Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

By Rena Awada | Updated On August 17, 2020

Simple, fresh, and delicious, this Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken packs a zesty punch! Boneless skinless chicken breasts are covered in a light and flavorful herby marinade, with garlic, fresh cilantro, and lime. Grilled to perfection, perfect for summer!
top view grilled chicken breast on a plate
Cooking chicken on the grill is one of the best ways to bring out all the flavor! This easy grilled chicken recipe serves up succulent breasts, with lovely char lines and a mouthwatering cilantro-lime coating. Healthy, juicy and so easy to make, these are perfect for BBQ’s, served up with rice or fresh salad.
If you’re looking for more delicious chicken recipes, why not also try my Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe or my Broccoli Chicken Fritters!

why you’ll love this grilled chicken recipe

  • A zesty marinade. Fresh, light and packed with flavor, this cilantro lime marinade is made for chicken! The acid in the lime also helps tenderize the chicken to perfection!
  • An easy chicken recipe. The marinade is a breeze to whip up, with only a few pantry staples needed, then whack that chicken on the grill for 10 mins – done!
  • Healthy. Protein-packed chicken in a light marinade, then grilled, low in calories, and perfect with a healthy side salad or some cauliflower rice.

grilled chicken breasts on a plate

ingredients you’ll need

  • Skinless Chicken Breasts: Ideally organic, free-range.
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lime Zest
  • Lime Juice
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Garnishes: Cilantro leaves lime wedges.

ingredients for Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

how to make grilled cilantro lime chicken

  • Make the marinade. Combine all the marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until it
    forms a smooth mixture.
  • Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to a sealable bag with the marinade. Press out the air and press the marinade around the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least an hour.
  • Grill the chicken. Grill without moving the chicken around, about 5 minutes on each side, or until charred and cooked through.
  • Serve and enjoy!

chicken in a marinade

chicken breasts on the grill pan

recipe notes and tips

  • To make things quick, use thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts for this lime chicken. The thinner size makes for faster grilling times more even cooking.
  • Pounding the boneless, skinless chicken breasts to an even thickness helps the meat cook evenly.
  • Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, this allows the flavor to seep in and tenderize the chicken breast.
  • Place marinating meat in the refrigerator to keep it at a safe temperature while marinating.
  • You make these on the grill or in a heavy-bottomed pan.
  • Cook the chicken straight from the fridge, this way it’ll not be overcooked.
  • Make sure to lightly brush the grill with oil before adding the chicken, this stops the chicken from tearing when you flip it.
  • You can reserve some of the marinades to drizzle over the chicken when it’s done.
  • If you don’t have any sealable bags to hand, you can use a dish to marinate the lime chicken. However, stick to shallow containers made of non-reactive materials like stainless steel, glass, or ceramic. This way the flavor won’t be affected.

close up view of grilled chicken breasts on a plate

faq’s

can I use chicken thighs

You can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this Cilantro Lime Chicken.  The dark meat of chicken thighs gives you a slightly different flavor and they still turn out tender, chickens breasts also emerge incredibly juicy.

If you choose to use thighs just remember the cooking time may need to adjust, depending on thickness. You can check the doneness of the lime chicken with a meat thermometer – it should register 165 degrees.

can I swap out the cilantro?

Cilantro Lime Chicken is a popular Southwestern dish. However, cilantro isn’t to everyone’s taste. You can swap out the cilantro and add some grated ginger and thyme, sage, or parsley.

Does lime juice tenderize chicken

Any liquid that’s acidic will help tenderize the chicken meat. This is why most marinades will include an acidic addition like wine, lemon, lime, pineapple juice, vinegar, or orange juice.

fork on grilled chicken breast

what to serve with this lime chicken

This easy chicken recipe goes well with all kinds of sides! Here are some ideas:

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken would also work greatly sliced and in a wrap, pita, or sandwich!

closeup view of grilled chicken breast on a plate

other delicious chicken recipes

grilled chicken breasts on platter

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grilled chicken breasts on platter

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Juicy and tender grilled chicken breast with a delicious cilantro and lime marinade.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinade: 1 hour
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 165kcal
Author: Rena

Ingredients

  • 8 Boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 lbs.

Marinade:

  • 2/3 bunch fresh cilantro
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 3 Tbsp lime juice about 2 limes
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Optional Garnishes:

  • Cilantro leaves
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  • Combine all the marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until it forms a smooth mixture.
  • Add chicken breast to a large freezer-safe sealable bag, followed by the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Now gently press to the marinade around the chicken cutlets to coat well.
  • Allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to overnight. Marinating overnight will enhance the juiciness and flavor of the chicken.
  • Next, brush the grill or a heavy-bottomed pan with some oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the marinated chicken breast onto the hot grill.
  • Grill without moving them around, about 5 minutes on each side, or until charred and cooked through.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Serving size is one chicken breast
  • To make things quick, use thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts for this lime chicken. The thinner size makes for faster grilling times more even cooking.
  • Pounding the boneless, skinless chicken breasts to an even thickness helps the meat cook evenly.
  • Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, this allows the flavor to seep in and tenderize the chicken breast.
  • Place marinating meat in the refrigerator to keep it at a safe temperature while marinating.
  • You make these on the grill or in a heavy-bottomed pan.
  • Cook the chicken straight from the fridge, this way it'll not be overcooked.
  • Make sure to lightly brush the grill with oil before adding the chicken, this stops the chicken from tearing when you flip it.
  • You can reserve some of the marinades to drizzle over the chicken when it's done.
  • If you don't have any sealable bags to hand, you can use a dish to marinate the lime chicken. However, stick to shallow containers made of non-reactive materials like stainless steel, glass, or ceramic. This way the flavor won't be affected.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Freya Gonzalez says

    5 stars
    Fantastic, easy, inexpensive, FLAVORFUL, I served it over rice
    with a hummus side. Delicious and easy.
    Pretty ridiculous flavors and sauce to pour over the rice.
    Gonna hit my rotation

  2. Lucy Sartor says

    5 stars
    I made this grilled chicken dish for dinner last night and it was delicious!! The flavor was great and the chicken was moist on the inside, something I usually have a problem with-the chicken being dry. My husband loved it!! Thank you for sharing this Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken recipe!!

  3. Ariana Valdez says

    5 stars
    YES!! My kids ate this up. We love cilantro and lime so it was perfect. With homemade corn tortillas and Mexican cream or sour cream… Nothing was left. Family wants me to make this once a week.

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