Ditch the bottle and make your own marinade, it's easier than you think! This Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken is fresh, flavorful, and from scratch!
Summerrrrrr! I know you're out there. We saw a glimmer of it in May, but lately it's been cool and drizzly and much more Spring like than summer. No matter, in this household there is no grilling "season." You'll find my husband next to the grill in the snow, sleet, rain, wind, hurricane, tornado, tsunami, zombie apocalypse... Man loves his grill. And I love giving him all the things to grill, like this new Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken!
Ingredients Needed:
By now, you all know that this household is all about fresh. Those bottles of pre-made marinade? Full of high fructose corn syrup, xanthan Gum, sodium benzoate and a whole host of other preservatives. In this marinade?
- Olive oil
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt
Remember those Breyers ice cream commercials with the little kiddos reading the ingredients of their ice cream vs. the ingredients of their competitors? Every time I make something from scratch, I think of a little one reading the ingredient list of what I've just made, reassuring me that the little added effort is 100% worth it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Ok yes, opening a bottle is a tad easier. Just a tad, though.
Step 1: Add all ingredients (except chicken) and mix!
Step 2: Add chicken and marinate!
TIP: Using a regular large plastic bag is totally fine. But we find that for marinating (especially if we don't have a lot of time) vacuuming sealing the bags is a great way to do it. We love our Food Saver for not only this, but to store a lot of our homemade stock, soup, and meats. It's an investment, but if you freeze anything, it's totally worth it!
Speaking of grill... we are in love with this bad boy (a new house treat for us!) Nothing like a stainless steel Weber!
Step 3: Grill!
TIP: To keep chicken juicy, reduce the amount of times you open the grill lid and check on the chicken. Typically breasts will take 7-9 minutes to grill (dependent upon thickness of the chicken), so at the 4 1/2 - 5 minute mark, flip and try to avoid opening the grill more than that.
To be sure that you're chicken if fully cooked, it's always best to use a thermometer to ensure it's heated to 165 degrees. We love this instant read thermometer from Thermo Pro.
Grilled to juicy perfection! This was sooo flavorful and perfect to just pull out of the fridge when we got home from work and toss on the grill.
Other Favorite Grilled Recipes
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Breasts
10 Minute Spicy Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Sides to Serve With
15 Minute Garlic Parmesan Zoodles
Enjoy friends! If you make this recipe or any others, please let me know on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! I love hearing from you!
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro minced
- 3 limes juiced
- 2 -3 teaspoons kosher salt to season chicken
Instructions
- Generously salt both sides of the chicken breasts and place in a large zip lock bag or food saver bag.
- In a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.
- Add mixture to the bag with the chicken and carefully move around the chicken in the bag to ensure they are all coated with the marinade.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag, seal, and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Grill for about 7-9 minutes on each side, until internal temp is 165 degrees F or juices run clear.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
