Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs

Juicy, golden, and bursting with flavor — these Honey Lime Chicken Thighs make the perfect easy weeknight dinner. With grill, oven and stovetop options, you can enjoy that sweet and citrusy glaze any night of the week, no matter the weather.

These zesty chicken thighs with a honey lime marinade are equally fantastic grilled or baked in a hot oven. They also work perfectly in a large skillet on the stove top. They turn a beautiful golden brown, without losing any of their juicy flavor. I've included instructions for all 3 cooking methods later in the post.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Honey Lime Marinated Chicken Thighs Ingredients
• How To Make Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Variations & Substitutions
• Tips & Tricks
• How to Serve Honey Lime Grilled Thighs
• How To Reheat
• Pin this Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe For Later
• What Do You Think?!
• More Easy Recipe Ideas
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• Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe
• Reader Comments & Ratings

Why You'll Love These Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs

• Chicken thighs are moist and tender and can be ready in under 15 minutes. Which makes them the perfect midweek meal.

• Chicken thigh meat tends to be less expensive than breast with no compromise on flavor.

• The honey lime chicken marinade is prepared in minutes, honey and lime are a match made in heaven.

• This tasty honey lime sauce not only flavors the chicken, it also tenderizes and makes it really juicy.

• If you don't eat all the chicken, leftovers are great in sandwiches, salads or tacos.

• Try some of my favourite easy chicken recipes with chicken thighs:
  • Sheet Pan Greek Chicken Thighs
  • Miso Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Thighs with Lemon & Garlic
  • Asian Bone-in Chicken Thighs
  • Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs
  • Rainbow Chicken Kabobs

Honey Lime Marinated Chicken Thighs Ingredients

Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.

Chicken Thighs - I love these for the bbq since they are less likely to dry out. You can use breast if you prefer. You may have to adjust the cooking times depending on the thickness.

Oil - I always try to cook with a good quality extra virgin olive oil and you can taste it in the marinade. So break out the good stuff if you can.

Limes - Try looking for limes which are light green in color as they tend to be juicier. Also they should be slightly soft when gently squeezed.

Honey - Honey sweetens the marinade but also helps to break down the enzymes in the meat and further tenderizes the chicken.

Cilantro/Coriander - This fresh herb is completely optional as some people don’t like the taste (I know my kids don’t). But for those who enjoy the complex citrusy flavor, it’s a great accompaniment to the honey and lime.

Garlic - I always use fresh garlic in a marinade. For a more garlicy flavor you can crush the garlic before marinating. But I find it can burn on the grill so I leave mine whole and remove it before cooking.

How To Make Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs

Find the full printable recipe card below.

In a small bowl whisk together the honey lime marinade ingredients.

Place the chicken in a wide flat bowl, pour the marinade over and mix until evenly coated.

Cover and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight so it really gets into the chicken. Stir occasionally.

When ready to grill, pre-heat the grill to medium high and grill chicken over a medium hot grill for 5 -6 minutes on each side, until it is is cooked through.

Let chicken rest, covered in foil, for around 10 minutes before serving.

How To Oven Roast Honey Lime Chicken Thighs

If you don't have an outside grill or BBQ you can oven roast this chicken on a baking sheet in a hot 425ºF/220ºC oven for around 15 minutes - until the juices run clear or an instant read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165ºF/75ºC.

How to Cook Honey Lime Chicken Thighs on the Stove Top

Place a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Bone-In Chicken Thighs?

You can definitely use Bone-In Chicken Thighs. Indeed some people swear they have a better flavor. But just be sure to adjust your cooking time, as bone-in meat takes longer to grill.

Can I use Chicken Thighs with Skin?

Yes! I removed it here since chicken thighs with skin on are higher in fat. But if you like meat with skin you can definitely use it, And it's a great way to keep the meat extra moist.

How Long to Marinade?

This is the million dollar question. In my experience meat needs to marinate for a minimum of 4 hours to get a good flavor. And to start to become more tender. Eight hours or overnight is definitely preferable if you have the time.

In addition, if you decide you don’t want to cook the chicken after-all, you can leave it in the marinade for two days. It’s actually fine and will be deliciously flavored and tender by the time you cook it.

Variations & Substitutions

Use any cut of chicken in this recipe, swap the thighs for chicken breasts, leg, drumsticks or wings, ensuring you adjust the cooking times.

For extra lime flavor you can add lime zest as well as the fresh lime juice. It is worth squeezing fresh lime all over this dish as you serve it, as it really makes the flavors sing. You could also swap lime juice for lemon.

Honey sweetens the marinade but you can also use other refined sugars like maple syrup or agave syrup in this recipe.

Tips & Tricks

• Tasty grilling really does start with good seasoning. I like to use sea salt and soy sauce in the marinade, and I do sprinkle the chicken again once it’s out of the marinade.

• Brush any remaining marinade over the chicken as it cooks to keep the chicken moist.

• For a more intense lime flavor, and if time allows, I recommend marinating the chicken thighs overnight.

• To check the chicken is properly cooked through, I recommend using a meat thermometer. It should read 165°F (75°C) when placed in the thickest part of the chicken thigh.

How to Serve Honey Lime Grilled Thighs

I love to pile the chicken on a platter and garnish it with extra lime slices and cilantro/coriander. This dish goes well with rice, try my Coconut Lime Rice. For a lower carb alternative try zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.

When it comes to sides I keep it simple, with a green salad like this Spinach & Arugula Salad, Kale Cannellini Salad, or Fall Kale Salad. It's also great with served with some crusty bread to mop up those juices.

How To Reheat

These chicken thighs are best served fresh when the flavors will be most vibrant. However, these chicken thighs do make delicious cold leftovers and taste great in salads and sandwiches the next day.

Pin this Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe For Later

What Do You Think?!

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