Description
Succulent honey lime chicken promises a flavor explosion from Mexican-inspired cuisine. Zesty marinade and quick grilling create a perfect weeknight dinner that delivers complex, mouthwatering notes you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces and trimmed
- 6 tbsps honey or maple syrup
- 3 tbsps soy sauce (low sodium is better)
- 3 tbsps fresh lime juice
- 1.5 tbsps Sriracha sauce
- 1.5 tbsps fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1.25 tsps kosher salt
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 0.5 tsp cornstarch (optional for thickening)
- Chopped cilantro or parsley
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Marinade Preparation: Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth, setting aside half the mixture for glazing. Ensure silky, uniform consistency.
- Marination: Submerge chicken in reserved marinade within a sealed container. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 12 hours, allowing flavor penetration. For extended marination, adjust lime zest to prevent protein breakdown.
- Glaze Creation: Whisk remaining marinade with cornstarch, heating in microwave until thickened and glossy. This will create a rich, clingy coating for the chicken.
- Grill Setup: Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat (375-400°F). Soak wooden skewers in water to prevent charring during cooking.
- Grilling Process: Thread marinated chicken onto prepared skewers. Grill while rotating and generously brushing with glaze, cooking until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and develops caramelized exterior with beautiful char marks.
- Serving: Rest grilled chicken for 5 minutes to redistribute internal juices. Plate with additional glaze drizzle, garnishing with fresh chopped herbs and lime wedges for vibrant presentation and zesty flavor enhancement.
Notes
- Marinate Smartly: Reserve half the marinade before adding raw chicken to use as a safe, flavor-packed glaze without contamination risks.
- Prevent Skewer Burning: Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to stop them from catching fire during grilling.
- Optimize Lime Intensity: For longer marination times, reduce lime juice and increase zest to maintain flavor without breaking down meat proteins.
- Rest and Redistribute: Allow grilled chicken to rest 5 minutes after cooking, letting internal juices spread evenly for maximum tenderness and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg