Grilled Garlic Cilantro Lime Chicken
Try this Grilled Garlic Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Grilled Garlic Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- i used about 2 pounds of chicken breasts (feel fre
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of chopped or minced garlic
- fresh squeezed limes (i used 3 small limes)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (i prefer to use kosher salt but feel free to
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (this can be an optional ingredient but it d
- 1 bunch of cilantro (this was approximately 3/4 cup when c
- Carbohydrate 0.0108016666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.563043332857824 g
- Fiber 0.00441666666666667 g
- Protein 0.001825 g
- Saturated Fat 0.077833333267675 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 8 serving (1g)
- Sodium 0.0185833333238231 mg
- Sugar 0.006385 g
- Trans Fat 0.0152558333204565 g
- Calories 5 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the chicken in two separate large zip lock bags.
- Use the food processor to chop all the cilantro first. Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix it in the food processor until it's all well blended. Be sure not to get the seeds from the limes in the mixture.
- Let this marinade for at least 1 hour or more before grilling.
- Grill as usual.
Many home cooks rely on bottled lime juice and dried cilantro out of convenience, sacrificing the volatile aromatics that define this profile. Fresh limes yield essential oils in the zest and bright citric acid that bottled alternatives lack entirely. Cilantro leaves contain aldehydes that oxidize rapidly once chopped. Using fresh herbs yields a pungent, herbaceous base for the marinade.
The Role of Acid in Marinades
Citrus juice breaks down surface proteins on poultry. Limit marinating time to under four hours. Extended exposure to high acid turns the outer millimeter of meat mealy rather than tender. Combine the oil, garlic, lime, and herbs in a food processor to emulsify the fat and water components. This creates a clinging coating that promotes browning on the grill grates instead of sliding off immediately.
Judging Doneness Visually
Accurate doneness without a thermometer requires observing physical cues. Press the thickest part of the breast with a clean finger. Firm resistance indicates the muscle fibers have tightened fully. Piercing the meat should release clear juices rather than pink liquid. Pull the chicken off the heat when internal juices run clear, then let it rest for five minutes before slicing to allow the moisture to redistribute evenly through the tissue.
