Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

I ran into a friend at the grocery store the other day and we quickly got to talking about how we couldn’t believe it’s already August (and how crazy the weather has been because that’s what we Midwesterners do!) while Lincoln sat in the cart plugging his ears and grinning. It’s his newest “trick” that I can’t decide is rude or adorable. Probably both. Rudorable. You heard it hear first, folks!

Anyway, the fact that summer is two-thirds over (or that we have one-third left for you glass half full people – high five!) really started weighing on me after I said goodbye to my friend, pulled Lincoln’s fingers out of his ears, and gave him a bag of frozen peas to pretend eat. Om nom nom.

We have got to live it UP this month! I’m talking late night deck sessions, after dinner walks, Tropical Sno visits (which are dairy and gluten free, whee!) splash pad trips, sidewalk chalk, Farmer’s Markets, and grilled dinners galore.

So far we’ve had one of the best summers in recent memory. From scoping out 4th of July fireworks in front of the White House, to watching hot air balloons race across the Iowa countryside, catching fish, trying new summery cocktails, going to festivals, and exploring our city, I will definitely not say goodbye to the summer with any regrets.

What’s been the highlight of your summer so far?

One thing we haven’t done much of this summer though is grill! I’m not sure why, but I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve fired that bad boy up over the past two months, outside of having friends over, which is so strange. I’m fixin’ to change that over the next couple of weeks starting with my Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs. You have got to try this delicious grilled chicken recipe!

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Boneless skinless chicken thighs were made to be grilled. Well, technically they were made to support a chicken leg but you know what I mean. Chicken thighs are deliciously juicy and tender and are really hard to overcook on the grill, which can’t always be said for chicken breasts. I’ve had many a dry, dusty grilled chicken breast in my day, and chicken thighs aren’t even putting a toe in chalky chicken territory.

Besides being delicious, this recipe is quick and easy, calls for just 5 main ingredients, and is super affordable. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated in a mixture of fresh lime juice, honey, chili powder, and oil then grilled for just 2-3 minutes per side. Really! The honey in the marinade gives the chicken a beautiful charred crust (which I realize looks burnt in these photos, but promise it isn’t,) while the lime and chili powder give it a tangy kick.

If you’ve never grilled chicken thighs, you must try this recipe. I handed Ben a plate with instructions to tell me what he thought and without pause he replied, “they’re grilled chicken thighs, how bad can they be?” Amen, dear husband, AMEN!

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Start with the simple marinade. In a small bowl whisk together 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil, the juice of 2 limes, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, salt, and pepper.

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Next add 1-1/4lb boneless skinless chicken thighs to a large Ziplock bag. These chicken thighs were selling for next to nothing at the grocery store so I picked up a few packages to freeze for future batches of Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo. Oh man, soup season…it’s coming!

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Pour the marinade on top then seal and squish, and then place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for 1-3 hours (any longer and the acid from the lime juice can start to break down the chicken.)

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Fast forward to grilling time! Make sure your grill grates are clean then preheat the grill over high heat until it’s screaming hot. Remove the thighs from the marinade then place them onto a plate and spray each side very well with nonstick spray, as that honey is going to want to cling to the grill grates.

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Grill for just 2-3 minutes a side (lid down, please!) then you’re done. How easy it that?

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I like a little sauce with my grilled chicken so I strained the chili honey lime marinade into a skillet then added 3/4 cup chicken broth and boiled it until thickened and reduced, 5-7 minutes. The result is a tart and tangy drizzle that I just loved!

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Plate the chicken over a bed of coconut rice or cilantro-lime rice, drizzle with that sauce, and then dig in!

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Grilled Honey Chili Lime Chicken Thighs

5/5 (1 REVIEW)

Description

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes!

Ingredients

serves 3-4

  • 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil (or another neutral-tasting oil)
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-1/4lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

  1. Whisk together oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl then pour into a large Ziplock bag. Add chicken thighs then squish to coat and place in the refrigerator to marinate from 1-3 hours.
  2. Make sure grill grates are clean then preheat grill on high heat. Remove chicken thighs from bag, shaking off excess marinade. Turn heat down to medium-high then spray both sides of chicken thighs very well with nonstick spray and grill for 2-3 minutes a side, or until cooked through.
  3. Meanwhile, strain marinade through a sieve into to a small pot then add chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil then turn heat down and reduce until thickened and bubbly, 5-7 minutes. Plate chicken then drizzle with sauce.

Notes

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

 

A big scoop of creamy coconut rice was the perfect bed for my saucy grilled chicken though you can serve it however you want. I will say that Ben hates all things coconut and is obsessed with that rice. I also made Tri-Color Coleslaw to go on the side and it was absolutely delicious. I swapped the cabbage called for in the recipe with bagged coleslaw mix and it was a huge hit.

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com

Flame-kissed yet tender, with tangy-sweet-heat – this chicken is so amazing. I hope you enjoy too!

Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender - one of my favorite grilling recipes! #glutenfree | iowagirleats.com