Lime Chicken infused with garlicky, savoury lime flavours! The trick to getting depth of flavour in a simple lime marinade is to use soy sauce for saltiness, plus a touch of sugar for great caramelisation.
Fabulous for a quick midweek meal and ESPECIALLY great for the BBQ! Bonus: super healthy at less than 300 calories for a whole chicken breast.
Lime Chicken
If you love lime flavour – and I’m yet to meet anyone who doesn’t – this Lime Chicken has your name written all over it.
It’s juicy. It’s caramelised. And it truly tastes of lime. (gasp shock horror!)
(PS The key is to use lime ZEST. That’s where most of the lime flavour is 👌🏻)
Grill it. Pan fry it. You can even BAKE it!
And it’s HEALTHY, clocking in at under 300 calories per serving!
Lime Marinade for Chicken
The trick with fresh citrus based marinades is getting depth of flavour into it. If you just use lime juice, salt and garlic, the flavour is quite flat and the chicken – especially if using chicken breast – will lack something (because breast has virtually no fat, and fat = flavour).
So I add a bit of sugar and olive oil (so the chicken caramelises when cooked), use soy or fish sauce for the salt (adds complexity but doesn’t taste fishy OR Asiany!) and throw in chopped cilantro / coriander for another layer of flavour!
Actually, this marinade is based on Vietnamese marinades, like the one I use in my Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Bowl and Vietnamese LemongrassPork Cutlet. The Vietnamese know their marinades, that’s for sure!!
But this one doesn’t taste Asian. 🙂
How long to marinade chicken
For this Lime Marinade, chicken is best marinated for 12 to 24 hours. It will make the outside a touch white because the amount of lime juice in this marinade “cooks” the chicken a bit (think ceviche).
But it doesn’t take it so far that the chicken starts to break down so don’t be alarmed. In fact, this marinade is fine for 48 hours, though I wouldn’t take it further than that.
TIP: I like to prepare freezer bags of the chicken in marinade then immediately pop it in the freezer. Then the night before, put it in the fridge and let it defrost for 24 hours, during which time it will marinate.
What to serve with Lime Chicken
The Lime Marinade makes the chicken juicy on the inside and injects with flavour so you won’t need a sauce with it. And after resting the chicken for a few minutes before serving it, some of those juices will sweat to the surface, like you see below.
As for what to serve on the side, here are a few suggestions!
Lime Coconut Rice (pictured below) – lime overload?? Nope! Lime tastes different when cooked with the chicken vs in a coconut rice. 😇
Keeping with the healthy theme, serve this with Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Mushroom Rice – because this goes with everything!
Lemon Potato Salad (bright lemon flavours!) – or everybody’s favourite creamy Bacon Potato Salad
Sweet/savoury Fondant Sweet Potato for contrast against the citrusy chicken
Super Quick Couscous Salad – great emergency side with leftovers for lunch!
Leafy greens with French Dressing or Balsamic Dressing
Warm crusty rolls slathered with butter, Garlic Bread or Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread
Enjoy! ~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 600-750g / 1.2 – 1.5 lb chicken breasts (4 pieces) or boneless thigh (Note 1)
- Zest of 1 lime (zest before juicing)
- 4 tbsp lime juice (1 – 2 limes)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander (optional)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (OR 2 tbsp soy sauce) (Note 2)
To Cook
- 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Use fist (or rolling pin!) to pound fat end of chicken breast to about 1.7 cm / 2/3″ thickness (not required for thigh).
- Place chicken and Marinade in a ziplock bag, massage to distribute marinade evenly. Place on a plate or bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours (min 12 hrs, max 48 hrs – Note 3)
- Remove chicken, discard Marinade. Cook using one method below.
To Cook (cooked internal temp 165F/75C)
- STOVE: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until caramelised and golden brown (see video!).
- BBQ: Brush grills with oil and heat to medium high (or medium if your BBQ is strong). Cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side until caramelised (see video!).
- OVEN: Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Bake 15 minutes, then flick broiler/grill on high and grill for 3 minutes to caramelise surface & finish cooking.
Rest and Serve:
- Transfer chicken to a serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with extra coriander/cilantro, lime wedges and chilli if desired, then serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Lime Chicken originally published 20 April, 2016. Updated with new photos, brand new video, new writing, and step photos. No change to recipe – readers love it as is!
More great chicken marinades
LIFE OF DOZER
He’s thanking his lucky stars that the largest one was still too small for him…. I couldn’t do it up around his chest. It was stretched so tight, the buttons almost popped off! 😂
Hi Nagi,
I love your recipes! They’re the only recipes I’ve been cooking ever since I found your blog a year ago.
I love this chicken marinade but I’m struggling with cooking it on the stove. I’ve been using a cast iron skillet and I typically add some olive oil. In order to get the caramelization and char like shown in your pictures, I end up having to turn up the heat so high which burns the oil and any excess marinade on the chicken so quickly. The chicken doesn’t end up cooking evenly and I easily over cook while trying to make sure it’s not under done.
