Ginger-Lime Chicken

By Ali Slagle

Published March 18, 2023

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(11,565)
Comments
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Though this may look like regular old chicken, don’t be fooled: It’s buzzing with the bright flavors of ginger and lime. Mayonnaise is the secret ingredient in this recipe, which is a trick J. Kenji López-Alt has written about. When slathered on boneless chicken and cooked, the beloved condiment carries flavor, sticks to the meat well, encourages browning and prevents the pieces of lime zest and ginger — or whatever seasonings you choose — from burning. Try this technique first with ginger and lime zest, then experiment with grated garlic, jalapeño, lemon, Parmesan and whatever else you can imagine. Serve with a pile of white rice and a fresh green salad topped with thinly sliced avocado.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon lime zest (from about 2 limes), plus lime wedges, for serving

  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (from a 3-inch piece of peeled ginger)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1 gram carbs; 194 milligrams cholesterol; 378 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 520 milligrams sodium; 39 grams protein

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat the chicken dry and season all over with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime zest and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise mixture and stir to coat. (The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before cooking.)

  2. Step 2

    To grill: Heat a grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken over direct heat until cooked through and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts, turning as necessary to avoid burning.

  3. Step 3

    To cook in a skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the chicken until juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts.

  4. Step 4

    Serve chicken with lime wedges, for squeezing on top.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
11,565 user ratings
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Comments

Anne

Can this be cooked in oven?

kat bom

On the plus side, it's a simple dish to make & definitely tasted good, but I would make a couple changes next time. I marinated the chicken for 90 min but should have left it for 3+ hrs. The lime came through just fine, but the ginger was a little anemic. It needs 25-50% more. I should have grilled. Too much of the marinade stuck to the pan, & the chicken steamed rather than searing bc of all the marinade that went in the pan. Directions didn't make clear if I should scrape off before cooking.

Lucy Gooserton

Doubled ginger per suggestions, added 1T lemon juice, marinated boneless skinless thighs for a little over an hour. Baked in the oven on a rack at 425 for 45-50 minutes. Truly delicious!

Marilyn in Wisconsin

Made it with boneless chicken thighs and grilled it. Terrific! Juicy. Good flavor. Didn't need sauce, but my guys put Japanese barbecue sauce on it anyway. Served the leftovers on salad the next day with a fresh herb sauce made from olive oil, lime juice, dill, parsley and some basil. It was also delicious.

Lisai

I’ve been making this recipe as written to grill chicken breasts, bone-in and boneless thighs for years. It occurred to me recently that the marinade might work to give great flavor to salmon filets and to keep them from sticking to the grill. It worked perfectly. The salmon was crusty outside and perfectly cooked inside after about 4 minutes per side. Last night I tried the mayo/ginger/lime marinade, plus a teaspoon of lime juice, on skewered XL shrimp. Grilled a minute and a half on each side at 400° and finished with the usual squeeze of lime and I had an easy and delicious meal for a dinner party. It’s the universal marinade!

Chris

I marinated the chicken in an olive oil-plain, nonfat yogurt mix. Everything else was about the same, but used Key lime juice (no fresh limes), & was generous on the lime & ginger). Sautéed it, & mixed remaining marinade with the browned pan residue. One very picky eater said it was really good (delicious for her). Diner #3 also liked it. Served w/ fettuccine & peas.

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