Summer Lime Chicken Breasts
Lime gives these grilled chicken breasts their unmistakable brightness even once the edges begin to char. A short marinade keeps the garlic and cilantro fresh-tasting rather than letting the acidity take over.
Recipe link
Prep time10 min
Cook time15 min
Total time1 hr 30 min
- Cuisine
- Granny's Recipes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 240
Ingredients
Lime Chicken Marinade
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts — about 6 ounces each
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Juice of 3 limes — about ¼ to ⅓ cup
- 4 cloves garlic cloves — smashed & minced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro — chopped, divided
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper — freshly ground
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Trim excess fat from the chicken breasts. Place the chicken between sheets of parchment or plastic wrap and pound the thicker ends lightly until each breast is approximately ¾ inch thick throughout.4 chicken breasts
- Make the Marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons cilantro, salt, and black pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow glass or ceramic dish or a gallon-size resealable food-storage bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover or seal and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.1/3 cup olive oil, juice of 3 limes, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp cilantro, ½ tsp fine salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 4 chicken breasts
- Grill or Broil the Chicken: Preheat an outdoor grill or large grill pan to medium-high heat. For broiling, position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element, preheat the broiler, and prepare a broiler-safe pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, let the excess drip away, and discard the marinade. Grill for 4–6 minutes per side, or broil for 4–5 minutes per side, until lightly charred and the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If using a grill pan, cook in batches so the breasts do not overlap.marinated chicken
- Finish and Serve: Transfer the chicken to a clean serving platter and rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with roasted peppers or other side dishes if desired.1 tbsp cilantro
Notes
- Lime Juice: Three average limes usually yield approximately ¼ to ⅓ cup juice. Use freshly squeezed juice for the cleanest, brightest flavor.
- Marinating: One hour is usually enough. Do not marinate longer than 4 hours because the acidic lime juice can make the surface of the chicken too soft. The marinade may be mixed and refrigerated separately up to 1 day ahead.
- Chicken: Breast size varies considerably. Pounding the thicker ends to approximately ¾ inch helps the pieces finish at about the same time; use an instant-read thermometer rather than the clock as the final doneness test.
- Serving: Excellent with rice, black beans, grilled peppers, warm tortillas, or fresh lime wedges. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days and serve cold or reheat gently until the center reaches 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
- red & yellow bell peppers (roasted)
- white rice (steamed)
- black beans
- tortillas
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
4 servings — Serving size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories
- 240
- Carbohydrates
- 0.4 g
- Protein
- 38.5 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Saturated Fat
- 1.5 g
- Cholesterol
- 120 mg
- Sodium
- 140 mg
- Fiber
- 0.1 g
- Total Sugars
- 0 g
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Shallow glass or ceramic dish or gallon-size resealable food-storage bag (Use one approved nonreactive container large enough to coat and refrigerate the chicken.)
- Outdoor grill, large grill pan, or broiler (Use one of the approved cooking methods.)
- Broiler-safe pan (Required only when using the broiler method.)
- Tongs
- Instant-read thermometer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Meat mallet (Optional.)