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This recipe for Grilled Cilantro & Lime Chicken has been my go-to recipe for chicken on the grill for years! First, my kids absolutely love it. I mean, hey, it’s hard not to. And second, it’s so flavorful and so easy. I love making big batches of it just so I have leftovers. Which, for me, is rare because I’m not overly fond of leftovers. But this chicken is great right off the grill or leftover for tacos or salads!

This recipe is essentially a chicken marinade. So let me go over some basic marinating information and some do’s and don’ts…

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Marinating Basics.

With most marinades, the more that you let the meat marinate in the chicken, the more flavorful that it will be. But I’m not talking about dayS (plural). No, no, no. Generally, you don’t want to marinate anything for more than a day, especially if the marinade is acidic. After reading through many informative articles about marinating, I learned that meat really doesn’t start to absorb the flavor of a marinade until two hours into it’s soak. But don’t get me wrong, ANY marinating is better than no marinating in most cases.

When it comes to marinating, you should also know that doing it for more than a day can really effect the integrity of the meat. When meat (in this case, chicken) is exposed to acidic marinades for too long, the texture of the meat will turn from tender to mushy or even stringy. Not exactly appetizing, right?

The two basic goals of marinating meat are to flavor it and to tenderize it. Tender meat is good, right? And the thing that tenderizes meat is acid. The most common acids that we put into marinades are: fresh citrus juice (lemon or lime juice), vinegar, or even yogurt. The acid tenderizes the meat by breaking down tough muscle fiber. Marinating for the right length of time will transform what may have been a chewier piece of meat into one that has a more pleasant texture. But if that meat continues to sit in that acidic marinade, it will break down too much, basically melting.

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So my point in telling you all about marinating? Choose your marinating time wisely. Anything is something and too much is not good. For this marinade, I’d recommend around 4 hours up to overnight. This particular batch (that is pictured) was marinated overnight because I got a hankering for tacos after I had already put the chicken in the marinade. Haha!

Let me show you how I made this Grilled Cilantro & Lime Chicken 👇🏻

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Making the (Pictured) Guacamole.

Is guacamole something that you need a recipe for? I never know. Guacamole can be basic or it can be complex. Most of the time I make it, just throwing in ingredients that I have. I love guacamole. And this particular guacamole (the one pictured) is usually my go-to recipe.

For this guac, halve 3 avocados. Remove the pit and then remove the avocado from the skin, dumping it into a medium bowl. Squeeze in the juice of one lime (about 2-3 tbsp). With a masher or fork, mash up the avocado, leaving some larger chunks. Then add 1/2 of a red pepper (diced), 1 large jalapeño (diced and seeded), 1/2 cup diced onion (red, sweet, or white- whatever your preference), 1 tbsp of olive oil, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Season with salt (to taste) and gently stir until fully mixed.

Making the Marinade.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup lime juice, 1 tbsp lime zest, 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 3 large minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk together really well.

Place SIX 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken (or EIGHT 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs) into a large baking dish and pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss the chicken to coat in the marinade.

Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator. The longer that the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be. I would recommend at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Pour some olive oil onto a paper towel. Using a pair of tongs, brush the grill grates with the oiled towel to grease them.

Cook the chicken for 5-8 minutes PER side. The chicken is done with it has beautiful grill marks (and more importantly reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees).

This Grilled Cilantro & Lime Chicken is absolutely fabulous on its own. However, I love to serve it with extra lime wedges or top it with guacamole and serve.

Also, this chicken is incredible leftover. I love to cut it up and put it on salads or put it in tacos!

Enjoy!!

These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

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Have you tried this recipe? Thinking about it? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave me your thoughts below in the comment section.