Key West Grilled Chicken Skewers (with Honey Lime Marinade)
Enjoy the flavors of summer any time of year with this delicious Key West Grilled Chicken recipe! This time of year, fresh limes are inexpensive and this tasty recipe combines the flavors of fresh lime, zesty soy sauce, garlic and just a smidgen of honey to make a fabulous marinade.
The wonderful part about this recipe is that it doesn’t take long for the meat to marinate, which means it’s a quick, delicious throw-together meal during the busy work week.
It’s a versatile chicken recipe—the flavors of honey and lime are complemented well with a touch of garlic and cilantro. If you happen to have a bit of mango, a tablespoon or two finely minced imparts a tropical flavor that can’t be beat!
This recipe is part of the Budget101® Summer Grilling Series—a collection of low-cost, high-flavor recipes tested and loved by real families for over 20 years.
💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- ✅ Fast marinade—30 minutes is all you need
- ✅ Perfect sweet, salty, citrusy balance
- ✅ Great with chicken or shrimp (or both!)
- ✅ Easily doubles for meal prep or BBQs
- ✅ Kid-approved, adult-craved, freezer-friendly
🛒 Key West Grilled Chicken Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or Coconut Aminos
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 boneless chicken breast halves
🎥 Key West Grilled Chicken Video
Here’s the low-down on how to throw these together! You’ll notice in the video that we use these handy bag holders to keep the chicken and marinade mess-free.
👩🍳 How to Make It
In a shallow bowl combine soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, garlic, bell pepper, and cilantro, mixing well.
➡️ For Grilled Breasts:
Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
Grill over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.
➡️ For Grilled Kebabs (or Skewers):
Cut the chicken into 1–2″ cubes and skewer them onto bamboo sticks. A quick note about the skewers—if you happen to be using wooden ones, fill a tall glass with water and soak them for about 5–10 minutes prior to use.
This ensures that they don’t catch on fire and burn up while they’re on the grill. For an added touch of flavor, you can add a teaspoon of smoke flavoring to the water while they soak.
Marinate at least 30 minutes, then grill about 3 minutes per side, turning occasionally.
Optional Twist: If you have a bit of mango kicking around, mince up 1–2 tablespoons and toss it into the marinade. It adds a tropical zing that can’t be beat.
🔥 Grilled Shrimp Variation
For Key West grilled shrimp, substitute 2 pounds of fresh jumbo shrimp for the chicken. The shrimp will take 2–5 minutes to grill depending on the size.
Rule of thumb: when the shrimp looks like the letter “C” it’s done. If it looks like an “L”, it’s still raw/rare. If it looks like an “O”—it’s overdone!
💡 Tips & Variations
🌶️ Want it spicy? Use a red jalapeño instead of red bell pepper.
🥭 Add mango for a sweet tropical punch.
🍢 Soak bamboo skewers in smoky water for flavor AND safety.
🌿 No cilantro? Try parsley or a dash of basil.
🥣 Use coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
📦 Storage & Reheating Tips
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or lime juice to keep it juicy.
- Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown
| Ingredient | Amount Used | Package Size | Full Cost | Used Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soy Sauce | 3 Tbs | 15 oz | $1.54 | $0.22 |
| Honey | 2 Tbs | 12 oz | $3.64 | $0.30 |
| Vegetable Oil | 1 Tbs | 48 oz | $3.24 | $0.07 |
| Fresh Lime | 1 | Each | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Minced Garlic | 1 tsp | 8 oz | $2.29 | $0.05 |
| Fresh Cilantro | 1 tsp | Bunch | $0.88 | $0.10 |
| Red Bell Pepper | 2 Tbs | Each | $1.38 | $0.25 |
| Boneless Chicken | 4 breasts | Per lb | $2.49/lb | $4.98 |
| 🧾 Total Recipe Cost: | $6.47 | |||
| 👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving (4 servings): | $1.61 | |||
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely—boneless thighs work great and are extra juicy. Just adjust the cook time slightly if they’re thick.
Yes! Combine everything in a zip-top freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze flat.
Thaw in the fridge before grilling. It’s a great way to meal prep for busy weeks!
Nope. If you’re not a fan, swap it for parsley or skip it entirely. You’ll still get tons of flavor from the lime, garlic, and soy.
Definitely.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and bake the marinated chicken breasts in a shallow dish for 20–22 minutes, or until the internal temperature hits 165°F.
For extra flavor, broil for the last 2–3 minutes to get that grilled finish.
This marinade works in just 30 minutes, but you can go up to 4 hours.
Since it contains lime juice, avoid marinating overnight or the acid can start to break down the chicken and make it mushy.
You can, but fresh lime juice has a brighter, cleaner flavor. Bottled lime juice tends to taste duller and may include preservatives that slightly alter the taste.
This chicken is great with tropical or summer sides. Try it with Easy Parmesan Zucchini & Corn, Loaded Hasselback Bechamel Potatoes, or Grilled Pineapple Spears.
Absolutely! This honey-lime marinade also works wonderfully on pork chops, shrimp, salmon, and even tofu if you’re going meatless. Just adjust your cooking time to fit the protein.
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📝 Key West Grilled Chicken Print Recipe
Key West Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce ( or Coconut Aminos)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Red Bell Pepper (Finely Chopped)
- 4 boneless chicken breast halves
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl combine soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, garlic, bell pepper and cilantro, mixing well.3 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon vegetable oilJuice of 1 Lime1 teaspoon minced garlic1 teaspoon fresh cilantro2 tablespoons Red Bell Pepper
For Grilled Breasts
- Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.4 boneless chicken breast halves
For Grilled Kebabs (or Skewers)
- Cut the chicken into 1-2″ cubes, skewer onto bamboo sticks that have been soaked in water for 5 minutes, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill the marinated meats over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear. For the skewers, grill about 3 minutes per side, turning occasionally.
- Serve with fresh salad, steamed veggies, grilled potato wedges or any of your favorite sides.
For Grilled Shrimp:
- For Key West grilled shrimp, substitute 2 pounds of fresh jumbo shrimp for the chicken. The shrimp will take 2-5 minutes to grill depending on the size.
- Rule of thumb- when the shrimp looks like the letter “C” it’s done. If it looks like an “L”, it’s still raw/rare, and if it looks like an “O”- it’s overdone!
Video
If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
