This Cilantro Lime Marinade uses only 5 simple ingredients and is perfect on chicken, steak, shrimp, fish, or even veggies! It's so versatile and the proteins or veggies can be cooked on the grill, in the oven, the air fryer, or even in a pan on the stove.
No matter if you use the marinade for chicken, fish, veggies, or really anything else - the fresh, zest flavors pair well with so many sides! Some of my favorite pairings are this Elote Dip, fluffy cilantro lime rice, or roasted mini peppers.
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⭐️Why I Love It
- Fresh and Bright Tasting - The combination of fresh cilantro with zesty lime (both the juice and zest) is so bright tasting and perfect for spring or summer. If you're a fan of this flavor combination, also try this Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad with a creamy Greek Yogurt dressing.
- Simple Ingredients - You only need 5 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper) to make this super flavorful marinade.
- Super Versatile - I love that this marinade works well with chicken, beef, shrimp, or veggies! One of my favorite ways to use it is with chicken thighs that I then cook on the grill, stove, or air fryer.
🥘Ingredients
- Fresh Cilantro - This is the star of the marinade recipe so it's important to use fresh cilantro and not dried.
- Fresh Limes - You'll use both the zest and the juice! Using the zest too adds so much flavor. Just rub a microplane over the surface of the lime to zest before slicing in half & juicing.
- Olive Oil - You can swap in a different oil like canola oil or avocado oil.
- Minced Garlic - Freshly minced is best for flavor, but the pre-minced garlic in a jar is fine too. In a pinch, you can swap in garlic powder. Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per teaspoon of minced garlic.
- Ground Cumin - Cumin has a earthy and slightly nutty flavor that pairs well with the fresh and zest flavor of the lime.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍗Pairing Suggestions for the Marinade
I love how versatile a cilantro lime marinade is, but here are some of my favorite uses! Another versatile marinade with related flavors is this Chili Lime Marinade.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts - These can be cooked on the grill (like this grilled cilantro lime chicken thigh recipe), in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or in the air fryer (like these air fryer sesame chicken thighs), or on the stove top over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side.
- Veggies like Bell Pepper, Onions, Zucchini, or Broccoli - Marinate the veggies then either skewer and grill over medium heat, roast on a sheet pan at 400 degrees F until tender, or sauté in a pan on the stove.
- Shrimp or Fish - Marinated seafood can also be cooked on the grill (like these grilled shrimp kabobs), in the air fryer (like this air fryer honey garlic salmon), oven (like in these sheet pan shrimp fajitas), or on the stove.
🔪Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1 - In a medium bowl (or gallon zip top bag) mix up the oil, lime zest and juice, spices and garlic.
Photo 2 - Mix in the chopped fresh cilantro to combine.
Photo 3 - Marinade can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days before using or you can use it right away to marinate proteins or veggies in the fridge.
Photo 4 - Protein and veggies can be marinated for as little as 20 minutes (don't want to go too long or the lime juice can impact the texture, see below for more details!). Then just cook to your preferences - it's great on the grill, stove, oven, or air fryer.
⏱️Marinating Times
Due to the citrus (lime juice) in the marinade, you don't want proteins to sit in the marinade for too long or the texture can be impacted. See time guidelines below:
- Seafood – Marinate for at least 20 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.
- Chicken & Pork – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & no more than 1 hour.
- Beef – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & up to 12 hours.
- Veggies – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & up to 12 hours.
💭Recipe Tips
- Prep Marinade in Advance - The marinade can be mixed together up to 5 days in advance, and stored in the fridge, then just combine with your proteins or veggies before cooking. I like to prep the marinade in a mason jar (you can shake it to mix it up) then store in the jar.
- Make it Spicy - As written, this marinade is not spicy. But if you want a kick, try adding some diced jalapeño or even ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
🍽Leftovers and Storage
Store marinade on its own in the fridge for up to 5 days. The storage time of cooked proteins or veggies in the marinade will vary:
- Cooked cilantro lime chicken or steak can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Cooked cilantro lime shrimp or fish can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Cooked cilantro lime veggies can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
👩🍳Recipe FAQs
When a marinade has lime juice in it, the max marinating time varies based on what's being marinated. Chicken can marinate for up to 1 hour, beef can marinate for up to 12 hours, seafood can marinate for up to 30 minutes, and veggies can marinate for up to 12 hours.
It's always best to marinate things in the fridge (especially raw meat like chicken, fish, or beef). I like to marinate either in a glass bowl (covered with plastic wrap) or in a plastic gallon zip to bag (I place the sealed bag in a large bowl in case it leaks).
🔥Related Grilling Recipes...
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PrintRecipe
Cilantro Lime Marinade
This Cilantro Lime Marinade uses only 5 simple ingredients and is perfect on chicken, steak, shrimp, fish, or even veggies! It's so versatile and the proteins or veggies can be cooked on the grill, in the oven, the air fryer, or even in a pan on the stove.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Marinade for 1 lb protein or veggies
- Category: Main
- Method: Grilling, Oven, Air Fryer, Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, packed in measuring cup
- 1-1.5 lbs Proteins or Veggies, for marinating
Instructions
- Mix Marinade - In a medium bowl (or gallon zip top bag) mix up the oil, lime zest and juice, spices and garlic.
- Add Cilantro - Mix in the chopped fresh cilantro to combine.
- Store or Marinate - Marinade can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days before using or you can use it right away to marinate proteins or veggies.
- Cook - Protein and veggies can be marinated for as little as 20 minutes (don't want to go too long or the lime juice can impact the texture, see notes!) in the fridge. Then just cook to your preferences - it's great on the grill, stove, oven, or air fryer.
Notes
The marinade on its own can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Marinating Times:
- Seafood – Marinate for at least 20 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.
- Chicken & Pork – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & no more than 1 hour.
- Beef – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & up to 12 hours.
- Veggies – Marinate for at least 20 minutes & up to 12 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of Marinade Only
- Calories: 74
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 312.2 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Katie says
I used this on some chicken breasts that I then grilled and it was so good and flavorful! Excited to try it on shrimp soon 🙂