How do you recommend cooking this on the stove? Do you have any specific step by step tips?
Secondly, when cooking this in the oven, should I place it on a baking dish without any foil or parchment paper?
What is the time for chicken with the bone in? I looked for Notes but did not find the answer to that one.
This is my go to marinade for chicken. Peanut sauce on the side helps my kids to eat vegetables. I also use honey instead of sugar and it is very delicious.
I’m so glad you love it Mel!
Sorry if I’ve missed this, but Note 1 “Chicken” says to see notes for adjusted cooking times and method for cooking different types of the chicken. Where are these notes (I plan to cook both thighs and breast so want to know the different cooking times). I can’t find them 🙁
PS. I’ve said this elsewhere, but I will say it again… I LOVE your recipes. So simple and easy to follow, but most importantly, very delicious!
Can you use lemon zest and juice instead?
Can’t tell you how happy I am to have found your blog. Made this last night. Best grilled chicken I’ve ever had. Wish their were more meals in the day so I could try that many more of your great sounding recipes. Drooling over slow cooker whole chicken. Wish I had your recipe when I tried cashew chicken. Here’s to many more successful tries.
Woot that’s so nice to hear Nancy!
PS; Love Dozer
I absolutely love your recipes Nagi! You are amazing. I have made this today instead of sunday dinner, everyone loved it, full of flavour. Nagi, your recipes are to the point, precise and every thing I have cooked looks exactly as you show on your website. Amazing. Thank you.
I also made your delicious chocolate, fudgy cookies. Again a winner with all the family.
You are an inspiration Nagi, I’m hooked on your amazing recipes.
Thank you so much Alissa!! 🤗
Hi Nagi
can i bake this in the oven? If so, how long and at what temperature?
So delicious, made it for unexpected guests that turned up last min for dinner and I had this marinating in the fridge, all praising the dish and thanks to you everyone thinks I can cook haha
Absolutely delicious. Cooked on bbq using your timing instructions, the chicken was soooo juicy. Immediately made another batch for the freezer as whole family loved it. Great marinating/freezer advice, making multiple batches at once means no waste on leftover ingredients and such a time saver. I put slightly less sugar in marinate but that is just my personal preference, my family thought it perfect as it was. Another definite winner thanks Nagi x
Would lemon work for this recipe too?
I prefer lime as it’s not as sour as lemon – N x
I generally make two of your recipes a week. Particularly the Asian recipes. But the Lime chicken is “da bomb”. Best chicken breast recipe Ever! Went to Costco and bought tons of chicken breast, separated into servings, made marinate and put in freezer. Family insists we have twice a week so I’d say it’s a keeper!
Wahoo Donna! That’s so great to hear!
I made this tonight with my 4 year old ‘sous chef’. Everyone went back for more! Great recipe, thank you. x
What a great helper! Thanks so much for the feedback Miranda!
I recently started using sous vide and am going to try your Lime chicken in it tomorrow. Do you ever sous vide? Also, going to use my vacuum marinator to speed up the marinating time. Can’t wait for dinner tomorrow night!!
Hi Linda, I never sous vide, I don’t have time 😂 I hope you love it, let me know what you think!
Really juicy and flavorful! The lime zest gave it an extra burst of flavor. Will definitely make again!
That’s so great to hear Renee!
This recipe was just so amazing. SO worth the 24 hr wait (marinating). I made it with chicken thighs and the quick cous cous salad. Thank you Nagi for another great recipe.
Yum!!!
I made this last night – absolutely loved it! I wasn’t 100% keen on the lime rice, it tasted nice, just a bit too creamy for me. But the chicken – to die for.. I baked mine and it was sooo full of flavour and very succulent. YUM will def make again – thankyou
Sorry – meant to add: I marinated my chicken over night…
I didn’t have enough time to marinade more than 4 hrs. Still was delicious.I did freeze other breasts for future and I can’t wait to taste the diference. This is a winner!
I’m so glad you loved it Lyn!!!
I loooooooved it. I used thighs. Want to try it with diff parts of chicken.
Sounds great Pamela!!
If I could, I would post a picture of us grilling this fabulous recipe aboard our boat last night.. so delicious! I love the make ahead and freeze tip too.. will be doing that as we often have unexpected guests. If you ever come to Seattle, we owe you a boat ride for all the fabulous recipes you post that are helping me produce WAY better results in the kitchen! 😜. Big hug to Dozer too.
WOWEEE!! I would so love to get a photo function added to my site so I can see photos! Thank you for sharing that, I love the vision of you grilling these on your boat 🙂 N xx
Sounds divine Joanne!!!
Could this be done in the air fryer?
I haven’t tried Dixie but I see no reason why it would not work! N x