Chili Lime BBQ Grilled Chicken – only 5 ingredients in the marinade – olive oil, BBQ sauce, chili powder, lime juice, and salt. The result is a juicy and tender chicken that's bursting with bold and zesty flavors. Serve it up with some grilled corn on the cob, a crisp green salad, or some creamy coleslaw for the perfect summer meal. Whether you're hosting a backyard bash or just looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, chicken is sure to be a hit.
Whisk together oil, BBQ sauce, chili powder, lime juice, seasoned salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours up to overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done, 12 to 15 minutes.
Notes:
You can use this marinade on any cut of chicken – chicken breasts, chicken tenders, chicken thighs, chicken wings, or chicken drumsticks/legs.
You can use boneless or bone-in chicken. Adjust the cooking time to ensure an internal temperature of 165ºF.
You can use skinless or skin-on chicken.
I suggest pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness. We put the chicken in a ziplock bag and use a flat meat mallet to carefully pound out the hump. This ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and you don’t have juicy chicken and half-dry chicken.
Our favorite store-bought BBQ sauces are Sweet Baby Rays, Stubbs, G.Hughes, and Williamson Brothers. I buy them all at Walmart.
I don’t have a grill. Can I cook the chicken in the oven or skillet? Yes! To cook the chicken breasts inside, heat oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes.
Can I freeze Grilled Chicken? Yes! You can freeze the chicken uncooked or cooked.
Prepare the marinade. Place the chicken in a freezer bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and freeze. When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and cook.
To freeze cooked chicken, cool completely and place in a freezer bag and freeze. Thaw and reheat in the microwave.
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.