Published: Jul 29, 2025
This grilled cilantro lime chicken recipe delivers lots of flavor thanks to a quick marinade. With just 7 ingredients and 3 simple steps, it’s easy enough to cook any night of the week.
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“Absolutely delicious!!! I am NOT a cook but this was so easy….and my teenagers LOVED it. I will definitely be preparing this again.” ~Gwen C. Evans, FoodieCrush reader
Never-Dry Grilled Chicken (Yes, Really!)
There’s not much to say about this recipe except that it’s really easy. And fast. The potency of flavors in the cilantro lime marinade make for a speedy fast marinade that gets the chicken on the grill after just a 30-minute soak. Or, it can easily sit in the fridge in a gallon size freezer bag overnight.
While I love making it on lazy weekend nights, this grilled cilantro lime chicken recipe is also a goodie for when I’m short on time or am meal prepping for the week.
To make ahead, grill a few chicken thighs then slice and store in the fridge for a flavorful salad topper or taco stuffer. Most of the ingredients can be thrown together with stuff in your pantry, or at least in my pantry, given I always have fresh cilantro and limes in the crisper.
Enjoy! Heidi
All of My Juicy Secrets for Grilling Chicken
- Any cut of chicken will work. I used skinless chicken thighs because I just love their flavor and they don’t tend to dry out as quickly as chicken breasts, but by all means, use any other part (or all) of the chicken that you desire. I’ve made this with chicken thighs with the skin on, and they were good, but I ended up burning most of the skin thanks to that dang fatty layer dripping into the grill and flaring up.
- Double up on the lime flavor by utilizing the lime zest. Zesting citrus always adds more flavor, oftentimes even more than the juice.
- The marinade doubles as a basting sauce! To use for basting and drizzling over the grilled chicken before serving, reserve ⅓ cup or more of this marinade. Remember, to avoid cross-contamination, never re-use the marinade that has been in contact with the raw chicken.
The Cilantro Lime Marinade We *LOVE*
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
This cilantro lime chicken marinade is the star of this recipe, but you don’t need much to achieve big flavor. Simply blitz the following in a food processor or blender:
- Lime juice + zest
- Fresh cilantro
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Cumin
- Kosher salt and pepper
Pour the marinade over the chicken and let it hang out in the fridge for 30 minutes before grilling over medium-high heat.
Freeze the Chicken in the Marinade to Grill Later!
To save time later, to make for a crowd, or take camping, freeze the uncooked chicken in the cilantro lime marinade in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. When ready to cook, thaw and discard the marinade before cooking.
If cooking for a crowd, fit as many chicken thighs into the bag before freezing. Or, to serve individually, freeze each of the chicken thighs separately for quickest thawing.
Heidi’s Tip: You can always tell when grilled chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 160°F (use a meat thermometer!) and the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest a few minutes for the temp to raise to 165°F and the juices to settle before serving.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Making this grilled cilantro lime chicken is as easy as 1-2-3! A quick dip in a tangy marinade tenderizes and flavors the chicken, then it’s ready to hit the grill.
Servings 10
Calories 281kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
- 4 limes , zested and juiced
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- extra cilantro , for garnish
Instructions
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Trim any fat from the chicken thighs and place in a large freezer bag. To the bowl of a food processor, add the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt and pepper and whiz to combine, about 30 seconds. Reserve ⅓ cup of the marinade and pour the rest into the bag with the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to overnight.
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Prepare a grill on medium high at 450°F, leaving one side of the grill on low or off. Grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, basting each side the last time it’s turned. Once each side has seared, if the chicken pieces seem to be getting too charred, move the chicken pieces to the cooler side of the grill to cook.
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To redistribute the juices, let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with lime wedges and additional cilantro and drizzle the rest of the reserved marinade before serving.
Notes
Would you rather bake this chicken? Marinate the chicken as directed. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large rimmed sheet pan with oil. Shake off the excess marinade then place the chicken on the baking sheet. Roast on the center rack until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes, or when the juices run clear and the internal temperature is 160° F.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
Sides to Serve with Cilantro Lime Chicken
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