It’s always worth marinating your chicken. Because when it’s done right, even a simple chicken breast feels like something special. This Lime Marinated Chicken Breast is bright, juicy, and packed with fresh flavor—perfect whether you’re firing up the grill or getting a golden sear on the stovetop.
Simple, bright, and consistently flavorful—this is one you’ll come back to.
See how to make this easy lime marinade for chicken…
INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 2 lb chicken breast
Marinade
- 1 lime, zest
- 2 limes, juice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
For Cooking / Grilling
- 2 tsp olive oil
POPULAR SUBSTITUTIONS & ADDITIONS
This marinade is pretty forgiving, so here are some other ingredients you can use, depending on what you have on hand:
- Swap lime for lemon or orange.
- Use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
- Add fresh grated ginger.
- Add a little smoked paprika.
HOW TO MAKE LIME MARINATED CHICKEN BREAST
Here’s the step-by-step recipe…
Scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable copy.
For the Lime Marinade
For more details on my stovetop chicken method, see this guide on how to grill chicken breast on stove.
Option 1: Indoor Pan Grilling Method
This chicken is delicious with my zesty Jalapeño Ranch Dressing.
Option 2: Outdoor Gas Grilling Method
- Preheat the grill. Heat a gas grill to medium-high and carefully lightly oil the grates.
- Sear over direct heat. Place the chicken directly over the flames and sear without moving until it releases easily and develops a golden brown crust. Flip a couple times until grill marks are all over including the sides.
- Move to indirect heat to finish. Once both sides are seared, move the chicken to indirect heat (not directly over a flame) and close the lid. Let it cook through gently until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest and serve. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Love to grill? Try this Smoked Chicken Breast Recipe.
Next, try this easy Chicken with Enchilada Sauce.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS CHICKEN
- For taco night: Homemade Butter Tortillas
- Salad: Spinach Salad with Everything Bagel Croutons
- Side: Viral Sweet Potato
- Dessert: Chocolate Banana Bread
For another recipe everyone loves, try my BBQ Chicken Potato Skins.
Can’t wait to hear what you think!
I’d love to know how your version turned out! Drop a rating and leave a comment below to help the Sip Bite Go community. And if you snapped any photos, tag me on Instagram—I love sharing reader pics in my Stories!
Feel inspired to cook with my free Foodie Friday newsletter.
Lime Marinated Chicken Breast (for Grilling or Pan-Cooking)
It’s always worth marinating your chicken. Because when it’s done right, even a simple chicken breast feels like something special. This Lime Marinated Chicken Breast is bright, juicy, and packed with fresh flavor—perfect whether you’re firing up the grill or getting a golden sear on the stovetop. Recipe on SipBiteGo.com.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4 chicken breasts
Calories: 383kcal
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lb chicken breast
Marinade
- 1 lime zest
- 2 limes juice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
For Cooking / Grilling
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Lime Marinade
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, combine lime zest, lime juice, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and chopped cilantro.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken breasts and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to let the flavor soak in. Let the chicken breast sit at room temp 20 minutes before cooking.
Indoor Pan-Grilling Method for Lime Marinated Chicken Breast
- Cook the marinated chicken in a grill pan. Lightly oil the grill pan (or another skillet) and heat it to medium-high.
- Sear the chicken. Once hot, add the lime marinated chicken breast to the pan and brown the outside, only flipping it when the chicken easily releases from the pan. Flip it a few times until all sides, including the edges, are seared.
- Finish cooking the chicken. Don’t remove chicken from the pan until it reaches 165 degrees F internal temperature. I usually find the outside of the chicken is fully cooked but the inside is not. In this case, quickly finish it on the stove top by adding a couple tablespoons of water to the pan. Cover the chicken with a lid and reduce the heat to medium to help them cook through and stay juicy. Continue checking temperature every few minutes until done. Add more water if needed.
- Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Gas Grill Method for Lime Marinated Chicken Breast
- Preheat the grill. Heat a gas grill to medium-high and carefully lightly oil the grates.
- Sear over direct heat. Place the chicken directly over the flames and sear without moving until it releases easily and develops a golden brown crust. Flip a couple times until grill marks are all over including the sides.
- Move to indirect heat to finish. Once both sides are seared, move the chicken to indirect heat (not directly over a flame) and close the lid. Let it cook through gently until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest and serve. Remove from the grill and let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 773mg | Potassium: 927mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
Leave a Reply