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Spicy Honey-Lime Chicken

Spicy honey-lime chicken with a caramelized glaze and charred grill edges. Juicy grilled chicken is marinated in an easy honey-lime marinade, basted with reserved glaze, then finished with fresh cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken breasts or thighs
Honey-Lime Marinade & Basting
  • 0.25 cup honey Reserve about 1/4 cup after mixing for basting.
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 1 limes zest Zest of 2 limes.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
To Serve
  • 1 Fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the honey-lime marinade
  1. Whisk honey, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper until fully combined and smooth.
  2. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag and pour in the marinade, then reserve 1/4 cup for basting.
Marinate
  1. Refrigerate the chicken at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours so the flavors penetrate.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates to prevent sticking.
  2. Grill chicken for 6-8 minutes per side, basting with the reserved marinade, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to keep it juicy.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, then serve.

Notes

For best browning, remove chicken from the fridge 10 minutes before grilling and keep the grill at medium-high so the honey-lime glaze caramelizes without burning. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, use reduced-sugar honey (measure as written) to keep the sweet heat balance.