This juicy and full of flavour Honey Lime Chicken is just what you need for a winning BBQ this summer. A super easy marinade that is a perfect balance of sweet and salty, with plenty of zest from the lime. We have cooked this lime chicken recipe on the BBQ, but you can do it all in the oven too.
This honey with lime chicken has such an incredible flavour and with a perfectly crispy skin. Honey + Lime + Coriander is one of my favourite flavour combinations. We love the combination of sweet and salty, and then this has some freshness from the lime and herbs that just balances it all out.
A new summer BBQ chicken recipe for you to try, that the whole family will love. It's so simple, and you probably already have all the ingredients for the marinade.
If you are looking for more BBQ recipes, why not try our Greek Chicken Skewers, Peri Peri Chicken, Vegetable and Halloumi Kebabs or Cajun Chicken Burger.
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Why you will love it
- A new way to make chicken more exciting - If you are bored of having chicken the same was all the time this honey lime chicken recipe is a good way to change things up.
- A super simple marinade - This is so easy to make, with no fancy ingredients.
- Family friendly - Leave the red chilli out and this is perfect for the whole family.
- Great on the BBQ - You can't go wrong with some chicken on the BBQ and this honey lime chicken recipe always goes down well.
Ingredients needed
- Chicken - We have used chicken drumsticks, as they are really budget friendly and juicy. However, you could uses chicken thighs instead. We wouldn't recommend using chicken breast as that tends to dry out. You want to use chicken that still has its skin on, as when it goes on the BBQ it gets nice and crispy.
- Lime - This is the star of the recipe. Depending on how juicy your lime is, you might need to only use half. We used juice and zest.
- Oil - We used a good quality olive oil.
- Ginger and garlic - We saved time and used a garlic and ginger paste. You could crush and grate your own though.
- Honey - This is a key flavour, so use the best quality runny honey you can.
- Soy sauce - This helps to balance out the sweet flavours. Because we have added this, we haven't added any extra salt.
- Coriander - Fresh coriander (cilantro) really adds some freshness to the chicken.
- Pepper - A generous pinch.
- Red chilli - This is optional, but we find the red chilli gives the honey lime chicken a nice kick.
How to make honey lime chicken - Step by step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
One: Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.
Two: Coat the chicken with the marinade and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.
Three: Put the chicken on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.
Four: Transfer to the BBQ to finish it off for a further 10 minutes.
BBQ or oven baked?
We have done both, to ensure that it is fully cooked on the inside, but still has that perfectly crispy skin without getting burnt. We pre-cooked the lime chicken in the oven for 25 minutes and then finished it on the BBQ for 10 minutes. If you want that smoky, charred taste then don't skip this step.
What to serve with honey lime chicken
This is a must at any BBQ, so you want to serve it up with all the usual delicious BBQ sides. Why not try our Greek Pasta Salad, No Mayo Potato Salad, Sweetcorn Salsa, Grilled Corn with Herb Butter, or Roasted Sweet Potato Salad.
Leftovers are great shredded up and put on a salad or stirred through your favourite pasta and sauce. Why not try our Leftover Chicken Pasta.
FAQs
The internal temperature of cooked chicken should be at least 75°C (167°F). To get an accurate reading, we'd definitely recommend using a meat thermometer like a Thermapen.
If you don't have a meat thermometer, when cooked the chicken should have no pinkness to the meat and the juices should run clear. For more information, you can read some information form the Food Standards Agency.
For safety and for the quality of cooked chicken, refrigerate the chicken in shallow airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminium foil or cling-film (Saran wrap). Stored this way, cooked chicken will keep for 3 to 4 days in fridge.
To freeze cooked chicken put in an airtight container or wrap the food well or put in freezer bags before freezing. Label it with a freezing date so you know how long it has been frozen for. Frozen chicken will be good in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
Defrost on a plate on the bottom shelf of your fridge for at least 5 hours, but ideally overnight.
Extra tips
• You can make this spicy by adding a splash of your favourite chilli sauce to the marinade.
• Feel free to marinate the chicken overnight for a more intense flavour.
• If you don't have a BBQ, then you can cook this chicken just in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
• You don't have to use chicken drumsticks, you could swap them for boneless chicken thighs.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before servings. This allows all the juices to redistribute and give the juiciest tasting chicken.
• If you need an alternative to soy sauce, then use Worcestershire sauce.
More chicken recipes
If you’ve tried this BBQ Honey Chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Honey Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken drumsticks
- 1 Lime - (juice and zest only)
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger - grated
- 4 Garlic clove
- 4 tablespoon Honey
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 5 g (0.33 cups) Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 1 Red chilli - (optional if you want some spice to it)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.
- Coat the chicken with the marinade and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Put the chicken on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Transfer to the BBQ to finish it off for a further 10 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- You can make this spicy by adding a splash of your favourite chilli sauce to the marinade.
- If you don't have a BBQ, then you can cook this chicken just in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
- You don't have to use chicken drumsticks, you could swap them for boneless chicken thighs.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Carly says
I have this marinating for dinner and it smells SO good. Just thought I would let you know :)
KAT says
Omg I'm making this. I adore honey and lime flavors on chicken, so I know this combo is going to be OUT OF THIS WORLD!! Hopefully my hubby likes it too lol
Ceri says
Would stevia work instead of honey?
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
I bet my husband would love this. I am kind of weird about honey, ever since having to take a rather unpleasant pill in it during the height of my Crohn's flares (I associate honey with that time, you see), but sometimes, I cool with it. Lime, however, I am ALWAYS down with. And we are trying to cook more, so this might be on the agenda!
Cailee says
YUM! I bet this is so delicious!! I love love LOVE chicken and eat it quite regularly! ...also, I love how you said that you can use this sauce with other things and mix it with yogurt and what not!! What a fun recipe :)
Cindy Ackley says
Thank you for sharing another delicious recipe for me to try! I do eat a lot of chicken. I think my favorite is probably any chicken with a sauce! Thanks again!
Tiffany says
The marinade for this sounds lovely. I bet it would be really good on some grilled salmon.
Lauren @ ihadabiglunch says
I've never made any type of chicken besides chicken breast so this would be a challenge for sure - but I'm always up for the challenge! Especially because I've heard the drumsticks are really flavorful and delicious.
Dawn says
I was just looking at BBQ online the other day, but they were all so big and we just don't have the room. This one looks perfect, and I could get my husband to build a little stand for it.
Ruth says
It is so cloudy here today and this is making me want a BBQ even more. This sounds like my kind of sauce. I love the idea of using it as a dip with Greek yoghurt too.
Kori says
That sounds absolutely delicious. Definitely going to check out a few other recipes on here as well.
Ola Dania says
This looks amazing, its just made me want to go out and buy the ingredients and make my own. Luckily for me am having a bbq next week and it really does look and sound like something I could make am not a cooker but would love to give this a go. x
Ellie says
That looks soooooo good!
Louise says
Chilli is a must, surely? I am obsessed with spicy food like you have mentioned you are. I think some lemon grass would be a good addition to this, to make it almost like Thai chicken. Great recipe!
Anna @AnnaTheApple says
I love marinading chicken, especially for a BBQ. And honey and lime sounds zesty and sweet - nice! I really need to get more BBQs in quickly before the weather turns all British on us...