Key West Grilled Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Juicy grilled chicken in a tropical citrus marinade with honey, ginger and smoked paprika.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Tropical Citrus Marinade

02 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
03 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
04 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional, for heat)
12 - Zest of 1 lime
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
16 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili flakes, lime zest, salt, and black pepper until fully incorporated.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight for the most flavorful results.
03 - Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and discard the remaining marinade.
04 - Grill the chicken breasts for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the exterior develops a beautifully charred, caramelized finish.
05 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve alongside lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The triple citrus combo of orange, lime, and pineapple creates a flavor that hits every part of your tongue at once without needing a single hard to find ingredient.
  • It is genuinely difficult to mess up, even on a gas grill running on fumes.
  • Everything goes into one bowl, one bag, and then the grill does the work while you pour yourself a drink.
02 -
  • If you rush the marinating time and skip the full 2 hours, the chicken will taste fine but never spectacular, patience is the real secret ingredient here.
  • Discard the used marinade rather than basting with it, since it has been in contact with raw chicken and is not safe to use as a finishing sauce.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even half inch thickness before marinating and they will cook in less time with far more consistent results.
  • If you can marinate overnight, reduce the lime juice by half to keep the acid from breaking down the texture too much.

Return