• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

chicken entrees· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
January 23, 2017

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers – This is the most tender and most flavorful chicken you will ever make! The chicken gets marinated in a honey, lime, cilantro, garlic, and soy sauce marinade for a few hours, skewered, and then grilled. Super easy and always a hit! Perfect for serving a crowd.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers with lime wedgesAnd the bizarre weather continues…Two weeks ago the city was on lockdown due to “snow” and now it’s 70 degrees outside. In January! But I’ve barely had enough time to wear my boots. Please come back cold weather. Pleeeeease.

But don’t worry guys: this weekend we were hit with a monsoon so I’m sure that means winter is coming, right? Is that how weather works?

Because it’s been so warm this past week, we’ve been grilling up a storm. One of my favorite recipes for the grill are these grilled cilantro lime chicken skewers.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers on a tray with lime wedgesGrilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers Closeup of Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

I first made these for a tailgate party last fall and fell deeply in love with them. I love making skewers for a crowd because it’s so easy to eat standing up. No need for forks and knives when you can eat off a stick. Plus, you can only have so much chips & dip. Let’s get some protein up in there!

I knew the skewers would be convenient but I was shocked by the flavor and tenderness of the chicken. This recipe calls for the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours, which helps get the chicken super tender. It also helps the chicken absorb the marinade so when it gets grilled, it gets super caramelized. So don’t skimp on the marinating time!

Chunks of marinated chick on skewersBrush in marinade Brushing the marinade onto the chicken skewers on the grill Finished Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

This recipe is so super simple. All we’re doing here is whisking marinade ingredients together, tossing over cubed chicken, marinating for 3-8 hours, skewering, and grilling. That’s it! It’s perfect for when you have a huge meal to make and want one less thing to worry about. Just start this about 5 hours before you want to eat and then forget about it until grilling time.

As always, here are some tips to make sure you’re all set to make these yummy skewers:

  1. Please, for the love of everything that is yummy and delicious, use fresh squeezed lime juice. I have seen too many people use store-bought juice for recipes and it’s just not the same. There are preservatives in that juice to, well, preserve it. These preservatives changes the flavor of the juice. You get much better flavor from the fresh stuff. You’ll need 2-3 limes to make 1/4 cup of juice.
  2. Honey can be extremely difficult to measure because it gets stuck in the measuring utensil. Here’s a tip for ya: spray the measuring cup or spoon with non-stick spray before adding the honey. This will make sure it comes out clean without much help.
  3. Before cooking with wooden skewers, you must soak them in water for about 20 minutes. Don’t forget this or your skewers could catch on fire! You’ve been warned.
  4. If you don’t have a grill, you can easily make these in an oven. Set the oven to broil on high. Place skewers on grill pan or wire rack and place in oven. It will probably take an extra 10 minutes than it does on the grill. But always keep an eye on them!

I hope you love these chicken skewers! What other ways do you enjoy making skewers? I usually make chicken skewers but I am looking for some great beef recipes. Let me know if you have one!

Here are all the kitchen tools and serveware that I used in this post. For each item that is sold, I receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting the brands that support CPA!

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2439503″]

overhead zoomed in shot of Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers
Print Recipe

