Attention all cilantro lovers – this cilantro lime grilled chicken recipe is for you! Made with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, spices and garlic, this cilantro lime chicken marinade comes together in just minutes. This marinade is great with chicken thighs, breasts, quarters or legs.
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Why this Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade Works
This cilantro lime grilled chicken marinade is incredibly flavorful and delicious. It’s a great way to add flavor and tenderize the chicken breasts, thighs and quarters.
This 5-minute marinade is made with lime juice, olive oil, garlic and spices act to tenderize the meat. Often chicken breasts can lack flavor due to the lean, low-fat nature of the meat. This marinade helps infuse flavor with the citric acid from the lime juice, along with the oil which carries fat-soluable flavor missing from the meat. These marinade ingredients work together in helping to tenderize the meat proteins and add flavor and juciness.
What do I need to make a Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade?
If you’re putting together a grocery list, make sure you have these ingredients handy before you start making your marinade. In addition to 2 lbs. of chicken, you’ll need the following:
- Fresh cilantro – cilantro can be found with the fresh herbs in your grocery store.
- Limes – at least 2 for the juice and zest. Grab a few more if you would like lime wedges for serving.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – you can also use avocado oil. Avocado oil is a great option for marinades, as it has a high smoke point, which is ideal for grilling.
- Minced garlic – garlic is a great way to add flavor. Feel free to mince your own garlic cloves or use jarred minced garlic.
- Chili powder – adds a nice spice and flavor to the chicken.
- Smoked paprika – adds a fantastic mildly smoky flavor to the chicken.
- Ground cumin – common in Tex-Mex cooking, cumin is a great way to add spice and flavor to this chicken.
- Salt – regular table salt or garlic salt can be used.
- Pepper – ideal for adding flavor and spice to the chicken.
For exact recipe amounts and full instructions, be sure to reference the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Tips for prepping cilantro for marinade
A few tips about cilantro:
- Make sure you rinse it well before chopping. Cilantro, while wonderfully fragrant and flavorful, is often sold rather dirty and sandy. Make sure you rinse it well before placing it on your cutting board.
- Chop the leaves, leave off the stems. Shown in the photo above, I try to remove as many stems as possible. Stems, while edible, are often slightly bitter, and don’t add much to your flavor palate.
- Use a large, sharp knife to mince the cilantro. Smaller paring knives are not as effective, as the blades are much too small for mincing herbs like cilantro. Go for a larger chef’s knife or Santoku knife, like I have here.
My favorite knife is this Wusthof Classic 5-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife which is fantastic for chopping herbs. Check out my tutorial at Food.com for How to Choose the Right Knife.
Making the Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
In a mixing bowl, add the fresh chopped cilantro, olive oil, fresh lime juice, lime zest and spices. Whisk together until well combined.
Place your chicken in a resealable plastic bag or shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over the chicken. Make sure the chicken is well coated, and then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Cilantro Lime Chicken – Breasts vs. Thighs
Many people ask – what is better for grilling, chicken breasts or thighs? Honestly, this is totally personal preference. Chicken breats are great for marinating and grilling, as they’re a nice canvas to take on the flavors of the marinade. Breast meat can become rather dry if overcooked, so careful grilling with a consistent temperature is needed.
Chicken thighs are another great option for grilling. Because thigh meat has slighly more fat content than the white meat of a chicken breasts, it is much more flavorful and juicy in nature. Chicken thighs are typically a little thinner than breasts, so they don’t need quite as long to cook. Because of the fat content in thighs, they are great for grilling and are more forgivable with higher grilling temperatures. They are less likely to render dry meat.
Do you love cooking with boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Check out some of my other recipes using chicken breasts:
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Baked Italian Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
- Healthy Cashew Chicken Recipe
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
- BBQ Chicken Skewers
How to Cook Cilantro Lime Chicken 3 Ways
Marinated cilantro lime chicken can be cooked a number of ways; grilled, baked or sauteed. Here are the cooking directions for each:
- Grilling instructions: Preheat your grill to 400°F. Cook on indirect heat – turn your center burner to medium-low heat, while outside burners are on high. Thinner breasts and thighs will take approximately 4-6 minutes per side to cook on medium-low heat. 6-8 minutes per side for thicker cuts. Use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Baking instructions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the chicken thighs on a sheet pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake boneless chicken thighs for 20-25 minutes. For bone-in chicken thighs, bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Sauteed, Pan-Seared: Preheat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, covering the pan with a vented lid to keep in the heat. Be sure to test for doneness.
I have a Lodge Reversible Cast Iron Grill Pan/Griddle that is a mainstay in my kitchen, not only for indoor grilling, but the griddle is my go-to for making pancakes!
How do I know if my grilled chicken is done cooking?
You can test for chicken doneness two ways. First, cut into the chicken on the thickest side, if the meat is white and the juices run clear, the chicken is done. If still pink the the center, it needs more time to cook.
Second, and a more reliable way to test for doneness, use a digital instant read meat thermometer. The internal temperature for chicken should reach 165 degrees. I absolutely love my ThermaPen ONE Instant Read Digital Meat Thermometer.
Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer
This is my go-to tool for grilling and roasting! With a Thermapen there’s no guessing if or when the meat is done. The precise temperature will provide you with meat that is perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious EVERY time!
