Chili Lime Chicken Thighs
Serve this easy Chili Lime Chicken Thighs recipe on a platter for a beautiful presentation, or serve in bowls with brown rice! We love a good marinated chicken for grilling, with a bonus amount of color of delicious carrots, peppers, broccoli and cucumber! We eat with our eyes–so beautiful.
I love a tasty chicken recipe that we can double the recipe for leftovers and meal planning for the week. Here’s a delicious chicken thighs recipe that we make all the time. Serve these Chili Lime Chicken Thighs on a platter of veggies for a beautiful spread! Isn’t food so beautiful?
Chili Lime Chicken Thighs
We love the bright citrus flavor of lime and spicy chili, which is clearly the star of the dish! Served with your favorite veggies and brown rice for chicken bowls, it’s a meal that everyone loves–packed with so much flavor!
Read more: Chili Lime Chicken Thighs
Why I love this recipe
- You can marinate the chicken for a few hours—up to 12 in the refrigerator.
- Serving the chicke on a platter is a fun way to serve the meal.
- Optional to serve on a board, where everyone makes their own bowls.
- It’s a casual way to serve, and beautiful in presentation.
Gather these ingredients
- Boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
- Toasted sesame oil
- Honey
- Garlic
- Limes
- Fish sauce
- Sambal oelek chili paste
- Salt to taste
- Cooked brown rice: You can buy pre-cooked brown rice in Trader Joe’s freezer section (it’s great)
Veggies to add to the bowl:
- Carrots, julienned
- Baby bell peppers, julienned
- English cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Steamed or roasted broccoli, (don’t serve raw)
- Mint to serve
What is the spice in chili lime chicken thighs?
The amount of sambal oelek or chili paste can be adjusted, depending on your desired spice level—1 Tbsp for not spicy and 4 Tbsp for more of a kick. Or, if you love a milder chicken, try my Apricot Greek Yogurt Chicken Thighs—easy, and so good, and baked in the oven!
How do you marinate chicken thighs?
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and stir until smooth and well combined.
- Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade for serving, then transfer the remaining amount to the chicken thighs and mix, using your hands or a spoon to evenly coat the meat.
- Allow thighs to marinate for a few hours on the counter before grilling (of course, make sure it doesn’t sit out too long), or overnight in the refrigerator.
How do you make Chili Lime Chicken Thighs?
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat when you’re ready to cook the chicken. Remove the thighs from the marinade and scrape off excess liquid. Spray with nonstick spray (this will also help with grill marks) and place on the grill. Grill each side for 6-7 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into strips.
- Arrange the chicken, broccoli, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and remaining sauce on a platter. Garnish with mint and serve hot with brown rice.
Tips and substitutions
- It’s optional to use chicken breasts.
- Thighs are juicier, but higher in fat than leaner chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are delicious, but you have to adjust the cooking time!
- Chicken in general is quick, flavorful and so tender – one of our favorite grilling meats. You may also want to try my Best Grilled Chicken Thighs.
- Where to find the ingredients? You can find these ingredients in the Asian aisle of the grocery store!
- Serve with a side of brown rice, and favorite veggies.
- Serve on a platter or let everyone dig in and make their own bowls.
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- We love this chicken as leftovers in wraps, salads, etc.
More chicken recipes to try:
- Paprika Sweet Potato Chicken Thighs
- Lemongrass Curry Coconut Chicken Thighs
- One Pan Barbecue Sauce Chicken Thighs
- Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Get the Recipe:
Chili Lime Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, rinsed, with excess fat removed (about 10-12 thighs)
- ½ c toasted sesame oil
- ½ c honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 large lime, juiced and zested
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1-4 Tbsp sambal oelek chili paste, or other
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
Veggies for the bowls:
- 2-3 carrots, julienned
- 6 baby bell peppers, julienned
- ½ English cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 c steamed or roasted broccoli, (don't serve raw)
- Mint for garnish
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a large bowl or Ziploc bag. Set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade: sesame oil, honey, garlic, lime, fish sauce, chili paste, and any additional salt to taste. Stir until smooth and well combined. Reserve ⅓ cup of the marinade for serving, then transfer the remaining amount to the chicken thighs and mix, using your hands or a spoon to evenly coat the meat. Allow thighs to marinate for a few hours on the counter before grilling, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat when you’re ready to cook the chicken. Remove the thighs from the marinade and scrape off excess liquid. Spray with nonstick spray (this will also help with grill marks) and place on the grill. Grill each side for 6-7 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into strips.
Make the bowls or platter:
- Arrange the chicken, broccoli, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and remaining sauce on a platter. Garnish with mint and serve hot with brown rice.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I have chicken thighs with bones. Do you know how long I’d cook them on the grill. This recipe sounds vey tasty. We like spice, but would 4T. make it real spicy? My husband doesn’t like it that spicy lately.
Hi Sherry, cook the chicken thighs on grill like you would any other recipe. For this marinade, 4 T is spicy, so you probably want to do more like 2 if your husband doesn’t like spice!
Hi I’ve never heard of some of these items. Can you tell me where I can find them in the grocery store?
Toasted Sesame Oil, Fish Sauce, Sambal Oellek Chili Paste?
Thank you. I would like to try this dish.
Hi, Irene! You can find these ingredients in the Asian aisle of the grocery store!