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

This is the most tender and most flavorful chicken you will ever make! The chicken gets marinated in a honey, lime, cilantro, garlic, and soy sauce marinade for a few hours, skewered, and then grilled. Super duper easy and always a hit! Perfect for serving a crowd.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup lime juice freshly-squeezed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Slice chicken into even 1-inch cubes. Place chicken in a gallon-sized storage bag. Place remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Separate 1/4 cup of marinade and place in small bowl and store in fridge until cook time.
  • Place marinade in storage bag with chicken and seal tightly. Shake chicken around to coat completely. place bag on a plate or baking dish. This is helpful in case the bag breaks - you won't have a huge mess if there's something there to catch all the marinade.
  • Place chicken in fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours.
  • 30 minutes before cook time, soak your medium wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes. This will keep them from catching fire during grilling. Remove from water and place on paper towel to dry slightly before skewing.
  • Remove chicken from fridge. Grab 1 skewer and place 3-4 pieces of chicken on skewer, leaving about 1 inch of free space on both ends of skewer. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place all skewers on grill. After 3 minutes, spread remaining marinade on chicken and then flip so it can finish cooking. Do NOT brush marinade on cooked side. This will cause contamination between cooked and not cooked chicken. Grill for another 3 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic
If you don't have a grill, you can easily make these in an oven. Set the oven to broil on high. Place skewers on grill pan or wire rack and place in oven. It will probably take an extra 10 minutes than it does on the grill. But always keep an eye on them!

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers photo collage

Some great sides to serve with your skewers:

Fresh Broccoli Salad with Crispy Bacon

Bowl of Fresh Broccoli Salad with Crispy Bacon

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

Grating cheese over smashed sweet potatoes with garlic butter

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Casserole dish of Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

44 Comments

« Easy Garlic Parmesan Pretzels
Chicken and Couscous Stuffed Peppers »

Comments

  1. Donna G says

    August 29, 2019 at 4:12 pm

    Can you marinate them longer? 24 hours or more? am making the skewers Labor day Sunday

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      September 5, 2019 at 9:02 am

      Donna! I am so sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner! You shouldn’t marinade for that long or the chicken will turn gummy. If you need to have them ready ahead of time, marinade for 6-8 hours and then remove from the marinade and keep refrigerating them until you need them (no longer than 36 hours though or they may dry out). Hope that helps for next time!

      Reply
  2. Pat says

    May 23, 2017 at 10:08 am

    Can you make this with chicken thighs?

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      May 23, 2017 at 10:14 am

      Yes of course! I think the cook time for thighs is longer than breasts so keep an eye on them to make sure they cook through.

      Reply
  3. Nettie Moore says

    May 19, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    Thank you for contributing! https://communitytable.parade.com/587831/nettiemoore/top-25-grilled-recipes-to-make-your-summer-delicious/

    Nettie
    Mooreorlesscooking.com

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      May 19, 2017 at 3:16 pm

      Thanks for using my post!! I’ll make sure to share on my social media accounts.

      Reply
  4. McKenzie Allyshia says

    January 29, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    Oh my gosh those look delicious! This recipe reminds me of summer!

    Reply
  5. Rachel Ritlop says

    January 25, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Yummy! this sounds amazing!

    Reply
  6. Morgan says

    January 24, 2017 at 11:15 am

    These look DELISH! Perfect for a BBQ. Pinning now!

    http://www.liliesandlambs.com

    Reply
  7. Stacey says

    January 24, 2017 at 10:34 am

    I love the color from the grill on the skewers and the sauce looks so flavorful! Just looking at these pictures makes me think of summer and pool parties or long beach days.

    Reply
  8. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    January 24, 2017 at 9:25 am

    The weather has been so kooky everywhere, but no matter what, we can always grill in Phoenix! I love this recipe and how simple it is. Your pix are gorgeous!! Yum!

    Reply
  9. Alexandra Mucenieks says

    January 24, 2017 at 5:31 am

    Love chicken skewers will defiantly be giving them a try.

    Reply
  10. Cait Weingartner says

    January 24, 2017 at 5:04 am

    Yum! This recipe looks incredible. I love the chicken and lime combination, so I
    am really looking forward to giving this one a try!

    Reply
  11. Joscelyn says

    January 24, 2017 at 2:22 am

    Wow, these look amazing! I know my family would just love having this for dinner!

    Reply
  12. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

    January 23, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    i am always looking for new ideas with chicken and this looks super delicious!!!

