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Summer grilling doesn’t get much better than this bright and juicy cilantro lime chicken. I marinate chicken pieces in lime juice with fresh garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño, then grill them on skewers. It’s great as a meal or appetizer with creamy avocado dipping sauce!
If you’re looking for more easy grilling ideas bursting with summer flavors, try my zesty chili lime grilled chicken drumsticks and these juicy grilled sausage and vegetable kebobs.
Table of Contents
With the heat we’ve had lately, our grill has been working overtime. Cooking outdoors means there’s no need to warm up the house with a hot oven, plus the clean-up and prep is (thankfully) super easy. This bold and zesty grilled cilantro lime chicken is a variation of my easy chicken skewers recipe, marinated in a blend of garlic, lime, and fresh herbs, with a touch of chili. The flavors are bright and zingy, and it doesn’t need a ton of ingredients. My whole family goes crazy for this chicken in the summertime!
Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
- Bold flavor. I love the zesty Tex-Mex combination of chopped cilantro, fresh lime, and tingly chilies in this chicken marinade. It’s bold, a little spicy, and perfect for summer grilling.
- Kabob-style. I love cooking my cilantro lime chicken on skewers. The meat is tender and juicy with a bit of char on the outside. Served with avocado dipping sauce, these grilled chicken kabobs are just as great as an appetizer as they are a main.
- Easy prep. A little marinating goes a long way, so dinner is on the table quickly. This recipe takes about 30 minutes of hands-on prep, and 15 minutes to cook on the grill.
- Versatile. The beauty of this chicken recipe is that you can use the zesty cilantro lime marinade for any kind of chicken, not just skewers. It tastes delicious with grilled chicken legs and grilled chicken thighs. It’s also one of our favorite marinades for flank steak.
What You’ll Need
This cilantro lime chicken marinade is a simple blend of fresh ingredients. Below are some notes on what you’ll need to make it. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for a printable ingredients list with measurements.
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1” pieces.
- Lime Juice – You’ll need 4-5 limes for ½ cup of juice (one lime yields about 2 tablespoons of juice). I highly recommend fresh lime juice over bottled. You’ll taste the difference.
- Olive Oil – Or any mild-flavored oil you have on hand.
- Cilantro – You’ll find fresh cilantro alongside the other fresh herbs in the produce aisle.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic is best. If needed, substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of fresh.
- Jalapeño – Seeded and chopped up finely. You can also use another kind of pepper, like spicy habanero or mild poblano pepper.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers
Marinate, grill, and serve! There’s very little work involved in making this juicy cilantro lime chicken on the grill. And if you don’t have a grill, you can even make this chicken recipe in the oven, see below. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Marinate the chicken. First, combine the marinade ingredients and add the cubed chicken. Toss to coat, and then pop the chicken into the fridge to marinate for 25 minutes.
- Prepare the skewers. While the grill preheats, thread the marinated chicken onto skewers.
- Grill. Grill the chicken skewers over high heat until they’re cooked through with a nice char. On my grill, this takes about 6-7 minutes per side.
How Long Should I Marinate Chicken?
I find that 25 minutes is a good amount of time for most chicken to marinate. If the chicken gets left in the lime marinade too long, the acidity starts to break down the fibers, and it actually starts to cook (similar to how the marinade cooks the raw fish in a ceviche). Set a timer, and don’t forget!
Can I Make This Without the Grill?
Certainly. If you’d prefer to bake your chicken skewers in the oven instead, simply follow the recipe as directed and arrange your cilantro lime chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450ºF for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. If you’re baking your kabobs with wooden skewers, wrap the exposed ends in foil to prevent them from burning.
Recipe Tips
- Cut even-sized pieces. Make sure to slice the chicken breasts for skewers into pieces that are roughly the same size. Use a sharp knife and slice the breast first down the middle, and then slice each half of the breast into cubes. Trim away any fat, too. This way, your chicken kabobs will cook evenly on the grill.
- Don’t over-marinate. As mentioned, don’t forget about your chicken marinating in the fridge. While some meats, like steak, get tender after a long soak, chicken is leaner, and will become mushy if it’s marinated for hours.
- Soak the wooden skewers. You can use wood or metal skewers, it’s up to you. When using wooden skewers, I like to soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling (you can also do this overnight). It keeps the wood from burning. You can also wrap the exposed wood with foil before placing the chicken on the grill.
- Check that your chicken skewers are done. Your cilantro lime chicken is done when the internal temperature hits 165ºF on a meat thermometer.
Easy Avocado Dipping Sauce
Because every good kabob needs an equally good dipping sauce, I serve these cilantro lime chicken skewers with my easy avocado dip. It’s super simple to make. Mash up an avocado, then stir in plain yogurt and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, and voila!
There’s also the option to make a spicy creamy avocado sauce with extra diced jalapeños if you’d like your chicken with a bit more kick. If avocado isn’t your thing, try more tasty dipping sauces like enchilada sauce or the homemade tzatziki from my chicken souvlaki recipe.
What to Serve With Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
I love juicy cilantro lime chicken served with a fresh cucumber tomato salad in the peak of summer. Or, I’ll throw some zucchini on the grill with the chicken, and dinner is on the table in minutes. As an appetizer, I like to make a big platter of cilantro lime chicken, plus grilled shrimp kabobs, to pass around at our backyard barbecues.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. You can store this grilled lime chicken either on the stick or off. Keep the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Leftover cilantro lime chicken tastes great cold over salads, rolled up in wraps, or you can reheat in the oven to serve in a chicken taco! You can also use the microwave, but I find that it makes the chicken a bit rubbery.
- Freeze. To freeze the leftover chicken, I like to remove it from the skewers and store it airtight. Freeze for up to 1-2 months, and defrost the chicken in the fridge before reheating.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Avocado Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken, but into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Avocado Dipping Sauce
- 1 medium avocado
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic and jalapeno until they are well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken pieces, stir to coat everything together. Place in fridge for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile preheat grill to high heat.
- Once the chicken has marinated, thread chicken pieces onto skewers.
- Grill over 6-7 minutes per side, until the chicken is completely cooked with an internal temperature of 165º F,
- Meanwhile prepare the dipping sauce.
- Scoop out the flesh of the avocado into a bowl. Use a fork to mash until smooth. Mix in yogurt, lime juice, and stir until everything is incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the chicken is completely cooked, remove from the grill and serve with the dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for my family, and everyone loved it—the zesty flavor bursts in your mouth, and the chicken was tender and juicy. I will definitely cook this again!
We had these on the barbecue yesterday and we loved it! The chicken was so tender and flavorful! So good!
I tried your Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe last night, and it was absolutely delicious! The zesty lime and fresh cilantro gave the chicken such a refreshing flavor. It’s now a new favorite in our dinner rotation.
A refreshing and flavorful option for any summer barbecue, sure to impress your guests with its bright, fresh taste.
Oh my goodness this turned out soooooo good! I ate way too much, haha! Thanks for the recipe!!