This honey lime chicken recipe is mindlessly easy and glazey delicious. It starts with a simple 5-ingredient marinade, and after soaking up all that sweet and tangy flavor, the chicken thighs are grilled until juicy.
This Chicken Is Great for Meal Prep and Planned Leftovers
A blend of honey, soy sauce, and lime forms the base of the Asian-inspired marinade that flavors and tenderizes the chicken thighs in this easy recipe. It’s one I’ve been turning to again and again because the entire recipe calls for just 6 basic ingredients — several of which are shelf-stable pantry staples — and takes just a few minutes to prep.
We typically enjoy the honey lime chicken straight from the grill the first night, then I’ll repurpose the leftovers in salads, noodle bowls, veggie wraps, and grain bowls over the next couple of nights.
It’s one of those versatile, no-fuss dinners that makes weekly meal planning a breeze.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Using boneless chicken thighs reduces the cook time. I love bone-in chicken thighs for their richer flavor, but they take longer to grill. Using boneless chicken thighs means I can get dinner on the table lightning fast, and the leftovers are easier to chop up and throw into grain bowls and salads.
Use the carry-over heat to bring the chicken to the right temperature. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temp of 165ºF, but I always pull mine off the grill at 160ºF so the carry-over heat during the rest period can finish cooking the meat. Finishing the chicken thighs in this manner prevents overcooking.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs — I used boneless skinless thighs, but you may use bone-in (the cook time will need to be increased by 5 – 10 minutes in that case).
- Honey — This liquid gold sweetens the marinade and encourages caramelization as the chicken thighs grill.
- Soy sauce — I prefer using regular soy sauce for this recipe, but low-sodium or a gluten-free variety may be substituted.
- Lime — You’ll need ¼ cup lime juice (from approx. 2 limes) for this recipe, plus the zest of one of the limes. If your limes are hard, microwave them for just 15 seconds to release more of the juice and use a citrus press if you’ve got one.
- Garlic — Two big cloves add plenty of aromatic flavor.
- Red pepper flakes — Add a subtle kick of heat that offsets the sweet and salty flavors.
How to Make Honey Lime Chicken on the Grill
- Combine the marinade. You can do this in a small bowl with either a whisk or a fork.
- Marinate the chicken. To give the honey lime marinade enough time to work its magic, the chicken thighs need a good 2 hours of soaking.
- Prep your grill. My gas grill takes several minutes to come up to high heat. Use that time to clean the grates of any debris so your chicken doesn’t burn or stick.
- Grill the chicken. It’s easy to tell when chicken thighs are ready to be flipped because the meat will naturally release from the grill grates and be easy to flip.
- Rest before slicing. A quick 5-minute rest gives the juices time to redistribute and prevents them from spilling onto the plate when the chicken is cut.
Heidi’s Tip: Since the marinade touched the raw chicken, it needs to be discarded after it’s done its job.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus zest from 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Prep the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk ½ cup honey with ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, zest of 1 lime, 2 garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Combine the chicken thighs with the marinade. Place 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs in a gallon-size, re-sealable freezer bag. Pour in the marinade, seal the bag, and massage the chicken to coat with the marinade. Chill for 2 hours up to overnight.
- Grill the chicken. Prepare the grill for direct cooking at high heat (450°F). Brush the cooking grates clean. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Place the chicken on the hot grates, cover with lid, and cook for 5-6 minutes until they easily release from the grates. Flip the chicken over, and cook for 4-5 minutes longer. Flip the chicken two more times, for about 2 minutes on each side, until the chicken is firm to the touch and registers 160°F internal temperature.
- Rest. Remove from the grill and tent the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve on the Side
More Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes
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