Key West Grilled Chicken (Printable)

Tropical marinated chicken with lime, honey, and fresh herbs grilled to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.3 pounds total)

→ 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
10 - Zest of 1 lime
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (plus additional for garnish)

# Steps:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lime zest until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped cilantro until evenly distributed.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is completely coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours maximum for optimal flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (approximately 375-400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove chicken from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the meat is no longer pink in the center.
05 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
06 - Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the chicken.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marinade does double duty, tenderizing while infusing incredible flavor
  • Ready in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day planning it
02 -
  • Discard the used marinade never reuse it after raw chicken has been swimming in it
  • An instant-read thermometer eliminates all the guesswork and prevents dry chicken tragedy
03 -
  • Pound thicker end of chicken breasts to match thinner parts for perfectly even cooking
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature for 15 minutes before grilling for more predictable results

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