Key West Grilled Chicken (Printable)
Tropical marinated chicken with lime, honey, and herbs grilled to perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.3 pounds)
→ Marinade
02 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
03 - 1/4 cup honey
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Zest of 1 lime
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish)
# Steps:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lime zest until well combined. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated. Seal or cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for more flavor.
03 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Transfer chicken to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade comes together in minutes but tastes like you spent forever planning dinner
- Leftovers (if you somehow have any) make incredible chicken tacos or salad toppers
02 -
- Marinating beyond 4 hours makes the texture weird and mushy, I learned this the hard way
- The honey can burn if your grill runs too hot, so watch for flare-ups and move chicken to cooler spots if needed
03 -
- Pound your chicken breasts to even thickness so they all finish cooking at the same time
- Room temperature chicken grills more evenly, so take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking