Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
If you’re gonna be making just one chicken recipe this summer, let this Chili Lime Grilled Chicken recipe right here be the one!
I mean seriously, just look at the above picture! I don’t think I need to say much to convince you that this chicken is juicy, moist, tender and TASTY! Plus, it’s really easy to make, and fairly quick too, if you don’t take marinating time into account…
Ideally, you want to let this baby soak in its spicy chili and lime marinade for a full day, so it’s best that you get started the previous night… but if you were in a real pinch, you could speed things up a bit, although your chicken wouldn’t be quite as tasty.
Honestly, grilled chicken that’s infused with such an amazing medley of summery fresh, zesty, tangy and downright festive flavors is well worth waiting for.
So get a batch started tonight for tomorrow’s dinner… I’m almost certain that as soon as you’re done swallowing your last bite, you’ll want to start an fresh batch for the following day…
The marinade, I think, is what takes the longest time to make, mostly because you need to zest and juice a few limes, finely chop a couple of jalapeño peppers and mince FOUR cloves of garlic. Yes, that’s FOUR!
If you want to make your job easier, I strongly suggest that you use one of them microplane zesters as well as a 2 in 1 lime and lemon squeezer. As for the garlic, a sturdy garlic press will save you TONS of time.
I’m not all that big on kitchen gadgets, but I can guarantee you that these tools will definitely make your life a whole lot easier on countless occasions! I know I couldn’t be without them.
Once all your ingredients have been prepped, combine them in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl and mix vigorously until well combined.
Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in a non-reactive container such as a glass or porcelain baking dish and pour in the marinade;
Toss the chicken thighs around until they are completely coated; make sure that the marinade makes it all the way to the bottom of the dish.
Cover with a piece of plastic film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
When you are ready to grill your chicken, preheat your outdoor grill to high heat and brush the grills with a little bit of oil, if necessary.
Once the grill is super hot, place the chicken on the grill, nice looking side down, lower the heat to medium, and close the lid..
Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meat easily detaches from the grill, then flip the chicken thighs over.
Spoon a little bit of the leftover marinade over each thigh, close the lid and let the meat cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meat is nicely charred, cooked all the way through and its juices run clear.
Remove the meat to a clean plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, before serving.
Does that look juicy enough for you? Now just wait until you actually get to taste it!
You will want to eat nothing but this for the remainder of the summer!
Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 16 boneless skinless chicken thighs
FOR THE MARINADE:
- The juice and zest of 3 big limes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped finely
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp unpasteurized honey
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp salt, I use Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large glass measuring cup or mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in a non-reactive container such as a glass or porcelain baking dish and pour in the marinade; toss the chicken thighs around until they are completely coated. Make sure that the marinade makes it all the way to the bottom of the dish. Cover with a piece of plastic film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- When you are ready to grill your chicken, preheat a grill to high heat and brush the grills with a little bit of oil, if necessary.
- Once the grill is super hot, place the chicken on the grill, nice looking side down, lower the heat to medium, and close the lid.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meat easily detaches from the grill, then flip the chicken thighs. Spoon a little bit of the leftover marinade over each thigh, close the lid and let the meat cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meat is nicely charred, cooked all the way through and its juices run clear.
- Remove the meat to a clean plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, before serving.
Nutrition
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5 Comments on “Chili Lime Grilled Chicken”
Yum ! looks tasty . I’ve always wanted to try some recipes with lemon . Thanks .
I haven’t tried this one, but nothing better than grilled chicken definitely.
Can you please confirm that 1 Tbsp salt is correct?
That is correct, Sue.
I have made this recipe twice. My family absolutely loves it