FAQ’s about marinating chicken for grilling:
Marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 24 hours. Thinner cuts of chicken, like boneless thighs and breasts need less time, versus bone-in cuts or whole chickens. The longer you marinate chicken, the more flavorful the meat will be.
Yes, the acidity of lime juice will tenderize chicken. Any acid, like citrus juice, vinegar or soy sauce, will act as a tenderizer and begin to break down the proteins of the meat.
No, poking holes in chicken to marinate is not necessary. The acidity in the marinade acts as a tenderizer and naturally adds flavor to the meat.
No, I don’t recommend rinsing marinade off chicken before cooking or grilling. The marinade adds extra flavor and rinsing it off will do more harm than good.
Once your meat is done marinating and is ready to be cooked, the marinade should be discarded. DO NOT save the marinade – it has been in contact with raw meat and is NOT safe to consume. If you want to have extra marinade to brush on the meat while grilling or for serving, I recommend making a fresh batch that has not come in contact with raw meat.
The best and most convenient container for marinating chicken or any other meat is a gallon-sized zip-top bag. These accomodate the liquid and meat well, and coat everything evenly. Once ready to grill, the remaining marinade and bag can zipped and neatly discarded. If you don’t want to use a zip-top bag, any resealable container with a tight-fitting lid will work well. Make sure it is big enough to accomodate both marinade and meat.
I recommend grilling chicken breasts at 375-400 degrees. If your grill gets hotter, you might risk having dry, overcooked chicken.
What to serve with cilantro lime grilled chicken:
Side salads, pasta salads, roasted potatoes and vegetables are all great options for grilled chicken. You could also serve cilantro lime rice, black beans, grilled corn, Mexican street corn or a delicious pineapple mango salsa.
I served up this delicious grilled cilantro lime chicken with my super-easy Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad. It’s fresh and flavorful and with it’s cilantro lime dressing, goes perfectly with this chicken!
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Parmesan Ranch Steak Fries
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Garlic & Herb Roasted Potatoes
- Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
- Easy Greek Tortellini Salad Recipe
- Check out my tutorial on How to Make Green Beans Three Ways at Food.com
Tips for Storing, Reheating and Meal Prepping this Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken:
For storing this grilled chicken, place in a resealable container with a tight fitting lid and keep refrigerated. You can also use a gallon-sized zip-top bag for storage. The chicken will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
For freezing this grilled chicken, place in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
For reheating chicken: I actually recommend reheating grilled chicken in the air fryer or oven. Preheat air fryer or oven to 325 degrees. Heat for 3-5 minutes or until completely heated through. For oven reheating, preheat the oven to 300 degrees and heat the chicken for 7-10 minutes or until heated through. In a pinch you can reheat chicken in the microwave, but results tend to be dry, rubbery chicken – I don’t recommend it.
What can I do with leftover cilantro lime chicken?
This leftover grilled chicken can be used in several ways. Add it to salads, like this Chicken Taco Salad or substitute it for the meat in these Quesadilla Tacos. It is wonderful used as taco meat or using in a low carb wrap or pita with fresh veggies and this Avocado Lime dressing.
If you loved this delicious Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken, check out my other recipes from the grill:
- Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
- Pollo Asado recipe
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
- BBQ Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Caprese Chicken
- Spicy Verde Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Skewers with Plums
- Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Drumsticks Recipe
- Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Salsa Burgers
- BBQ Bacon Burgers
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Gallon sized Zip-Lock Bags Ideal for marinating chicken and steak, these zip-lock bags keep everything sealed and spill-proof for refrigeration.
- Grilling Tongs These stainless steel grilling tongs by OXO are perfect for quick grilling.
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. chicken breasts, thighs, legs, quarters or whole chicken
For Marinade:
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil good quality
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice juice of 2 limes
- 1 Tablespoon lime zest zest of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the cilantro, EVOO, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk together to combine.
- To a resealable plastic bag or shallow baking dish, add the chicken. Pour the marinade over the top of the chicken, and cover well. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes or maximum of 12 hours.
- Preheat your outdoor gas grill or indoor grill pan over medium heat. Lightly oil grill grates to prevent chicken from sticking. Grill the chicken for approximately 4-6 minutes per side (for boneless chicken breasts and thighs), or 8-10 minutes per side for bone-in cuts. Test for doneness using an instant read digital thermometer, with internal temperature reaching 165 degrees.
- Enjoy chicken right away.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi can you bake or cook stove top instead of grill? If so what temperatures. Thank you they’re in fridge now.
Yes! You can do both. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken). For a stove-top skillet or grill pan, cook over med-high heat for 4-6 minutes per side, again depending on the thickness of your chicken. To ensure the chicken is done, test with a digital meat thermometer reading 165 degrees. You can also cut the chicken at the thickest part – if the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, it is done. Good luck!
What if I make the marinade and pour it over the chicken the night before? Can you marinade it too long?
Marinating the night before is fine. I wouldn’t go beyond 24 hours, as the acidity of the marinade begins to break down the proteins of the chicken, which then creates a really unappealing chicken texture. Enjoy!
So yummy and easy. Saw the same thing in the store for $6 a pound. Glad i made my own. So much cheaper