Thai Lime Grilled Chicken

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This Thai Lime Grilled Chicken is sticky, spicy-sweet, and loaded with fresh lime flavor and Thai chilies. The chicken thighs are marinated with lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and olive oil before hitting the grill until lightly charred and juicy.

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The sauce keeps things simple but bold: garlic, butter, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice cooked down until glossy, then finished with fresh chiles, lime zest, cilantro, and more lime. It’s bright, spicy, sweet, savory, and a little messy in the best way.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Knife

• Skillet or Saucepan

• Mixing Bowl

• Microplane/Zester

• Citrus Juicer

• Instant-read thermometer

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: MARINATE

• Combine olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.

• Add the chicken thighs and mix until evenly coated.

• Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or at least 30 minutes.

STEP 2: COOK

• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 4–6 minutes per side until lightly charred and internal temp reaches 175°F.

• Grill the chicken over medium heat flipping occasionally.

  • Boneless thighs: 12-15 mins

  • Bone-in Wings: 20-25 mins

• Alternatively, the chicken can be cooked at 400°F in the air fryer or oven.

  • Boneless thighs: for 25-30 mins with a flip halfway through.

  • Bone-in Wings: 35-45 mins with a flip halfway through.

• The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 175°F.

STEP 3: THAI LIME

• Add olive oil to a pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant and just starting to get color. Reduce heat to low, then add soy sauce, sesame oil, butter, onion powder, black pepper, and honey. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened, then turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.

  • Note: Sauce will thicken once cooled, but you can make it thicker by mixing 1 TBSP cornstarch with 2 TBSP cold water, then combining with the sauce and simmering briefly.

STEP 4: COAT

• Add the grilled chicken to the pan and coat it in the sauce. Garnish with fresh lime juice, chopped chiles, lime zest, cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 servings

CHICKEN

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 1/4 C olive oil

• 2 limes, juiced

• 1/3 C low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 TBSP sesame oil

• 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

THAI LIME SAUCE

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/4 C unsalted butter

• 1/3 C honey

• 1 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• juice of 1 lime

FINISH

• 4–6 green Thai chiles, thin sliced

• zest of 1 lime

• cilantro, chopped

• lime wedges

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