Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

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.

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts – Make this recipe with skinless chicken thighs
• Fresh Cilantro – Check out these The Best Cilantro Substitutes and How to Cut Cilantro for the best tips.
• Minced Garlic – How to Mince Garlic Cloves if you are using fresh garlic cloves

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. We have also gathered Best Substitute for Lime Juice if you are out.
• 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.

• 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.

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.