This Grilled Lime-Garlic Chicken Breasts recipe is my favorite quick meal for summer grilling or whenever I want something easy and protein-rich. The marinade—made from cilantro, lime, garlic, and jalapeño—packs plenty of flavor, keeping the chicken moist and flavorful on the grill. Simple and delicious every time.
This Grilled Lime-Garlic Chicken Breasts recipe is my favorite quick meal for summer grilling or whenever I want something easy and protein-rich. The marinade—made from cilantro, lime, garlic, and jalapeño—packs plenty of flavor, keeping the chicken moist and flavorful on the grill. Simple and delicious every time.
One great thing about this marinade is how easily it adapts—you can marinate chicken breasts, thighs, or shrimp. It fits various dietary needs because it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb. Plus, preparing the marinade takes just minutes in a blender, making it effortless.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – Skinless, boneless.
- Fresh cilantro – Trim off about an inch from the stem bottoms.
- Lime – To get extra lime juice from the lime, roll it firmly on the coutnertop, or cut it in half and microwave it for 15 seconds.
- Olive oil – Or another cooking oil of your choice.
- Garlic cloves – If small, add an extra one or two for more garlic flavor.
- Ground cumin
- Jalapeño – Seeds removed and roughly chopped.
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
How to Make Grilled Lime-Garlic Chicken Breasts
- Combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, jalapeño, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
- Put the chicken breasts in a zip-top plastic bag or shallow container. Add marinade, coating the chicken thoroughly.
- Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2–3 hours, or marinate up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate to avoid sticking.
- Remove chicken from marinade, allowing extra marinade to drip off. Discard leftover marinade.
- Grill chicken breasts for about 5–6 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F) with visible grill marks.
- Allow chicken to rest briefly before slicing. If desired, garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Step-By-Step Procedure
Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Pound chicken breasts slightly to uniform thickness before marinating for more even cooking and juicier meat.
- Save some of the marinade (before adding the chicken) to drizzle over cooked chicken.
- Resting the chicken after grilling ensures it stays juicy when cut.
- The marinade also tastes fantastic with shrimp, tofu, zucchini, or bell peppers.
Recommended
Make It A Meal
Grilled Lime-Garlic Chicken is versatile, pairing well with fresh salads, roasted veggies, or cilantro-lime rice. It’s delicious sliced into wraps, tacos, or grain bowls, making a quick balanced meal. Ideal for barbecues, and leftovers taste fantastic the next day.
Storage
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- To freeze cooked chicken, slice and store in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
- Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave for optimal texture.
Grilled Lime-Garlic Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
- 1 cup fresh cilantro packed
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and roughly chopped.
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, jalapeño, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
- Put the chicken breasts in a zip-top plastic bag or shallow container. Add marinade, coating the chicken thoroughly.
- Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2–3 hours, or marinate up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate to avoid sticking.
- Remove chicken from marinade, allowing extra marinade to drip off. Discard leftover marinade.
- Grill chicken breasts for about 5–6 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F) with visible grill marks.
- Allow chicken to rest briefly before slicing. If desired, garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Pound chicken breasts slightly to uniform thickness before marinating for more even cooking and juicier meat.
- Prepare additional marinade separately (before adding chicken) to drizzle over cooked chicken.
- Resting the chicken after grilling ensures it stays juicy when cut.
- The marinade also tastes fantastic with shrimp, tofu, zucchini, or bell peppers.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
