- Cumin - cumin adds a smoky and nutty flavor to the chicken. It is a common ingredient in cilantro chicken recipes.
How to Make Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
This cilantro lime chicken recipe is super simple, from start to finish.
Flatten the chicken. To begin, pound the chicken breasts to about even thickness. They don't need to be completely flattened, but doing this helps evenly cook the chicken on the grill, and will also slightly reduce cooking time.
Make the cilantro lime marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cumin, honey, and salt. If you want to add a little heat to the marinade, you can add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes!
Marinate the chicken. Add the cilantro lime marinade to the chicken in either a glass or plastic Tupperware container or a plastic Ziploc baggie. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8-12 hours. If you marinate on the longer range of things, the outside of the chicken may start to turn white, as the lime sort of "cooks" the chicken, as it does to ceviche, but it won't affect the outcome.
Grill the chicken. Once the chicken is marinated, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken, so I recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees F. If you're wanting to make this recipe during non-grilling season, you can make this on a griddle skillet on the stovetop.
Serve. Serve topped with additional cilantro leaves, and enjoy!
How to Serve Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
This chicken can be served in a variety of ways. I especially like using this cilantro lime chicken on chicken burrito bowls, with rice (or cauliflower rice), salsa, corn, black beans, sour cream, and guac! Oh and my green sauce if I'm feeling extra. It is also great for salads, tacos or burritos, or simply served with some grilled vegetables and rice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
While I typically use chicken breast for this recipe, boneless skinless chicken thighs and chicken tenderloins will also work! Chicken thighs will be darker meat, and I like them for grilling as they tend to be more tender and moist after cooked.
The best way to ensure your chicken is cooked through is by using an internal meat thermometer. You want your chicken 160-165 degrees F. I like to take it off at 160 and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it.
Like this recipe? Check these out, too!
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4-6 chicken breasts)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts to even thickness.
- In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin, and salt.
- Place the chicken breasts in a Tupperware or Ziplock plastic baggie and add the marinade. Be sure that the marinade covers all of the chicken.
- Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness and size of the chicken breasts. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure that the middle of the chicken breast is 160-165 degrees F.
- Serve sprinkled with more cilantro. Enjoy!
