Change up your weeknight meals with these easy Baked Chili Lime Chicken Breasts! Using a few simple ingredients for a delicious marinade, we end up with tender, juicy chicken every time.
Easy chicken recipes are truly miraculous in breathing life into weeknight meals.
Especially and particularly when they result in juicy, tender chicken seeping in fresh flavor.
For instance, my 5-Ingredient Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken, Asian Baked Chicken Breasts, Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs and The Best Grilled Chicken Thighs are all so flavorful yet simple to make.
And that’s exactly what we’re getting into today with this fabulously versatile baked chili lime chicken breasts recipe.
Tender chicken prepared in the most delicious marinade for an excellent source of protein and the best flavor!
Count me in every time.
I love that this easy healthy chicken recipe can be used in a myriad of ways. Chop it up and add it to any green salad, use it for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, or simply enjoy it alongside some of your favorite side dishes.
I love it in my Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad!
Let’s dive into the fresh ingredients list for this amazing chicken recipe.
Ingredients for Chili Lime Chicken Breasts:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: The star of the show here, we use boneless chicken breasts for a high-protein lower fat main dish.
Feel free to substitute boneless chicken thighs or even bone-in chicken thighs for chicken breasts here.
If you’re into crispy skin, go with boneless skinless chicken thighs or skin on chicken thighs. Just note that if you use a different cut of chicken, you will need to adjust the bake time accordingly.
Chili Lime Chicken Marinade: Avocado oil, fresh lime juice, pure maple syrup, chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt.
The avocado oil brings flavor to the chicken and helps it cook to tender perfection during the baking process while the lime juice adds citrus flair and the pure maple syrup, a hint of sweetness.
Chili powder is what really bumps up the flavor profile, as it is a spice blend that contains some big bold spices. Similarly, garlic powder is here to increase the flavor.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Use olive oil instead of avocado oil.
- Fresh lemon juice works as a replacement for the lime juice.
- If you have fresh garlic on hand, feel free to finely mince 3 to 4 cloves and add them into the marinade in place of garlic powder.
- For extra lime flavor, add a little lime zest.
- Add 1 teaspoon of onion powder to the chili lime chicken marinade if you have it on hand.
- Replace the pure maple syrup with brown sugar, white sugar, or omit it altogether.
- To make the easy chili lime marinade spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to your personal taste.
Now that we’ve discussed the simple ingredients for chili lime chicken, let’s make it!
How to Make Chili Lime Chicken Breasts:
Add the ingredients for the chicken marinade to a small bowl (avocado oil, lime juice, pure maple syrup, chili powder, garlic powder and sea salt), and stir well until everything is combined.
Transfer the raw chicken breasts to a large zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag and swish everything around until the chicken is coated with marinade.
Marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. I like marinating the recipe for several hours for tangy flavor and the best results.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the chicken, along with the marinade, to a large casserole dish, baking dish, or a large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and baste it using the juices from the baking dish. To do so, simply spoon the juices over the chicken breasts.
Place your oven on the high broil setting and broil the chicken for 3 to 8 minutes, or until it has a deeper golden brown color and is cooked through.
Chicken is considered fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of each breast.
Let chicken rest at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve Chili Lime Chicken Breasts with your choice of side dishes and enjoy!
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
In addition to baking chicken in the oven, you can also use an outdoor grill or in a grill pan to make grilled chili lime chicken. Simply cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until it is cooked through. Be sure to use an instant-read thermometer to verify doneness.
I typically make this chili lime chicken recipe to incorporate into big, filling green salads. I like tossing the cooked chicken in with fresh leafy greens, avocado, black beans, cherry tomatoes, and more and mixing it up with a delicious homemade dressing.
You can also use chili lime chicken in quesadillas, chili lime chicken tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, tostadas, and more!
So there we have it! An easy make-ahead chicken recipe that can be whipped up any day of the week.
Keep the serving size for two people using two large breasts, or double, triple or quadruple the recipe to use it as a meal prep in bulk.
If you like Mexican inspired recipes like this, also try my Copycat Chipotle Chicken!
What to Serve with Chili Lime Chicken:
Looking for some side dish ideas? Here are some of my favorites for pairing with baked chicken.
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Caprese Salad
- The Best Potato Salad
- Corn Salsa Recipe
- Avocado Salad
- The Best Broccoli Salad
- Cilantro Lime Rice
Be sure to pick up some extra fresh limes, fresh cilantro and some sour cream to create the perfect meal.
The simple chili lime marinade is everything here!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts*
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1.5 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Add the ingredients for the chicken marinade to a small bowl (avocado oil, lime juice, pure maple syrup, chili powder, garlic powder and sea salt), and stir well until everything is combined.
- Transfer the raw chicken breasts to a large zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag and swish everything around until the chicken is coated with marinade. Marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. I like marinating the recipe for several hours for tangy flavor and the best results.
- When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the chicken, along with the marinade, to a large casserole dish, baking dish, or a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and baste it using the juices from the baking dish. To do so, simply spoon the juices over the chicken breasts.
- Place your oven on the high broil setting and broil the chicken for 3 to 8 minutes, or until it has a deeper golden brown color and is cooked through.
- Chicken is considered fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of each breast to check for doneness.
- Let chicken rest at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve Chili Lime Chicken Breasts with your choice of side dishes and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Judy
Thursday 27th of July 2023
Sounds good! If I use bone in chicken thighs, how should I adjust the time?
Jules Benziger
Wednesday 12th of July 2023
Sounds delicious. Will the lime juice pre-cook chicken if marinaded for lengthy time (24 hours)?
Julia
Thursday 20th of July 2023
Hi Jules! I've wondered the same thing in the past but after marinating chicken for extensive periods of time myself, citrus doesn't seem to impact it :) Hope you enjoy the chicken! xo