Cilantro Lime Marinade

This cilantro lime marinade is a quick and easy recipe that packs your chicken dinner full of flavor! You can use it to cook chicken in the oven, on the grill or in a skillet.

Cilantro Lime Marinade Recipe

Busy weeknights are my nemesis. Feeding kids as well as my husband and myself is such a chore sometimes!

After a long day of homeschooling and work, I am usually craving something super healthy with lots of flavor that won't take too long. Doesn't that kind of recipe sound like a needle in a haystack?

Well, it's not! With this cilantro lime marinade, you can save tons of time and pack you easy dinner with maximum flavor. It's one of my favorite chicken marinades and has saved me on more than one occasion.

After breakfast or during my lunch hour (or honestly, sometimes right after work), I will throw this marinade together and let the chicken sit in it til I'm ready to make dinner. Then I just throw together an easy side like sauteed zucchini or grilled veggie skewers and dinner is ready to go.

There's no need to stress about planning dinner anymore! This easy marinade is to the rescue. It really does make a winner winner chicken dinner!

Why you'll Love this Recipe

This cilantro lime marinade for chicken is A+ and I think you're going to love it.

• The best part about this recipe is that it comes together in just a few minutes. Easy peasy!
• You can cook the chicken in the skillet, in the oven or on the grill — whatever works for your schedule! So this recipe works for all seasons too.
• Packed full of cilantro and lime, the flavor of this marinade works well for salads, tacos and bowls, but it works well on its own, too.

Ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a homemade marinade that will blow any store-bought out of the water:

• fresh cilantro
• fresh limes — you'll need the zest and juice
• olive oil
• honey
• chili powder
• salt
• pepper

Substitutions and Variations

Instead of honey, you can use agave nectar or maple syrup. You can omit it, but I wouldn't — it adds a hint of sweetness to balance the zesty lime flavor.

Despite its name, most chili powders are pretty mild. If you'd like, you can use a spicier one like ancho chili powder to give it a little kick.

Oh, and don't forget the chicken! I usually use boneless chicken thighs (or bone-in) and drumsticks when I make this recipe — they are so tender and juicy! You can absolutely use boneless skinless chicken breasts or even wings if you like.

This recipe also works great for seafood. Try it as a shrimp marinade or for larger pieces of fish like cod or tuna.

Don't have olive oil on hand? You can use avocado oil as a nice substitute!

How to Make Cilantro Lime Marinade

This cilantro lime marinade is SO easy! It only requires a few simple steps and basic marinade ingredients. Here's what to do:

In a large bowl, combine cilantro, zest from one of the limes, olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Blend them together using an immersion blender (affiliate). You can also use a food processor or regular blender instead.

How to Use Cilantro Lime Marinade

Now that you've got this chicken marinade mixed up, it's time to use it:

Place your chicken in a big ziptop bag and pour in the marinade, covering it. You can use your original mixing bowl, too — just cover it with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.

Once your chicken is covered in the marinade, let it sit covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, there will already be a lot of bold flavor in this chicken.

For even more flavor, let the chicken rest in the marinade for at least 2-8 hours. It can marinate for up to 24 hours, but no longer than that.

You can make the marinade in advance when meal prepping and just pour it over the chicken the day you plan to cook it.

How to Cook Marinated Chicken

There are a few ways to cook chicken that has been marinated. Just choose whichever method works best for you and follow the step-by-step instructions:

On the stovetop

Pan-seared chicken is one of my absolute favorite ways to make chicken. It always has a crisp outer skin and tender meat inside. 

Here's how to do it:

1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.
2. Sear the chicken in the pan and cook for about 3 minutes until skin has browned, then flip and repeat on other side.
3. After both sides are browned, place a lid on the pan and cook for about 15 minutes. Check internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. Continue cooking if needed until internal temperature is 165°F .
4. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.

Always check the temperature!
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to verify the meat is cooked all the way. The thermometer should read 165°F (74°C) when the chicken is done.

In the oven

To cook the chicken in the oven, first preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Then prepare a baking dish with a bit of non-stick cooking spray.

Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken, cut and weight, and whether or not they are boneless pieces. So keep an eye on it while it cooks.

Use a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked to 165°F (74°C) internally.

On the grill

To make grilled cilantro lime chicken, first heat the grill to 350°F (177°C). Once hot, clean the grill grates well and then spray with grill spray.

Using grill tongs, remove the marinated chicken from the bag and place it on the grill over direct heat. Discard remaining marinade.

Grill your chicken for around 18 minutes, flipping every six minutes (one side of the thighs will be grilled twice), or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before eating.

How to Serve Cilantro Lime Chicken

This cilantro lime chicken is fantastic on its own, but there are so many ways to serve it.

You can shred it up and then serve it with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings for burritos and tacos, or lettuce for lettuce wraps. It's often a favorite protein choice of mine for burrito bowls too.

Slice it into strips to make grilled chicken fajitas with your favorite veggies or cut it into pieces and serve it over a hearty salad.

You can also dice or shred it and stir it into soup such as taco soup, or add shredded chicken to enchiladas. Mix cut pieces into your favorite pasta dish too!

It would also be divine with a homemade cilantro chimichurri sauce or avocado cream sauce on top!

If you end up with leftovers, then check out the best ways to use leftover chicken.

Serving tip: Before serving this cilantro lime marinated chicken, sprinkle additional lime zest (from one lime), a teaspoon of mild chili powder and chopped cilantro over top for extra flavor and garnish.

What to Serve with It

This recipe is so good with so many yummy sides! Try it with:

• Traditional Mexican Rice
• Homemade Risotto
• Grilled Zucchini
• Pineapple Cilantro Salsa
• Grilled Corn Salad

How to Store Leftover Chicken

Transfer cooled chicken to an airtight container and then store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw before reheating.

Tips for Success

Cilantro lovers are sure to love this tasty recipe! To ensure best results, check out these few tips and tricks:

• If you plan to bake the chicken, keep in mind that baking at a higher temperature will cook the outside of your chicken faster than the inside. This means the center will be raw or undercooked. So be sure to use the correct cooking temperature.
• Always start grilling recipes with a clean grill. If you need some guidance on cleaning methods, then check out my post on how to clean a grill.
• Never use leftover marinade that has had raw chicken sitting in it. If the chicken has touched it, then it needs to be thrown out.

FAQ

More of My Favorite Chicken Marinades

• Chicken Fajita Marinade
• Grilled Chicken Marinade
• Lemon Chicken Marinade
• Italian Marinade