Sesame Ginger Lime Chicken

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freenut free

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.

Jump to Recipe
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:

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Sesame Ginger Lime Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Description

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.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk marinade ingredients until smooth.
  2. Add the chicken, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at minimum of 30 minutes, or until you’re ready to cook.
  3. Preheat your grill to medium-high.
  4. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Grill chicken for 5 – 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
  5. 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).
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Rest Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Grilling

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 417
  • Sugar: 10.8 g
  • Sodium: 222.8 mg
  • Fat: 15.3 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
  • Fiber: 0.6 g
  • Protein: 51.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 165.5 mg

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! You can leave a rating or review in the comment section below. Ratings and reviews help this site grow and help others who make the recipe in the future!

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

Similar Posts

Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself:

  • Did you make the recipe as directed? If you didn’t make the recipe as directed, or changed the ingredients in any way, please refrain from leaving a rating. Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.
  • Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.
  • Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to your for free. Advertising allows me to continue to do so, and is basically unavoidable on the internet. If you want ad-free recipes, please purchase a cookbook.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star