After an easy marinade and a simple glaze on the grill, this Sweet Chili Lime Chicken is juicy, tender, and the perfect amount of spicy-sweet!
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We've all been there-- cooking chicken can get boring. It can seem like there are only So. Many. Ways. To change up the game. This sweet chili lime chicken, however, is an easy and delicious way to revolutionize your chicken game.
After a stop in a vinegar-based chili lime marinade, grill up chicken over medium-high heat, and finish off the whole show with a beautiful sweet chili lime sauce.
You won't regret it. Chances are, you won't be able to forget it.
Because not only is it succulent and full of flavor, it's the kind of healthy grilled chicken recipe that can be served alongside sweet corn and salad in the summer, or steamed rice and stir-fried veggies in the winter.
Oh, and did I mention that I made it for some young family friends and the kiddos liked it, too?
Pretty much a win all around. And dinner times need more wins. Bask in your victory tonight. You know I'll be cheering for you, too.
This Sweet Chili Lime Chicken is...
It's...
- Juicy
- Tender
- Easy-to-make
- Family-friendly
- Gluten-free
- Sweet, tangy, and just only slightly spicy
There's pretty much no reason to not try it for yourself today!
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Q & A About Sweet Chili Lime Chicken
What temperature does chicken need to cook to?
The temperature that you cook chicken to depends on the cut of chicken you're using. Chicken breasts, in this instance, need to cook to 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast.
Looking for a good meat thermometer? This is my favorite thermometer -- it's fast, accurate, and so durable!
Where do you find fish sauce?
You can find fish sauce in the Asian foods section of most large grocery store chains. If not, they're almost always at Asian food stores or specialty stores like Whole Foods or Sprouts.
And if, for some freak reason, you can't find it any of those places you can almost always find it on Amazon. This is my favorite brand (I know it's more expensive, but I promise it's worth it!.
How long do you marinate chicken?
How long you marinate chicken depends on the marinade somewhat, but a general range is 30 minutes to 8 hours for low-to-moderate acid marinades.
For ones that are higher in acid, you will need to marinate lower so you don't "cook" the chicken with the marinade. Check your recipe to see how long they recommend you leave the chicken in the solution.
For this sweet chili lime recipe, you can marinate the chicken for 30 minutes up to 8 hours. The chicken will have maximum flavor after 8 hours of marinating, but they're still tasty after only 30 minutes, too, so marinate according to whatever's best for your schedule!
How long do you grill chicken breasts?
It depends on how thick the breasts are, but I generally grill them for 8-10 minutes flipping every 3 minutes or so. Check them with a thermometer at that point. If they're cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast, your chicken is done. If it is not, continue cooking and check the temperature about every 1.5-2 minutes.
What tools do you need to make this chicken?
Check out my other healthy and easy chicken recipes:
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- Spicy Honey Chicken Marinade
- Savory Parmesan Pumpkin Chicken Breasts
- Oven-Fried Lemon Panko Chicken Tenders
- Grilled Sesame Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Sausage Meatballs
- Crockpot Honey BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
- One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage
- Minestra Soup
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Sweet Chili Lime Chicken Breasts
Juicy, charred, and just the right amount of spicy-sweet, these grilled chicken breasts make the perfect easy dinner protein.
Find sweet chili sauce and fish sauce in the Asian foods section of your grocery store and make sure to mix up the marinade separately from the glaze as they have different ingredients and ratios.
For most flavor, marinate your chicken as close to 8 hours as possible, but it's still delicious after marinating for the minimum time of 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 extra large or 4 large chicken breasts)
Chicken Marinade
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ lime, juiced (or about 1 tablespoon lime juice)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably light)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried ginger (or 1 ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger)
Chicken Glaze
- ¾ cup sweet chili sauce
- ½ lime, juiced (or about 1 tablespoon lime juice)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a medium to large-size mixing bowl. Add the chicken breasts and marinate anywhere from 30 minutes - 8 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat during the final 5 minutes of marinating time. Next, whisk together the chicken glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Add the chicken breasts to the grill (you can discard the marinade) and grill for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes.
- Cook for 2-4 minutes longer, brushing the chicken with the glaze before flipping each time, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. There should be glaze still remaining.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and lightly tent with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half & serve the chicken hot with extra glaze to pass!
Notes
1. Store leftover chicken covered in the fridge for 3-5 days.
2. Leftovers are perfect on sandwiches and salad.
3. To reheat the leftover chicken, warm in the microwave at 70% heat for 45-second intervals, or until the chicken is warmed through. This will keep the chicken from getting rubbery.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
½ chicken breast and 1 ½ tablespoons glazeAmount Per Serving Calories 247Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 72mgSodium 601mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 0gSugar 17gProtein 27g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.