Description
This easy honey lime chicken marinade creates tender, flavorful chicken with the perfect balance of sweet honey and tangy lime juice. Ready in just 10 minutes, this restaurant-quality marinade transforms ordinary chicken into an extraordinary meal that’s perfect for grilling, baking, or pan-searing.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2–3 limes)
- 3 tablespoons honey (raw honey preferred)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2–3 pounds chicken (breasts, thighs, or mixed pieces)
Instructions
- Prepare the citrus: Zest limes before juicing. Roll limes on counter while pressing down to release more juice. Juice limes using a fork to extract maximum liquid.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey until completely smooth. If honey is thick, warm it for 10-15 seconds in microwave.
- Add aromatics: Stir in minced garlic and lime zest, pressing garlic through a garlic press for even distribution.
- Incorporate spices: Add cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to eliminate spice clumps.
- Create emulsion: While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in olive oil to create a temporary emulsion.
- Taste and adjust: Sample marinade and adjust lime juice, honey, or salt as needed for perfect balance.
- Marinate chicken: Place chicken in a zip-lock bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken, ensuring all pieces are well-coated.
- Refrigerate: Marinate chicken for minimum 2 hours, up to 24 hours maximum. For best results, marinate 6-8 hours.
- Cook as desired: Remove chicken from marinade and cook using your preferred method – grill at 400-425°F for 6-7 minutes per side, bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side.
- Rest and serve: Let chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing to retain juices. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage Tips: Marinade keeps refrigerated for 5-7 days. Marinated chicken should be used within 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Variations: Add 1-2 tablespoons sriracha for spicy version, or include 1/4 cup fresh cilantro for Mexican-style marinade.
Grilling Tip: Honey-based marinades caramelize quickly – use medium heat and move to cooler section if browning too fast.
Make-Ahead: Double the recipe and freeze chicken in marinade for easy meal prep. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before cooking.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Marinating
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 380
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 95
Keywords: honey lime chicken marinade, easy chicken marinade, grilled chicken, honey lime marinade recipe, citrus chicken marinade, quick chicken dinner, meal prep chicken