This vibrant dish of grilled cilantro lime chicken balances smoky spice and fruit-forward freshness for an effortless summer meal.
Spatchcocked chicken is marinated in a bright cilantro-lime-honey blend, grilled to juicy, tender perfection, and topped with simple salsa made with ripe peaches.
Spatchcocked Chicken Cooks So Quickly on the Grill!
I’ve created this recipe based on my Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe, which uses a similar marinade, but with boneless, skinless, chicken thighs.
That chicken is really good, but this one is even better because we’re grilling a whole chicken – bones, skin, and all. Chicken left in its whole form has more flavor, and when you butcher the chicken first so that it lays flat (aka “spatchcocking”), it only takes 40-50 minutes on the grill.
A simple sweet and spicy salsa made with fresh peaches makes this recipe perfect for summer!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Choose a whole chicken that weighs about 3.5 pounds or 1.5 kg. Follow my step by step instructions for how to spatchcock a chicken and remove the backbone to make the chicken lay flat.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is a must for this recipe! It gives the marinade a lovely flavor. Wash your herbs well and then chop it coarsely.
- Lime: Avoid bottled lime juice, and use the juice from two fresh limes instead. For extra lime flavor, you can add some of the zest to the marinade as well.
- Garlic, Honey, and Chili Powder: These ingredients add layers of savory, sweet, and spicy flavor that play so well with each other.
- Olive Oil: Oil in marinades helps to mellow the acidic effects of the lime juice, and will help the meat to absorb more of the flavors in the marinade.
Tip!
If you’d rather not butcher and spatchcock a whole chicken today, this recipe will work just the same with your favorite bone-in chicken pieces. Try it with chicken quarters, thighs, or breasts.
Peach Salsa Ingredients
- This fresh, homemade salsa is quite easy to make with ripe peaches, jalapeño, lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and salt!
- Remove the seeds from the jalapeno to keep the salsa from getting too spicy. Or, if you like spice, replace the jalapeno with a hotter pepper like a serrano.
- Make the salsa while the chicken is cooking. It’s best enjoyed right away.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
Greek Grilled Chicken with the Best Marinade
Huli Huli Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
Grilled BBQ Chicken
If you’ve never spatchcocked a chicken before, I hope you’ll try it for this delicious recipe! Pin the recipe to save it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken with Peach Salsa
Equipment
- Kitchen shears
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Grill
- Grill brush or oil
- Tongs
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- cutting board
- Chef’s Knife
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 (1.5 kg) whole chicken about 3.5 pounds, backbone removed (spatchcocked)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 (60 ml) limes juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup (60 g) fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 15 ml honey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Oil for grill grates
Peach Salsa
- 2 medium (280 g) peaches about 10 ounces, peeled and diced
- ½ medium jalapeño seeded and finely diced
- ¼ cup (60 g) fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 (30 ml) lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large resealable plastic bag combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, honey, chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Add the spatchcocked chicken to the bag, then massage to coat with the marinade.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the grill to 350°F (180°C), then oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Place the chicken on the grill breast side down, then grill for 6-8 minutes over direct heat.
- Flip the chicken, then baste with marinade left in the bag, and move it to indirect heat.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove the chicken then let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- While the chicken rests, in a mixing bowl combine peaches, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, red onion and salt then stir gently.
- Transfer the carved chicken to a platter then spoon the peach salsa over the top or serve it alongside.
Notes:
- Use regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, for a cleaner grill flavor.
- Discard any leftover marinade that has touched raw chicken.
- Choose ripe but firm peaches for the best salsa texture.
- To adjust heat, remove jalapeño seeds or add more for extra spice.
- Store leftover chicken, separately from the peach salsa, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers make excellent tacos. The salsa is best if enjoyed right away, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days as well.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- Plan ahead so that you can maximize the flavor of the marinade. At least one hour is required, but for more flavor, let the chicken marinade for 12 or even 24 hours instead.
- Use a meat thermometer so that you can check to be sure that your chicken is fully cooked. As a reminder, chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C.
- Serve cilantro lime chicken with your favorite sides! I would suggest grilled potatoes in foil, creamy cucumber salad, cilantro lime rice, or Mexican pasta salad.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this in the oven instead of grilling?
You can! Use this cilantro lime marinade, then follow the cooking instructions in my spatchcock chicken recipe. In that recipe, I sear the chicken in a large cast iron skillet and then transfer it to the oven to cook fully.
Can I spatchcock a larger chicken and cook it using this method?
Yes! You can spatchcock any sized chicken, or even bake a spatchcock turkey! For a chicken larger than 4 pounds, expect the cooking time to be longer.
Why should I spatchcock the chicken before grilling?
Spatchcocking makes the chicken lay completely flat on the grill. This will result in chicken that not only cooks quickly, but also cooks evenly. The white meat won’t dry out and the dark meat won’t be undercooked.
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