    Reply
  13. Melissa Blake says

    January 23, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    I always love a good chicken recipe and this looks delicious!!! xoxo

    Reply
  14. Kristen Kavan says

    January 23, 2017 at 5:25 pm

    yum! We’ve had some crazy weather around here too! Still not warm enough to grill, but I cannot wait. I LOVE lime cilantro anything! Can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:41 am

      Thanks! You can also make in your oven using the broiler!

      Reply
  15. Renee groskreutz says

    January 23, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    Ok I haven’t grilled in weeks. This looks exactly like what I want to do next.

    Reply
  16. Neely Moldovan says

    January 23, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    These sound just like what I need. So bored with chicken lately!

    Reply
  17. Jessica Bradshaw (@loveyoumoretoo) says

    January 23, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    These look amazing! Perfect for the warmer weather grilling out. YUMMMM!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:42 am

      Thank you! I also love making this recipe in the oven with the broiler!

      Reply
  18. Kseniya says

    January 23, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    This looks delicious! Will have to try! Thanks for sharing such an amazing recipe!

    Reply
  19. Christina Beauchamp says

    January 23, 2017 at 1:41 pm

    I am a HUGE fan of cilantro so this chicken is right up my alley!! Looks DIVINE!

    hugs,
    Christina

    Reply
  20. Kim says

    January 23, 2017 at 12:54 pm

    These look amazing and tasty! That Mac n Cheese looks good too. Makes me miss dairy! LOL

    Reply
  21. Michelle - Lillian Abbey says

    January 23, 2017 at 12:29 pm

    I definitely plan to try these. My husband is on a paleo diet so these are a great addition to our recipes!

    Reply
  22. Leah says

    January 23, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    pinned the chicken skewers. Love making chicken on the grill, but will have to wait for better weather to try it out.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:43 am

      If you can’t wait, you can also make in the oven on Broil!

      Reply
  23. Jamie says

    January 23, 2017 at 10:43 am

    These look so delicious! I love lime and cilantro flavored chicken and this recipe looks so fresh! Pinning for later!

    Reply
  24. Petra says

    January 23, 2017 at 10:07 am

    These look so delicious! I have to pin so that I can make these later! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  25. candy says

    January 23, 2017 at 9:19 am

    These chicken skewers with lime looks so good. Seem really easy to make. This is the kind of meals my husband enjoys making.

    Reply
  26. Dominique says

    January 23, 2017 at 6:08 am

    Awesome recipe – sounds delicious too! I must remember the tip about soaking the skewers in water – I didn’t know about it and I must admit we always have issues with them burning (we’ve actually started buying one with extra thick ends so that they don’t burn!)

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:44 am

      Glad I could help! You can also buy metal skewers, if you want something to reuse.

      Reply
  27. Chrissy says

    January 23, 2017 at 5:46 am

    Mmh, they look amazing! And that broccoli salad!! Yummy

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 15 Grilled Kabob Recipes to Make Over Your Campfire | Fresh Off The Grid says:
    February 23, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    […] 10. Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers […]

    Reply
  2. Cilantro Lime Chicken Bites - Julie's Eats & Treats ® says:
    December 5, 2019 at 9:52 am

    […] already tackled a few cilantro lime recipes myself- this cilantro lime rice and these grilled cilantro lime skewers. Those skewers are unbelievably flavorful but they take some time to marinate so it’s not […]

    Reply
  3. Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken - Julie's Eats & Treats ® says:
    October 8, 2019 at 9:28 pm

    […] Grilled Cilantro & Lime Chicken Skewers […]

    Reply
  4. Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers - CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado says:
    May 16, 2019 at 2:56 am

    […] on medium skewers, they’re super easy to serve at summer barbeques and parties. I also love my grilled cilantro lime chicken skewers for that reason, too. Plus, they take literally minutes to make so they are simple to grill up once […]

    Reply
  5. Asian Steak Skewers says:
    May 28, 2018 at 11:16 am

    […] for you guys. You know I love a great skewers recipe like these bang bang shrimp skewers or these cilantro lime chicken skewers – they’re so easy to throw together and even easier to serve since no utensils are […]

