Honey Lime Chicken combines sweet honey and zesty lime for a vibrant, caramelized glaze. This easy weeknight recipe delivers juicy, flavorful chicken with minimal effort. The sticky-sweet balance makes it a family favorite you’ll return to again and again.
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Why You’ll Love This Honey Lime Chicken
- Perfect flavor balance: Sweet honey and zesty lime create a sticky, addictive glaze.
- Incredibly versatile: Serve over rice, in tacos, or atop salads for an easy meal.
- Comes together fast: Quick marinade and short cook time mean dinner is ready with minimal fuss.
- Fantastic leftovers: Flavors deepen overnight, making it ideal for lunch prep.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 6 thighs)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2-3 limes)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Tools: A large bowl or zip-top bag for marinating, a whisk, a large skillet (oven-safe if finishing in the oven), and measuring spoons/cups.
Notes: Use fresh lime juice for best brightness; smoked paprika adds subtle depth.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 285 kcal |
| Protein: | 25 g |
| Fat: | 7 g |
| Carbs: | 25 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating) | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Marinating is non-negotiable. I know, it’s tempting to skip this step, but please don’t. Even 30 minutes makes a huge difference, allowing the flavors to penetrate the chicken and tenderize it. For the best results, let it marinate for up to 4 hours in the fridge.
- Get your chicken to an even thickness. Chicken breasts are often uneven, which leads to some parts drying out while others cook through. Simply place them between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound the thicker ends with a rolling pin or heavy pan until they’re uniformly about ¾-inch thick.
- Zest your limes before you juice them. This is a little pro-tip that I swear by. If you think you might want an extra burst of lime flavor in the future, grate the zest from the limes before you cut and juice them. You can freeze the zest for another recipe!
- Understand your honey. The type of honey you use will influence the flavor. A lighter, milder honey like clover or orange blossom will let the lime shine, while a darker, robust honey like buckwheat will contribute a deeper, almost molasses-like note. Both are delicious, so it’s a matter of preference.
How to Make Honey Lime Chicken
Step 1: Create the Marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, fresh lime juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. You’ll notice the mixture might look a little separated at first—that’s perfectly normal. Just keep whisking until it’s well combined and glossy. Give it a quick taste; it should be a powerful balance of sweet, salty, and tangy. Remember, it will mellow out once it coats the chicken.
Step 2: Marinate the Chicken. If your chicken breasts are uneven, now is the time to pound them to an even thickness as described above. Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade (or a large zip-top bag) and turn to coat every piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours. Any longer and the acidity from the lime juice can start to break down the chicken’s texture, making it a little mushy.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken. Remove the chicken from the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. You don’t need to add extra oil as the marinade has some. Once the skillet is hot, carefully add the chicken, shaking off any excess marinade back into the bowl (reserve this marinade!). Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until you get a beautiful, deep golden-brown sear and the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should read 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Step 4: Create the Glaze. While the chicken is resting on a plate, it’s time to make the sauce. Pour the reserved marinade into the still-hot skillet. Be careful, as it might sizzle and splatter a bit. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble away for 3-5 minutes until it reduces and thickens into a lovely, syrupy glaze that coats the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Finish and Serve. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, turning it a few times to coat it generously in the reduced glaze. Let it heat through for another minute. Transfer everything to a serving platter, drizzle with any remaining glaze from the pan, and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for that final, fresh squeeze right at the table.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed bag for up to 3 months; thaw in fridge before reheating.
- Reviving: Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to maintain moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Cilantro-Lime Rice — The fresh, herby notes in the rice are a perfect match for the sweet and tangy chicken, creating a complete and satisfying meal in a bowl.
- Simple Arugula Salad — The peppery bite of arugula with a light vinaigrette provides a crisp, refreshing contrast that cuts through the richness of the glaze beautifully.
- Grilled Corn on the Cob — A little charred sweetness from the corn echoes the caramelized notes on the chicken, making for a fantastic summer-style plate.
Drinks
- A Crisp Lager or Pale Ale — The clean, slightly bitter finish of a cold beer is a classic pairing that helps cleanse the palate between bites of the sticky-sweet chicken.
- Sparkling Water with Lime — For a non-alcoholic option, the effervescence is incredibly refreshing and the lime garnish ties the whole drink back to the main event on your plate.
- A Zesty Sauvignon Blanc — This wine’s characteristic citrus and grapefruit notes will harmonize with the lime in the dish and balance the honey’s sweetness perfectly.
