Lime Chicken infused with fresh gingery, garlicky and bright flavors! The trick to getting interesting flavors that WORK in a simple lime marinade is to use a combination of citrus flavors combined with sharp garlic like in this Ginger Lime Chicken!
Terrific for a weeknight meal, salad, keto diet or for a weekend on the deck with friends and family! Plus, you REALLY DO taste the lime flavor!
Bonus: Works with all kinds of specialized diets and there are substitutions to fit your style!
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy
- Fast
- Marinate overnight or for just a few hours.
- Makes a juicy tender piece of chicken
Here’s How It’s Done:
Watch Wendi make this recipe on YouTube RIGHT HERE.
STEP 1.
Mix the marinade and put everything in a bowl or bag together.
STEP 2.
Grill the chicken!
Here’s What You Will Need
- Mayonnaise
- Limes
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Salt
- Garlic Ginger Paste for the super savvy!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about Ginger Lime Chicken
What Does Lime Juice Do To Chicken?
In this marinade, the lime juice tenderizes the chicken and adds a ton of flavor.
The lime juice seems to penetrate the meat and gives you a hint of lime in every single bite!
Can I Substitute Something for the Mayo?
Yes! Plain Yogurt works great too! Be sure to get the whole fat unsweetened and unflavored yogurt though.
If you are avoiding either of those products, I believe a can of coconut milk would also work. (mix it up really well). Just know the marinade will not be a thick.
How Long Do I Marinate the Chicken?
You will want to marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours. Overnight works fine too. Don’t go longer than 24 hours.
Should I Wash My Chicken First?
You certainly can wash your chicken. I don’t recommend it because everything that is on the chicken will be killed when you cook it.
Also, a recent study showed that when washing chicken in the sink, some of the contaminants sprayed and spread over the kitchen and became aerosolized which is far more dangerous. So, there’s that.
Do I Have to Grill This Chicken?
No, you can bake or pan fry it, either one! I think grilling it really shows off that sparkly lime flavor, but any of these cooking methods will work.
Why Does This Recipe Use Mayonnaise?
Chicken is a very lean meat and in cooking, fat equals flavor. Adding the fat to the marinade gives the chicken breasts and tenderloins the extra umph they need.
Seriously, it isn’t a lot of mayo for the number of pieces of chicken you will be working with AND most of the marinade is left in the bag. You aren’t getting that much per piece of chicken.
It’s worth the few extra calories for the added flavor!
Can I Freeze This Marinade?
Nope, can’t freeze this one! It has mayo in it that doesn’t freeze well (it separates into a yucky mess when thawed).
Can I Freeze the Chicken Afterward?
Yes! Absolutely! Wrap in a freezer safe package and it will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
How Long Does This Chicken Keep?
The cooked chicken will keep covered in the refrigerator for 5 days. Don’t allow the chicken to sit out for more than 2 hours.
What Can I Serve with This?
This dish is fantastic with rice. I also have served it with Squash Casserole and Green Beans!
Tips and Tricks For Perfect Ginger Lime Chicken
- Never use the marinade that the chicken soaked in to baste the chicken on the grill or for dipping after the meal. This can make you very sick.
- This particular marinade isn’t great for dipping anyway. I would recommend my Yum Yum Sauce or Tiger Sauce for that.
- Be careful cooking your chicken. Either do low and slow for the entire piece of chicken or start with a HOT grill (to develop some char) and then go for a medium or low grill.
- It’s ok to substitute plain whole fat unsweetened yogurt for the mayo if you need to.
- This recipe really shows off the lime flavor, but you will have to use the lime zest to get that flavor! If you don’t have a microplane, it’s worth getting one for your kitchen!
- This recipe calls for kosher salt. If you are using table salt, decrease to 1 tsp.
- This recipe calls for Garlic Ginger Paste. You can find that recipe right here.
- If you do not have garlic ginger paste or do not want to make your own, substitute the following: 2” ginger peeled and grated and 3 tsp minced garlic.
- Everything you ever wanted to know about marinating chicken from the USDA.
PRO TIP: Cut your lime from top to bottom instead of around the equator to squeeze the juice out. You’ll find that more squeezes out this way.
If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy These Garlicky Dishes….
Creamy Sriracha Lime Chicken Skewers
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Ginger Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, thighs or tenders
- ⅓ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 zest Lime
- 2 lime juice
- 2 Tbs Garlic Ginger Paste see recipe on Loaves and Dishes or substitute 2” ginger peeled and grated and 3 tsp minced garlic.
- 1 Tbs Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the package and examine. If the breast is very large (thicker than 1”), using your knife, cut the breast in half as if you were making a book out of the breast. This will result in two even pieces of chicken. Set the chicken aside and wash your hands, clean up your work area with hot soapy water.
- Into a bowl, whisk together the mayo, lime zest, lime juice and garlic ginger paste (if you don’t have the paste, see notes for the substitution), salt.
- Pour the marinade into a zip style plastic bag (or you can just leave the marinade in the bowl). Put the chicken into the marinade. Make sure that the marinade completely covers all of the chicken pieces. If leaving in the bowl, put plastic wrap over the top or seal the plastic bag very well. Allow to marinate for up to 24 hours (24 hours is really optimal).
- After marinating, cook the chicken on the grill. Do not reuse any of the marinade to baste the cooking chicken. Discard all of the marinade after removing the chicken.
- Serve chicken with slices of lime on the side.
Notes
- Never use the marinade that the chicken soaked in to baste the chicken on the grill or for dipping after the meal. This can make you very sick.
- This particular marinade isn’t great for dipping anyway. I would recommend my Yum Yum Sauce or Tiger Sauce for that.
- Be careful cooking your chicken. Either do low and slow for the entire piece of chicken or start with a HOT grill (to develop some char) and then go for a medium or low grill.It’s ok to substitute plain whole fat unsweetened yogurt for the mayo if you need to.
This recipe really shows off the lime flavor, but you will have to use the lime zest to get that flavor! If you don’t have a microplane, it’s worth getting one for your kitchen!
This recipe calls for kosher salt. If you are using table salt, decrease to 1 tsp.
This recipe calls for Garlic Ginger Paste. You can find that recipe right here.
If you do not have garlic ginger paste or do not want to make your own, substitute the following: 2” ginger peeled and grated and 3 tsp minced garlic.
PRO TIP: Cut your lime from top to bottom instead of around the equator to squeeze the juice out. You’ll find that more squeezes out this way.
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
When I look around and assess my life, while I may want this and that, I find those are little things. The truth? Here it is.
Psalm 23:1
The Lord Is My Shepard I Lack Nothing.
Wendi J Spraker
Wednesday 2nd of September 2020
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