Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
Lime and cilantro give these grilled chicken thighs a bright, fragrant flavor, with cumin and chili powder adding warmth underneath. The lightly browned edges are especially good with another squeeze of lime as you cut into the chicken.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Grilling
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Give the marinade a proper shake
A jar makes this easy. Shake until the oil, lime juice, spices, garlic, cilantro, and water look well mixed, then pour it over the chicken right away so every thigh gets coated.
2. Keep the chill time in range
The chicken only needs a short rest in the marinade. Cover it and chill for 30 minutes, or leave it up to 2 hours if that fits your evening better.
3. Watch the browning
Grill over medium heat and keep an eye on the color. If the chicken is getting dark before the timing is up, turn the heat down rather than letting the outside race ahead.
Get to know the ingredients
Boneless chicken thighs
Use boneless thighs here. They’re easy to coat in the bowl, easy to move with tongs, and the grill time is written for thighs without bones.
Fresh lime juice
The recipe uses the juice only, about 1/4 cup from 4 limes. Save extra wedges for serving if you like that fresh squeeze at the end.
Garlic options
Minced garlic goes straight into the marinade, but garlic powder is built into the recipe too. Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder if that’s what you have.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Move the grilled chicken to the plate and finish it with extra cilantro and lime wedges. It’s a small thing, but that fresh lime at the table wakes up the grilled spices.
A little more help as you go
Discard the leftover marinade
Use tongs to lift the chicken from the bowl and leave the excess marinade behind. Once it has been on the raw chicken, it doesn’t go onto the finished dish.
Optional honey lime drizzle
There’s an optional drizzle made with honey, melted butter, and lime juice. Keep it as a separate finishing idea rather than mixing it into the marinade.
A few questions you might have
Can I marinate the chicken longer than 2 hours?
Stick with the recipe’s window: 30 minutes up to 2 hours. The lime juice is part of the marinade, so there’s no need to push it longer.
Do I pour all the marinade onto the grill with the chicken?
No. Transfer the thighs with tongs and discard the excess marinade left in the bowl.
What heat should the grill be?
Use medium heat. If the thighs start browning too quickly, turn the heat down and keep grilling for the directed time on each side.
Should the cilantro go in before or after grilling?
Both. Finely chopped cilantro goes into the marinade, and extra cilantro is added when you serve the chicken.
Can I use garlic powder instead of minced garlic?
Yes. The recipe gives 1 teaspoon garlic powder as the swap for the minced garlic in the marinade.
Any more cooking tips?
Honey lime drizzle: 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon melted butter juice of 1 lime
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: lecremedelacrumb.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.