Description
This Chili Lime Marinade is bursting with zesty lime, smoky spices, and a touch of sweetness—perfect for chicken, shrimp, veggies, or steak! It’s quick to prep and infuses bold flavor into any dish, making it a go-to for weeknight dinners, BBQs, or meal prep.
Ingredients
2 pounds meat or veggies of choice
½ cup olive oil
2 limes, zested and juiced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or honey)
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Mix the Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, agave nectar (or honey), chile powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Marinate the Protein/Vegetables: Place your meat or veggies in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over, seal or cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours for deeper flavor).
Cook: Grill, roast, or sauté your marinated ingredients as desired. Discard used marinade or boil it if reusing as a sauce.
Serve & Enjoy: Garnish with fresh herbs or lime wedges for extra brightness.
Notes
No ancho chile powder? You can use regular chili powder, though it will have less smoky depth.
Prep Tip: Add everything to a zip-top bag or Mason jar and shake—fewer dishes, more flavor.
This marinade is also freezer-friendly when combined with raw meat—just thaw before cooking.
Perfect for chicken thighs, shrimp skewers, tofu, portobello mushrooms, or bell peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: marinade
- Method: No-cook (used for grilling, roasting, sautéing)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg