Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken

This easy Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken is a smash hit every time. Whether grilled or sautéed in a pan, the citrus marinade with warm spices, fresh herbs and honey is packed with flavor. Perfect as a main course, sliced over salads, in tacos or in a sandwich, this recipe is so versatile!

Well this past weekend was a bit of a  stay at home type of weekend. One of our little guys, well all 72 pounds of him, Oliver, had a bit of a back issue. Two visits to the vet and muscle relaxers 3 times daily was on order for us. Keeping a five year old labradoodle with a brother indoors, and as inactive as possible, was a task. Needless to say an easy and delicious dinner was in order Saturday. So Dave asked if I’d make this for us and have handy leftovers for tacos the next night.

With an easy marinade made with most items already in your pantry, this Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken needs only an hour to marinate and really packs in the flavor.

Reserve some of that marinade for pouring over after cooking and you’re set, too. Whether you want to grill it or cook it in your kitchen, this one is sure to be a hit. Basting as this cooks adds flavor, the honey caramelizes and the layers of flavor are amazing.

Sticky sweet with a fantastic bite of heat from the chipotle powder, the cumin, lime and cilantro are some of my favorite flavors and make this a go to recipe.

You can serve the chicken breast with a side dish, slice it up and have it over a salad, make tacos or put them in a a sandwich.

Tender, juicy chicken is always a hit and when you have flavors like this Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken, it’s one I keep on the back burner for a flavorful dinner. Even if you come home from work and make this without the hour long marinade it still works. I have, and with the basting and reserved marinade for spooning over at serving, you still get plenty of flavor.

Try this sliced and in my Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Tacos or for other chipotle inspired dishes, try my Ancho Chipotle Chili Lime Grilled Shrimp, Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder with Apricots, Cinnamon and Chipotle, Chipotle Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts, and for some soup action, try my Chipotle Potato Corn Chowder with Pancetta. Enjoy!

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Review

5 from 2 votes

Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken

This easy Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken is a smash hit every time. Whether grilled or sautéed in a pan, the citrus marinade with warm spices, fresh herbs and honey are packed with flavor. Perfect sliced over salads, in tacos or a sandwich. It’s so versatile! Prep time includes 1 hour marinade.

Prep Time1 hr 6 mins

Cook Time14 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: American, Tex Mex, Western

Servings: 4

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts large, boneless (See Note 1)
• 3 tbsp olive oil separated
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

• In a medium size bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, honey, chipotle chili and garlic powders, cumin, cilantro and salt until well combined. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade.
• Pour marinade over chicken breasts in container and let soak covered in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (See Note 2)
• Add remaining tablespoon of oil to hot skillet. Cook chicken for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on medium-high. Baste with marinade, then turn and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Baste again, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes (and discard any remaining marinade). Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil to keep warm until serving.
• Slice to top salads or in tacos or keep whole and serve with a side dish or in a sandwich. Spoon reserved marinade over at time of serving.

Notes

1. Slice each breast horizontally for two pieces if extra large breasts.
2. I have found that longer than 1 hour the chicken starts to develop a “skin” due to the citrus juice slowly “cooking” it. Some people marinate for 2-4 hours, but it’s up to you. With the marinade to baste while cooking and the reserved to spoon on top after, the flavors are definitely there.

 

Nutrition Facts

Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 178 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10g 15%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 116mg 5%

Potassium 112mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 18g

Vitamin A 16.3%

Vitamin C 11.9%

Calcium 1.2%

Iron 4.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.