Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Skewers

These cilantro lime grilled chicken skewers are bright, fresh, and packed with smoky grilled flavor. Tender chunks of chicken breast are marinated in a simple cilantro lime marinade with garlic, olive oil, and fresh lime juice, then grilled over direct heat until lightly charred and juicy.

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Finished with grilled lime for an extra burst of citrus, these chicken skewers are perfect for summer cookouts, easy weeknight dinners, or healthy meal prep.

Why You Will Love These Chicken Skewers

These cilantro lime grilled chicken skewers are light, fresh, smoky, and ridiculously easy to throw together. The lime and cilantro keep everything bright, while the grill gives the chicken those flavorful charred edges that make you keep going back for another skewer.

• Easy to control the cook – Once the skewers get the color you want, you can slide them over indirect heat to finish cooking without burning them up.
• Fresh, bright flavor – Lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and olive oil keep the chicken tasting fresh and vibrant instead of heavy.
• Hot grill = better flavor – Cooking these over direct heat gives the chicken those smoky grill marks and little bits of char that make all the difference.
• Simple marinade – No long ingredient list or complicated prep. Just mix everything together and let the chicken soak up the flavor for a couple of hours.
• Perfect summer grilling recipe – These are right at home next to corn on the cob, pasta salad, grilled veggies, or an ice-cold drink (BEER!) on the patio.
• Great for meal prep – The leftovers are fantastic for rice bowls, wraps, salads, tacos, or quick lunches during the week.

Ingredients Needed

You only need a few simple ingredients for these chicken skewers, and they all pull their weight. Fresh lime juice and cilantro keep everything bright and fresh, garlic adds a ton of flavor, and olive oil helps the marinade coat the chicken while keeping it juicy on the grill. Add some kosher salt and black pepper, and that’s really all you need. Nothing extra, which keeps this dish crisp, clean, and delicious!

How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

Step 1 – Prep the Ingredients

Cube the chicken breasts into evenly sized pieces so they cook evenly on the grill. Chop the cilantro, mince the garlic, and juice the limes so everything is ready to go before making the marinade.

Step 2 – Make the Marinade

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, chopped cilantro, garlic, lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together until fully combined.

Step 3 – Marinate the Chicken

Add the cubed chicken to the marinade and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Don’t go much longer than that, or the lime juice can start to break down the chicken’s texture too much.

Step 4 – Skewer and Grill

Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and place them over direct heat on a preheated grill. You can also throw a few lime halves onto the grill while the chicken cooks for extra flavor.

Step 5 – Grill Until Charred and Juicy

Cook the skewers over direct heat, turning as needed, until they develop the color and char you like. If the chicken still needs a little more time after getting good color, move the skewers over indirect heat to finish cooking gently. Cook the chicken to 160 degrees F, then remove from the grill. Carryover cooking will bring it up to 165 degrees F while it rests.

Step 6 – Serve and Finish with Grilled Lime (Optional)

Serve the skewers hot off the grill with the grilled lime squeezed over the top right before serving. These are perfect with rice, grilled vegetables, pasta salad, or just about any summer side dish.

These cilantro lime grilled chicken skewers are the kind of recipe that disappears fast once they come off the grill. Bright, fresh, smoky, and loaded with flavor without being heavy.

The little bit of char from the grill mixed with the fresh lime right before serving is ridiculously good. Great for an easy summer dinner, cookout, or making ahead for meals during the week.

Tips

• Don’t marinate the chicken too long – 1-2 hours is plenty. The lime juice will start breaking down the chicken if it sits too long, and the texture can get a little weird.
• Cut the chicken evenly – Try to keep the chicken pieces roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly on the grill.
• Grill over direct heat first – This is where you get all the flavor. Let the chicken develop some real color and char before moving it if needed.
• Finish over indirect heat if necessary – If the skewers have the color you want but the chicken still needs a little more time, slide them over indirect heat to finish cooking gently.
• Don’t overcook the chicken – Pull the skewers around 160 degrees F. Carryover cooking will bring them up to 165 degrees F while they rest.
• Grill extra limes – The grilled lime squeezed over the chicken right before serving adds a ton of fresh flavor.
• Oil the grill grates – Chicken breast likes to stick, especially with a marinade like this.
• A quick oiling of the grates helps a lot.
• Metal skewers work best – If using wooden skewers, soak them in water first so they don’t burn up on the grill.

Variations

Use chicken thighs instead – Chicken thighs work great here and stay extra juicy on the grill. They also handle higher heat really well.

Add some heat – Toss in chopped jalapeño, serrano, or a little cayenne if you want some spice in the marinade.

Make it smoky – A little smoked paprika or chili powder adds a nice smoky flavor that works really well with the lime and cilantro.

Turn them into tacos – Pull the chicken off the skewers and stuff it into warm tortillas with avocado, queso fresco, and extra lime.

Add vegetables to the skewers – Bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, or pineapple all work really well alongside the chicken.

Use them for bowls or salads – These are fantastic sliced over rice bowls, chopped salads, or even tucked into wraps for meal prep.

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