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Spicy Honey-Lime Chicken

Honey lime chicken with a sweet heat marinade and a caramelized honey-lime glaze. Juicy grilled chicken gets charred edges, then finishes with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken breasts or thighs
Marinade and glaze
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 2 limes zest zest of 2 limes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced 2 cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
  • fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the spicy honey-lime marinade
  1. Whisk together honey, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper until combined and glossy. Visual cue: the mixture should look evenly speckled with spices.
  2. Place the chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken, reserving 1/4 cup for basting. Visual cue: the chicken should be coated with a thin layer of marinade.
  3. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Visual cue: the marinade will cling more thickly to the chicken over time.
Grill and glaze
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Visual cue: the grates should look slightly glossy to prevent sticking.
  2. Grill the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side, basting with the reserved marinade as it cooks. Visual cue: charred edges should form and the glaze should start to caramelize.
  3. Continue grilling until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Visual cue: the thickest part should register 165°F when checked.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes off the heat. Visual cue: juices will redistribute and the surface glaze will look slightly set.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Visual cue: the cilantro should look bright green on top of the golden glaze.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the 1/4 cup marinade for basting so you get a caramelized honey-lime glaze during grilling. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-free honey substitute (measure by sweetness) to keep the sweet-heat profile.