Sliced sesame ginger lime chicken topped with green onions and balck sesame seeds on a plate with white rice and a lime.

Why I love this chicken marinade for grilling

Grilling season is almost over, but before it’s gone for the year, I wanted to share this awesome chicken marinade with you. Because there’s nothing I love more than a perfectly cooked, flavorful piece of chicken.

While you don’t have to grill the chicken to use the marinade, there’s something about the way the honey in the marinade caramelizes on the grill that is just unbelievably good.

This marinade would make an equally great pan seared chicken breast. You could also broil it in your oven. If you’ve never done that I suggest you learn how to broil chicken immediately because it’s almost as good as grilling when done properly.

Sliced sesame ginger lime chicken topped with green onions and balck sesame seeds on a plate with white rice and a lime.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

4 grilled chicken breast in a cookie sheet with lime slices and a bowl of green onions

How to make ginger lime chicken

Mix the marinade. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Whisk until smooth.

Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl and cover completely with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until you’re ready to cook.

If you prefer, you can also transfer the chicken and marinade to a zip-top bag to let it marinate.

Grill the chicken. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Before grilling, remove the chicken from it marinade at pat it dry. Grill for about 5 – 6 minute per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.

Garnish and serve. Remove chicken from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes. Before serving, garnish with sliced green onion and sesame seeds (I love these smoked black sesame seeds).

close up of sesame ginger lime chicken slices and white rice on a plate

FAQs and tips on making sesame ginger lime chicken

What does the lime juice do to the chicken?

The acidity of the lime juice will help breakdown the chicken making it tender and extra flavorful.

What happens if you marinate the chicken too long?

If you leave the chicken in the marinate too long, it will continue breaking down the meat making the texture soft and on the mushy side.

How long should you marinate chicken?

You will want to stick marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but ideally, the longer the better. I always aim for at least 2 hours for the best texture. I don’t recommend letting it marinate for more than 24 hours, though.

What to serve this with:

More chicken recipes:

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Sesame Ginger Lime Chicken

By: Melissa Belanger
With just the right balance of sweet and savory, this sesame ginger lime chicken marinade packs a punch of flavor and grills up beautifully. Serve it with a side of rice and your favorite vegetables for a perfect meal.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1-inch thickness (about 2 pounds)
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Sesame seeds, optional, for garnish
  • Thinly sliced green onion, optional, for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk marinade ingredients until smooth.
  • Add the chicken, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at minimum of 30 minutes, or until you’re ready to cook.
  • Preheat your grill to medium-high.
  • Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Grill chicken for 5 – 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
  • Take the chicken off the grill and allow it to rest for a few minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion before serving (optional).

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 250mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin C: 11mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Hi! I'm Melissa.

I create easy, dairy free recipes because I know how hard living without milk can be. I believe you can live a completely satisfying life without dairy, and I want to teach you how.

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