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This Chili Lime Chicken is the juiciest chicken that has all the zesty flavor with a slight kick. Marinated in a simple, sweet and spicy marinade with its kick from our favorite: sriracha! Grilling and stove top instructions included in recipe–cooked up and ready in under 30 minutes and the perfect pair to so many sides!

Grilled chili lime marinated chicken thighs on white plate topped with chopped cilantro.

Why You will Love This Chili Lime Chicken
Ingredient Notes
Recipe Variations
How To Make It
Recipe Tips
Storage
Serve This Chicken With
Chili Lime Grilled Chicken Recipe
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This grilled chicken recipe has been a family favorite for a while now, so I decided it was time for you to enjoy it as well!

We are always playing around with fun grilling recipes, but since my husband is the grill master, I often don’t share a lot of the recipes here. But I have a grill pan to test things out on lately and have upped my game!

If you love this marinated chili lime chicken, make sure to try these other favorites: Mediterranean Grilled Chicken, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Grilled Zucchini Pasta Salad or my all time favorite recipe, these Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers!

Why You will Love This Chili Lime Chicken

Sticky and sweet with a touch of heat–so full of flavor! Nothing like juicy, tender and super flavorful grilled chicken!
Marinade is prepped in just minutes. We love simple dinner recipes like this with minimal prep time.
Lots of ways to vary the recipe to meet your needs. You can vary the spices, the cut of meat and more!
Lots of ways to serve it up! Serve these over rice and make rice bowls, add them to tacos, serve the chicken with this fan favorite Cucumber Corn Salad or add a Grilled Zucchini Pasta Salad to the mix and so much more!

Ingredient Notes

See the full list of ingredients with exact measurements below in recipe card.

Honey, limes, chicken thighs, and other ingredients labeled on surface.

chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs when making this chili lime marinated chicken recipe. If you would rather use chicken breast, you are welcome to–just follow the cooking instructions for this Mediterranean Grilled Chicken for best results!
sriracha: adding this fan favorite red chili sauce rounds out the marinade when making this recipe. I strongly advise using it, even if you want to half the amount for less heat. However, if you don’t have it on hand, you can use a favorite hot sauce in its place.
for best results and the most flavor, use freshly squeezed lime juice! You will need the limes for the zest anyway, so it’s the best way to go.

Recipe Variations

modify the spices: you can shake up the spices a bit by using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. You can also add a touch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for more heat. Finally, add another level of chili flavor by adding a touch of ancho chile powder.
vary the cooking style: directions are given for stove top as well as grilling! I do it indoors on a grill pan often!
use a margarita mix starter instead of the lime juice: there are some really good margarita mixers that could be added instead of the lime juice to change up the flavor of this chicken as well!

How To Make It

Chili lime marinade in glass mixing bowl with whisk.

Step 1: Marinate: In a small bowl, combine all of the chili lime marinade ingredients and whisk well to combine. Remove about 2-3 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside until ready to grill. You can cover and chill the reserved marinade if grilling at a later time.

Step 2: In a bowl or a plastic ziplock bag, add the chicken thighs and pour remaining marinade over the chicken and toss to coat, massaging into the chicken (If using a bowl, you can use hands covered in kitchen gloves.) Allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. (It’s best not to marinate chicken longer than 4 hours in lime juice.)

Step 3: When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to sit out coming to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. To Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, presentation side down, to the heated grill and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until chicken easily pulls away from the grill.

Chicken grilled on grill pan with extra marinade spread over top.

Step 4: Flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 5-7 minutes (this time can vary based on the size of your chicken and the heat of your grill, etc.) or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. In the last 2-3 minutes, brush the reserved marinade over each side of the chicken. Allow chicken to rest once removed from the grill for about 5 minutes before serving garnished with chopped cilantro. (See recipe card for stove top instructions)

Recipe Tips

Keep an instant read thermometer on hand for best results. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F but you don’t want it to go over that or it can dry out.
Don’t marinade this chicken longer than about 4 hours. The acid in the lime juice can begin to break down the chicken and will cause the texture to be unpleasant in the end.
You know your grill! Everyone’s grill is different, medium-high heat can be anywhere from 400°- 450°F and little variables can cause fluctuations. Make sure to stay close to the grill and check on the chicken!

Grilled chicken thighs on white plate with sliced limes.

Storage

Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

If you want to store it longer, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Once it is cooled, wrap it tightly in parchment or plastic wrap and then transfer to a freezer safe bag or container.