Description
This Easy Chili Lime Chicken recipe features tender baked chicken breasts or thighs seasoned with smoky spices and topped with a vibrant, tangy chili lime sauce. Perfectly balanced with heat and sweetness, it’s served alongside steamed rice and naan, garnished with fresh basil for an irresistible meal that comes together in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 lb small boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp cold salted butter, sliced
Chili Lime Sauce
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 fresno pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
To Serve
- Steamed rice
- Naan bread
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the chicken.
- Prepare Chicken: In a baking dish, combine the chicken breasts or thighs with chopped garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Toss everything well to evenly coat the chicken. Arrange slices of cold salted butter on top of the chicken pieces for added moisture and flavor during baking.
- Bake Chicken: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Make Chili Lime Sauce: While the chicken bakes, heat 4 tablespoons of salted butter in a sauce pot over low heat. Add onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and chipotle chili powder, stirring to combine. Add the seeded and sliced fresno pepper or chili flakes to taste. Cook gently until the butter melts and spices are fragrant. Remove from heat and whisk in honey and fresh lime juice. Stir in chopped cilantro and season with salt to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the prepared chili lime sauce generously over the warm baked chicken. Serve each portion over bowls of steamed rice accompanied by naan bread. Garnish with fresh basil and additional sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of fresno pepper or chili flakes to control the heat level of the sauce.
- Use chicken thighs for a juicier result or chicken breasts for a leaner dish.
- Butter can be substituted with olive oil for a dairy-free version, especially in the sauce.
- Ensure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated and used within 3 days as a marinade or dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (approx. 6 ounces chicken with sauce and accompaniments)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
