Make this Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade to cook your chicken on the stovetop, grill or in the oven. Chicken comes tender, juicy and full of flavor.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Breast on white rice on a plate with fresh limes
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I love making homemade marinades so I can easily adjust ingredients to what I prefer. This cilantro lime marinade is one of my favorites because I could eat cilantro on just about everything. It makes my grilled chicken recipes so flavorful and it is easy to make.

Turn your bland chicken into a meal that the whole family will love. If you love cilantro lime as much as I do, then you need to check out these recipes – Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot Recipe, Crock Pot Mojo Chicken Recipe and Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe.

Why We Love This Recipe

Marinated chicken always turns out so delicious and can be used with a variety of recipes. We like to meal prep for the week to use this chicken in lettuce wraps, topped on Corn Salad and or diced up to make Chicken Fajita Quesadillas Recipe.

The ingredients are simple and this marinade can be used with different cuts of meat. Check out my Mojo chicken recipe if you need another dish to serve to your family,

Ingredients

Chicken, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, olive oil, honey, cumin, chili powder

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

  • Change Meat – Feel free to different cuts of meat. You can marinate steak, pork tenderloin, or bone-in chicken thighs.
  • Citrus Flavor – We love the flavor of fresh lime juice, but you can also use lemon juice. For even more flavor add in lime zest.
  • Seasoning – We used simple seasoning to add to this marinade. But you can add in a tablespoon of Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe to this cilantro lime chicken recipe. We have even added a teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a kick of spice.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

  • Step 1 – Combine everything in a gallon size freezer bag. Add chicken.
  • Step 2 – Marinade for 2-12 hours in the fridge.
Chicken breast in a zip lock bag with the marinade
  • Step 3 – Grill over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes per side directly on the grill grates. Check out How to Grill Chicken Breasts for more tips.
  • Step 4 – Cook until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  • Step 5 – Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Step 6 – Serve with more fresh limes chopped cilantro.

Recipe Tips

  • Chicken – Before marinating chicken, I like to pound the chicken to about the same size. This ensure that the chicken cooks evenly.
  • Cooking Time – Cooking time will vary but we do recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to 165 degrees.
  • Rest Chicken – For best results, we recommend allowing the chicken to rest before slicing. This helps to lock in the juices.
Cilantro Lime chicken breast stacked on a plate with a bowl of white rice on the side with fresh lime

Serving Suggestions

When I make this chicken recipe, I usually like to double the recipe so I can use it for lunches during the week. Serve with Instant pot White Rice Recipe, Grilled Watermelon, Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe, Instant Pot Brown Rice and How to make Cauliflower Rice Recipe.

We have even served this with Black Beans in the Crockpot or made Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe.

You may want to use this chicken to make Grilled Chicken Tacos.

Cilantro Lime Chicken breast on a plate with fresh lime

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long to Marinate Chicken

We recommend marinating chicken for at least 1 hour but no more than 24 hours. The lime juice could start making the chicken mushy.

How to Store Leftover Marinade

Store the unused chicken marinade in a jar or airtight container for up to a week.

More Easy Marinade Recipes

We love to hear from you. If you make this Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

5 from 6 votes
Estimated Cost: $8.54, Cost Per Serving: $2.14
Make this Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade to cook your chicken on the stovetop, grill or in the oven. Chicken comes tender, juicy and full of flavor.
Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Let Sit 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 32 minutes
Servings 4
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 351
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 limes juiced
  • ¼ cilantro finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder

See how we calculate recipe costs.

Instructions

  • In a gallon-size zip-top bag or shallow dish, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, Juice of 2 limes, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp honey, ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp chili powder.
  • Add 2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken thighs to the marinade and turn to coat evenly.
  • Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for 2–12 hours.
  • Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before grilling.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 375–400°F).
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade.
  • Grill the chicken for 6–7 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
  • Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and lime wedges, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 351kcal, Carbohydrates 9g, Protein 49g, Fat 13g, Saturated Fat 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2g, Monounsaturated Fat 7g, Trans Fat 0.03g, Cholesterol 145mg, Sodium 850mg, Potassium 896mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 5g, Vitamin A 172IU, Vitamin C 13mg, Calcium 30mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie Barnard — a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families — without the stress.

5 from 6 votes

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Comments

  1. Cory says:

    5 stars
    This recipe has such good flavor! I love grilling chicken and this marinade just makes the taste spectacular.

  2. Christina says:

    5 stars
    This was a huge hit with my family! Everyone cleaned their plates and even asked for seconds.

  3. George says:

    5 stars
    Made this last weekend , loved it

  4. Casey says:

    5 stars
    My go-to marinade anytime I grill chicken! The ingredients is so simple.

  5. Haylee says:

    5 stars
    My chicken turned out so flavorful!

  6. Casey says:

    5 stars
    This marinade was so easy to make! My chicken turned out so delicious and my kids cleaned their plates!