3-Minute Cilantro Lime Marinade (for Chicken & More!)
This quick-and-easy, 5-ingredient cilantro lime marinade is made with fresh lime juice, fist-fulls of cilantro, garlic, and oil; all quickly blended in just 3-minutes to make a marinade that can be used for juicy, flavorful chicken, steak, fish and more.
5 star review
“This was so easy to make, and the flavors blended so well! I can’t wait to make this again!”
– Stacy
A Super-Fast, Flavor-Packed Cilantro Lime Marinade Perfect for Chicken, Steak, Fish & More!
I absolutely love a quick and easy marinade to elevate any meal because it requires hardly any effort, is easy to clean up and totally transforms a simple protein like chicken, steak and fish. And because they are so easy and fast, I’ve created tons of easy marinades over the years for all different flavor cravings. Now I’m excited to add this delicious cilantro lime chicken marinade to the lineup.
I have to admit, I am a huge fan of the cilantro lime flavor combination – I already have a slow cooker cilantro lime chicken and cilantro lime sauce, so, of course, I had to create this lime chicken marinade which works so well for grilling and for baking, too. And on top of it being delicious, the best part about this cilantro marinade is that all the ingredients are whizzed up in the blender (or food processor), making it so easy to throw together on time-crunched nights. Simply throw all the marinade ingredients into the blender, pour half the marinade into a 1-gallon zip top bag with the chicken, let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, and then grill or bake. It’s that easy!
Welcome to My Kitchen: Let’s Make Cilantro Lime Chicken!
Ingredient Notes & Subs, and Swaps
- Avocado Oil: I used avocado oil in this recipe to keep the lime and cilantro as the key flavors, but any neutral-flavored oil works such as canola or vegetable oil.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Since lime is the star ingredient, I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice. I haven’t tested the recipe with bottled lime juice, so I can’t say how well it works.
- Cilantro: I know cilantro isn’t everyone’s favorite, so if that’s you, you could try swapping flat leaf parsley for the cilantro, but of course, it would be a different flavor profile. Or I recommend making my lemon chicken marinade for another citrusy marinade.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is preferred since there are so few ingredients, and because we use a blender you don’t even need to chop it. Feel free to adjust the garlic flavor to your liking by increasing or decreasing the amount.
- Sugar: A bit of sugar in a marinade helps the flavors penetrate the meat more and aids in browning, however, you can leave it out if you wish.
Make Ahead Tips
This cilantro lime chicken is the perfect meal prep protein! I do not recommend marinating chicken overnight or longer than 60 minutes as the acidity from the lime breaks down the protein, leaving it with a mushy texture. However, you can freeze the marinade and uncooked chicken together for a super easy meal. Simply place the marinade, chicken, and water in a 1-gallon freezer bag and stick in the freezer. When you’re ready to use, defrost the chicken and cook it immediately. Once cooked, the chicken will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container.
This Recipe Is…
3-Minute Cilantro Lime Marinade (for Chicken & More!)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 cups packed cilantro, leaves and stems
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (or thighs), flank steak, or fish
Equipment
Instructions
Marinade Instructions
- Add the oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, and sugar to a blender or food processor. Blend on low until just combined.
- Pour half of the marinade along with 2 tablespoons of water into a 1-gallon zip-top bag or baking dish. Set the remaining marinade aside to use as a drizzle once the meat or fish once it has been cooked.
- Add the chicken, steak or fish to the bag and toss to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 60 minutes, flipping every 15 minutes.
Grilling Instructions
- When ready to grill, heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Allow to preheat for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the marinade, shake off any excess, and discard any remaining marinade from the bag or dish.
- Grill, with the cover down, until chicken thighs register 170F, or chicken breasts register 165F, or steak registers 130-135F, flipping halfway.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, and serve drizzled with reserved marinade.
Notes
- Yields ⅔ cup. For more ingredients & modifications, see the blog post above.
Love this! Huge hit with whole fam.
Yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit, Ellie. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
YUMMMM
So delicious
Wonderful to hear this, Elaine. Thanks for leaving a reivew!
This was so easy to make, and the flavors blended so well! I can’t wait to make this again!
Wonderful to hear this Stacy, thanks so much for leaving a reivew!