A quick and easy marinade made with zesty Italian, fresh lime juice, and sweet honey in just minutes! Sweet and Zesty Grilled Chicken Marinade yields tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken that pairs well with any number of sides.
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Grilling season is here in full swing and I couldn’t be happier! Summer is a busy time of year, so I try to keep a few easy marinades in the back of my mind for grilling nights. Sweet and Zesty Grilled Chicken Marinade is one of them! Three ingredients that I always have on hand and a final product that gets zero complaints (that’s the real victory, am I right?).
This recipe was inspired by the classic Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenders and first served to us by my uncle. Although I kept it just as simple, I amped up the flavor. Below I have also included instructions for prepping ahead and freezing the chicken in the marinade, which always results in a more flavorful result. Lastly, I included links to some of my favorite sides to complete this easy summer dinner!
🍗 Ingredients
Chicken breasts: I prefer to grill chicken breasts that have been cut in half horizontally, but you can also cut the chicken into strips for chicken tenders.
Italian dressing: Zesty Italian is the way to go here! Whether name brand or generic, choose a zesty Italian rather than a house or vinaigrette version.
Lime juice: Freshly squeezed instead of pre-bottled.
Honey: Adds a bit of sweetness to balance the tangy lime.
🔪 Instructions
Get ready, this will be fast! Start by prepping your chicken (just trim any excess fat and cut the breasts in half horizontally). Place the chicken in a ziptop bag and pour in the Italian dressing, lime juice, and honey. Now just give the bag a thorough shake and let it marinate for 8-24 hours.
Once the Sweet and Zesty Grilled Chicken Marinade has worked it's magic, fire up half of the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the first side for 5-6 minutes until the edges begin to dry and change color (resist the urge to move them if you want pretty grill lines). Flip and cook the second side for another 4-6 minutes. If at any point the chicken begins to brown too much, move them over to the unheated side of the grill, close the lid, and let them finish cooking there.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
If you don't mind standing in front of a grill for awhile, this is a perfectly fine option to serve to a crowd. I highly recommend prepping as many pounds of chicken as you need ahead of time, then freezing it in the marinade. On the day of serving, thaw the chicken at room temperature for several hours. Then grill (in batches if needed). Serving is especially easy if you plan side dishes that require very little hands-on time while you are grilling.
🙋 Questions and Answers
This simple flavor profile pairs well with any number of sides, including rice dishes, vegetables, potatoes, quinoa salads, fresh salads… you get the idea. Here are some of my favorite sides to serve with this chicken:
• The Best Brown Butter Rice Pilaf - A four ingredient recipe that can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop for a super flavorful rice.
• Incredibly Crispy Smashed Potatoes - Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside!
• Easy Green Beans Almondine - A simple and healthy veggie made with frozen green beans and fresh lemon.
You should marinate this chicken for a minimum of 8 hours or up to 24 hours (overnight). The longer you marinate, the more flavor the chicken will have.
Absolutely! In fact, my go-to method for keeping dinner easy is to freeze packets of chicken in marinade. After slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally, place them in a zipper bag, add the Sweet and Zesty Grilled Chicken Marinade, and give the bag a thorough mix. Then lay the bag down on a cookie sheet and freeze until it’s solid. Stack multiple bags on top of each other to make the most of available space.
Yes, especially when the marinade is vinegar based (like this one). If you marinate chicken too long, it will make it more tough. I suggest marinating no longer than 24-36 hours.
📖 More Grilling Recipes
- The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade - This is an easy, incredibly flavorful marinade that never fails to impress!
- Sweet and Savory Flank Steak - One of my all-time favorite grilling recipes! I promise you will want to make this tropical-inspired flank steak over and over.
- Grilled Honey Chicken Kabobs - A fantastic option to serve with grilled veggies and tropical rice. Yum!
- Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken - Tender and juicy chicken coated in a flavorful honey mustard sauce. No marinade!
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Use fresh lime juice instead of pre-bottled juice. Fresh juice rounds out the flavor and adds a great tang!
- For the most flavor, marinate the chicken overnight or freeze it in the marinade.
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📋 Recipe
SIMPLE 4-Ingredient Chicken Marinade (Cracker Barrel Copycat)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts cut in half (about 3 lbs) or 3 lbs of chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup zesty Italian dressing
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Place prepped chicken in a zipper bag. Pour marinade ingredients directly into bag. Seal well and shake/agitate the bag to coat chicken thoroughly. Marinade for 8-24 hours.
- Heat grill to medium-high heat (leave half the grill unheated). Grill first side of chicken for 5-6 minutes until edges begin to dry and change color. Flip and grill for 4-6 minutes longer. *If chicken begins to brown too much, move chicken to unheated side of grill. Close lid and allow to finish cooking.
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Notes
- Use fresh lime juice instead of pre-bottled juice. Fresh juice rounds out the flavor and adds a great tang!
- For the most flavor, marinate the chicken overnight (up to 24 hours) or freeze it in the marinade.
- To ensure juicy chicken tenders or breasts, create a two zone fire when grilling. One side medium-high and the other on low. If the outside of the chicken is getting done too quickly move it over to the low side until it has finished cooking.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Sam says
Wow, I’m surprised by how simple this marinade is. I followed the advice to freeze the chicken in the marinade and it worked great. Good recipe!
Misty says
Happy you enjoyed the chicken!
Karen says
Mamma mia oo la la. Yum
Misty says
Glad you liked it!