    Reply
  6. Fried Chicken Tacos says:
    June 15, 2017 at 5:46 am

    […] Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers […]

    Reply
  7. Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers - Julie's Eats & Treats says:
    June 8, 2017 at 2:01 am

    […] on medium skewers, they’re super easy to serve at summer barbeques and parties. I also love my grilled cilantro lime chicken skewers for that reason, too. Plus, they take literally minutes to make so they are simple to grill up once […]

    Reply
  8. Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Peppers says:
    March 21, 2017 at 6:31 am

    […] Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers […]

    Reply
  9. Cilantro Lime Chicken Bites - Julie's Eats & Treats says:
    March 13, 2017 at 3:38 am

    […] already tackled a few cilantro lime recipes myself- this cilantro lime rice and these grilled cilantro lime skewers. Those skewers are unbelievably flavorful but they take some time to marinate so it’s not […]

    Reply
  10. 25 Chicken Recipes for Dinner Tonight - The Country Chic Cottage says:
    March 11, 2017 at 9:05 am

    […] Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

fall flavors

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

Apple Pie Cake

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

a stack of three Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts on a cloth napkin with more doughnuts around them, shot from the front

Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts

Maple Pecan Scones

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

fall flavors

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

slices of iced pumpkin scones drizzled with frosting on a wire rack on top of parchment paper, shot from overhead

Iced Pumpkin Scones

a stack of three pumpkin oatmeal cream pies on cotton napkins with a platter behind it with more pies in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Roasted Brussel Sprouts in a baking dish with melted butter and a spoon in it, shot from a side angle

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

 

Cookie dough Easter eggs with M&M’S® are the pe Cookie dough Easter eggs with M&M’S® are the perfect treats to make for Easter!

To find this recipe, search for cookie dough Easter eggs on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#cookiedough #cookiedougdesserts  #chocolatechipcookiedough #easterdesserts #eastertreats #easter #eastersunday #desserts #springdesserts  #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Cookie dough flautas have flour tortillas stuffed Cookie dough flautas have flour tortillas stuffed with cookie dough, wrapped into a fluted shape, and then air fried until they are crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Served with chocolate sauce.

To find this recipe, search for chookie dough flautas on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#sweetflautas #flautas #cookiedough #chocolatechipcookiedough #desserts #sweettreats #airfryer #airfryerdesserts #easydesserts #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Garlic parmesan orzo has orzo pasta cooked in chic Garlic parmesan orzo has orzo pasta cooked in chicken broth and sauteed garlic and then finished with heavy cream and finely shaved parmesan cheese.

To find this recipe, search for garlic parmesan orzo on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#orzo #garlicorzo #orzopasta #pastarecipes #garlic #sidedish #maindish #parmesancheese #parmesanorzo #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
This raspberry toaster strudel copycat has store-b This raspberry toaster strudel copycat has store-bought puff pastry filled with raspberry jam, baked, and then finished with vanilla icing to make for an incredible semi-homemade version of this childhood classic.

To find this recipe, search for raspberry toaster strudel on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#strudel #raspberry #puffpastry #breakfast #brunch #dessert  #copycatrecipe #vanillaicing #homebaking #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats
Lemon blueberry shortcakes are buttery shortcakes Lemon blueberry shortcakes are buttery shortcakes cut in half and topped with freshly whipped cream and sweetened blueberries in fresh lemon juice.

To find this recipe, search for lemon blueberry shortcakes on certifiedpastryaficionado.com

#lemondesserts #shortcakes #lemonblueberry #homebaking #whippedcream #blueberries #lemon #springdesserts #yum #eatingfortheinsta #instayum #picoftheday #foodblog #delicious #nomnomnom #feedfeed #foodietribe #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #buzzfeedfood #TODAYfood #foodblogeats

Copyright © 2023 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.