Something Sweet
- Mango Sorbet — The tropical, fruity flavor of mango continues the citrus theme in a light, chilled form, offering a clean and palate-cleansing end to the meal.
- Key Lime Pie Bars — For the ultimate lime lover, these tart and creamy bars double down on the zesty flavor profile in the most delightful, dessert-like way.
- Almond Shortbread Cookies — A simple, buttery cookie with a nutty flavor provides a gentle, not-too-sweet finish that complements rather than competes with the main course.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Adding cold chicken to a hot pan. This causes the chicken to seize up and can lead to a tough texture, while also preventing a good sear. Let it sit out for 10-15 minutes first.
- Mistake: Overcooking the chicken. Chicken breasts cook quickly and can dry out in a flash. Use an instant-read thermometer and pull them from the heat as soon as they hit 165°F (74°C). They’ll carry over cook a bit more while resting.
- Mistake: Not reducing the marinade sauce. If you just pour the unused marinade over the cooked chicken, it will be thin and watery. Simmering it is crucial to concentrate the flavors and create that signature sticky glaze.
- Mistake: Crowding the skillet. If you put too much chicken in the pan at once, it will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if necessary to ensure each piece gets proper contact with the hot surface.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Butterfly your chicken breasts. Instead of pounding, you can slice the breasts horizontally almost all the way through and open them like a book. This creates a more uniform thickness for super even cooking.
- Tip: Add a pat of butter at the end. Once you’ve reduced the glaze, turn off the heat and swirl in a tablespoon of cold, unsalted butter. This makes the sauce incredibly rich, glossy, and restaurant-quality.
- Tip: Use the broiler for extra caramelization. If you want an even deeper color and stickier finish, transfer the glazed chicken to a baking sheet and pop it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the very end. Watch it like a hawk!
- Tip: Make it a sheet pan meal. For a truly hands-off approach, place your marinated chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet alongside broccoli florets or bell pepper strips. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 18-20 minutes, brushing with extra marinade halfway through.
FAQs
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Absolutely! Bone-in or boneless thighs work wonderfully. They’re actually more forgiving because their higher fat content keeps them juicy. Just adjust the cooking time—thighs often need a few extra minutes per side. The skin will also get fantastically crispy if you’re using skin-on thighs, which is a delicious bonus.
How long can I store the leftovers?
Leftover honey lime chicken will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavors continue to develop, so it’s fantastic for meal prep. You can enjoy it cold in salads, or gently reheat it in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water to keep it moist.
Is it safe to cook the marinade?
Yes, but only if you bring it to a rolling boil for at least a few minutes to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. This is why we reserve the marinade *before* adding the chicken, or we use the portion that didn’t touch the raw meat. Never baste with used marinade without boiling it first.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Easily! Just ensure you use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. All the other core ingredients are naturally gluten-free, so it’s a very simple swap that doesn’t change the flavor profile at all.
My sauce isn’t thickening. What did I do wrong?
Don’t worry, this is a common hiccup! It usually means the heat was too low, or you didn’t let it simmer for long enough. Just keep it bubbling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you’re really in a rush, you can create a quick slurry by mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and whisking it into the simmering sauce—it will thicken up almost instantly.
Honey Lime Chicken
Make juicy, flavorful Honey Lime Chicken with a sweet and tangy glaze in under an hour. This easy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. Get cooking now!
Ingredients
For the Marinade & Chicken:
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 6 thighs)
-
1/3 cup honey
-
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2-3 limes)
-
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
-
3 cloves garlic (minced)
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
1 lime (cut into wedges for serving)
-
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped, optional, for garnish)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, fresh lime juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.01
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Add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade (or a large zip-top bag) and turn to coat every piece thoroughly. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours.02
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Remove the chicken from the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, carefully add the chicken, shaking off any excess marinade back into the bowl (reserve this marinade!). Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until you get a beautiful, deep golden-brown sear and the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should read 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.03
-
While the chicken is resting on a plate, pour the reserved marinade into the still-hot skillet. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble away for 3-5 minutes until it reduces and thickens into a lovely, syrupy glaze that coats the back of a spoon.04
-
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, turning it a few times to coat it generously in the reduced glaze. Let it heat through for another minute. Transfer everything to a serving platter, drizzle with any remaining glaze from the pan, and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for that final, fresh squeeze right at the table.05
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