Chicken is the standard staple for our weeknight dinners. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but chicken can get pretty boring. So I like to mix it up, especially with what’s handy in the pantry.
This marinade was super simple to prepare and used only a few basic ingredients: olive oil, lime juice, honey, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bonus: the chicken is marinated overnight, so all you need to do on the day of is grill it and serve. Voilà!
The citrus marinade made the chicken tangy and juicy with the honey creating a slight crust. We enjoyed the honey lime chicken on a bed of salad for dinner and lunch the next day.
Honey Lime Chicken
Recipe from The Enchanted Cook, inspired by Sunset Magazine (August 2010 issue)
Serves 4-6
Marinade Ingredients:
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes), plus the zest of both limes
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2 tablespoons honey (Tip: use nonstick spray on the tablespoon and the honey will drip right out!)
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
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2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
Directions:
Open a large Ziploc plastic bag and place in a container with the edges of the bag over the sides (makes it easier to add the ingredients; see below picture). Combine all the ingredients in the bag, except for the chicken. Seal the bag completely and shake well.
Add the chicken to the bag, seal completely and turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate the marinated chicken overnight. (Note: Plans changed and I ended up refrigerating the chicken for two nights; it still turned out great.)
Heat grill (or pan) to medium-high. Grill chicken for about 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. You can reduce the time if you’re using thin chicken breasts.
Ooo, I love the addition of cayenne pepper. I bet that’s delicious with the honey and lime. Sounds like a great combination…I’m always on the lookout for new chicken marinades!
Thanks Cassie! Hope you enjoy this one!
This is such an interesting marinade!! It sounds deliciouuuuss!
It’s a great combination with the tangy citrus and sweet honey!
Looks delish! I don’t usually buy chicken because it’s too bland for me, but I love a good marinade on some juicy chicken. I’m definitely gonna give this a whirl. Recently I made Chicken Mole on my site, definitely worth buyin the bird!
Totally agree that chicken can get bland, but that’s why you and I are on a mission to share great recipes with others! p.s. My hubby loves Chicken Mole. I’ll check it out.
Made this tonight, loved it! I only had time to marinate 3 hrs, but was delish anyway, the chicken was really moist, good lime flavor. Glad I have extra to take for lunch tomorrow. Will definitely save this re ipe