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Spiced Honey Lime Grilled Chicken have just the right amount of sweetness and spice. Grill these for your BBQ or 4th of July party and let your guests enjoy just the right amount of moistness on the inside and crispy grilled skin.
This Spiced Honey Lime Grilled Chicken combines honey, fresh lime juice, olive oil and a warm spice blend of chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, thyme and oregano for a marinade that’s sweet, tangy and just a little smoky. The lime juice tenderizes the chicken as it soaks, and the honey caramelizes on the grill for a slightly sticky, charred exterior with a tender, juicy center every time.
It’s an easy weeknight dinner as much as it is a BBQ centerpiece. I make a double batch most weeks and use the leftovers in salads, rice bowls and wraps. If you like recipes with a citrus and warm spice combination, you’ll notice a lot of overlap with the marinades I use for Mediterranean grilled chicken and kebabs, the honey and lime here play the same role that pomegranate molasses or sumac would in a Lebanese marinade, adding brightness and helping the chicken stay moist on the grill. Serve it with Summer Orzo Pasta Salad and Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables for a full spread.
Why You Will Love This Honey Lime Grilled Chicken
• Lime juice tenderizes the chicken. The acid in fresh lime juice breaks down surface proteins, so the chicken stays tender instead of tightening up on the grill.
• Honey creates a caramelized crust without burning. Because honey is diluted in the marinade rather than brushed on straight, it caramelizes gradually as the chicken cooks instead of scorching over direct heat.
• Bone-in chicken breasts stay juicier under high heat. The bone slows and evens out heat transfer, which helps keep the meat moist even with a longer cook time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Chicken: I like this marinade with chicken breasts because I find they are juiciest when grilling. You can also use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins but make sure to adjust your time based on the size of the chicken.
- Olive Oil: Avocado oil or olive oil works in this marinade recipe. I do like avocado oil because it works well at the high heat point of the grill.
- Honey: The sweet honey adds great flavor alongside the spices in this recipe and the citrus. If you like extra spice try adding hot honey.
- Limes: Citrus, like lime juice, helps tenderize the chicken. It also works nicely to balance the honey and spices.
- Spices: The spices that I used in this marinade are chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, onion salt and crushed red pepper.
Recipe Modifications
- Swap the protein. Boneless or bone-in chicken thighs work well in this marinade, they’re more forgiving if slightly overcooked. Start checking the internal temperature around 20 to 25 minutes.
- Turn up the heat. Add extra crushed red pepper or swap the honey for hot honey for a spicier glaze.
- Make it milder. Cut the chipotle chili powder in half and skip the crushed red pepper for a kid-friendly version.
- No grill? No problem. Cook the chicken in a grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat, or bake at 425°F until it reaches 165°F internally.
- Add citrus zest. A teaspoon of lime zest stirred into the marinade sharpens the lime flavor without adding more acidity.
- Swap the oil. Avocado oil holds up well at high heat if you want an alternative to olive oil.
- Make it a sheet pan meal. Add sliced bell peppers and red onion to the pan or grill basket alongside the chicken for a one-pan version.
How Do You Make this Spiced Honey Lime Grilled Chicken
Step 1: Create Marinade: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients to create the marinade. In a large ziplock bag place the chicken. Pour the marinade over the chicken into the Ziploc bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken until well coated.
Step 2: Marinade for Two Hours: In a large ziplock bag place the chicken. Pour the marinade over the chicken into the Ziploc bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Step 3: Grill the Chicken: Grill the chicken breasts, brushing the leftover marinade over the chicken breasts as it cooks. You need to reach an internal temperature on 165 degrees F. (74 degrees C.). Check all the pieces of chicken to be certain that they are cooked. Once done remove from the grill and cover and allow to rest for about 5 minutes then serve. Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
If you like this chicken recipe, check out this Tandoori Chicken, Grilled Chicken Thighs with Greek Marinade, Grilled Huli Huli Chicken or this Margarita Grilled Chicken.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the full marinade time. Under an hour, the lime juice and spices won’t fully penetrate the meat. Two hours is the minimum, overnight is better.
- Grilling chicken straight from the fridge. Cold chicken cooks unevenly. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling.
- Using boneless cook times for bone-in chicken. Bone-in breasts take noticeably longer, budget for about 40 minutes total, not the 15 to 20 minutes boneless breasts need.
- Not basting with reserved marinade. Basting while grilling keeps the honey glaze building instead of drying out.
- Cutting into the chicken right off the grill. Always rest it for 5 minutes first.
Storage Tips
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in a 300°F oven until warmed through, this keeps it from drying out the way a microwave can. Leftovers also work well cold, sliced into salads, rice bowls or wraps.
Recipe FAQ
Grill the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, checked at the thickest part with a meat thermometer. Bone-in breasts can look done on the outside before they’re fully cooked through, so always check the temperature rather than judging by color.
Yes. Let the chicken rest, covered, for about 5 minutes after grilling. This gives the juices time to redistribute through the meat instead of spilling out when you cut into it.
Marinate for at least 2 hours for the flavor to fully develop. If you have time, marinating overnight gives the best result since the lime juice has more time to tenderize the meat.
Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade while it grills to build up a deeper glaze. For more heat, add extra crushed red pepper or swap in hot honey.
Yes. Boneless or bone-in chicken thighs work well with this marinade. Since thighs are smaller and cook faster than bone-in breasts, start checking the internal temperature around 20 to 25 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes
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Spiced Honey Lime Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- In a large ziplock bag place the chicken.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients to create the marinade. Pour the marinade over the chicken into the Ziploc bag. Massage the marinade into the chicken until well coated.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Grill the chicken breasts, brushing the leftover marinade over the chicken breasts as it cooks. You need to reach an internal temperature on 165 degrees F. (74 degrees C.). Check all the pieces of chicken to be certain that they are cooked.
- Once done remove from the grill and cover and allow to rest for about 5 minutes then serve.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breasts take longer than boneless chicken breasts to grill, budget about 40 minutes total. If using boneless chicken breasts or thighs instead, start checking the internal temperature around 15 to 25 minutes.
- The recipe includes both onion salt and a separate teaspoon of salt, this is intentional and not a duplicate, the onion salt adds flavor while the additional salt seasons the marinade itself.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is juicy, flavorful and a great grilled chicken.
This looks fantastic! Perfect dish for summer 🙂
Thanks Kristy!
Now that is some awesome chicken! I bet the flavor is out of this world!
Thanks Jocelyn! The flavors are great together.
This recipe has some great flavors! I love how easy it is, and I will definitely try the wine pairing. It sound wonderful! Thank you for sharing! Pinned!
Fabulous!! We love to grill chicken – and we are always looking for new marinades. I love the spices in this – sounds phenomenal! Can’t wait to make this chicken!! 🙂
We do too! It is so easy to make and full of flavor.
I could eat that whole plate Julia, it looks delicious!!
Thanks Beth!
Wonderful selection of spices. I am not sure why lime and chicken are such a great team flavor wise, but they are!
I looooove all the flavors happening on this chicken!!! What an easy weeknight or even weekend entertaining recipe!
Thanks Stefanie! I agree!
Love the cause and chicken wine pairing looks great.
Thanks Liz! It is a great cause. I really loved the flavors and the wine together–a winner for sure!
Yum! This is the perfect summer meal!!
Thanks Jess! I agree! 🙂