My mojito marinated chicken has all the refreshing flavors of my favorite rum cocktail. I whisked together a real zesty marinade filled with fresh mint, tons of lime, and a little bit of white rum. After marinating, this lime-infused chicken breast cooks on the grill in minutes, then I serve it with a cilantro mint sauce that makes every bite incredible!
Mojito Lime Marinated Chicken with Cilantro Mint Sauce
When I need a light, healthy, and quick meal that’s still satisfying, I turn to my grilled chicken breast for a surefire win. I wanted to play around with the marinade though, and I took the classic mint-y mojito as inspiration. The lime juice really helped tenderize the chicken fast (it only needs 1 hour to marinate), and grilling is one of the quickest ways to get juicy meat.
Once I had the marinade in order, I took a little more inspiration from my chimichurri chicken to create an herb-filled mint and cilantro sauce for serving. It’s the most delicious condiment for grilled meat, and really turns this mojito lime chicken into a tasty weeknight meal.
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🍋🟩 Fresh, zesty, and flavorful!
Lime juice, mint, cilantro, and honey create a simply delicious serving sauce that perfectly complements the flavors in the mojito marinade. It’s a cold condiment that requires nothing more than a quick whisk. You’re going to want to put this on everything!
Mojito Grilled Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1½ – 2 pounds*)
- 3 limes (juiced and zested**)
- ¼ cup rum
- ¼ cup fresh mint (chopped)
- 1 small shallot (minced)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Mint Sauce:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh mint (chopped)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tablespoon honey
- fresh lime juice (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Whisk together the lime juice and zest, rum, mint, shallot, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, and salt in a large shallow dish.3 limes, ¼ cup rum, ¼ cup fresh mint, 1 small shallot, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the chicken to the marinade, and coat on all sides. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes total, flipping the chicken halfway through. Ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165℉.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mint sauce ingredients.¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup fresh mint, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2 cloves garlic, ½ tablespoon honey, fresh lime juice, salt and pepper
- Drizzle over the chicken before serving.
- If desired, serve with rice and mango salsa.
Notes
- If using thicker chicken breasts, slice them in half to create thinner pieces; or place the breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound them to an even thinness. This will help them cook through quickly and evenly.
- The chicken can marinate for as little as 1 hour and still become quite flavorful. But it can marinate in the fridge for up to 8 hours to help prep ahead.
- To keep the chicken juicy, flip it over just 1 time while on the grill. Flipping it too often will slowly dry it out.
- The mint cilantro sauce only takes a minute to whisk together at the end, but it can sit in the fridge while you cook instead.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Mojito Marinated Chicken on the Grill Step by Step
Prep: Gather the chicken and the list of ingredients for the mojito marinade. Fully juice and zest 3 limes; chop the mint; then mince the garlic and shallot. If using thicker chicken breasts, I recommend slicing them in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces — this will help them cook through quickly on the grill.
Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl or dish, whisk together the juice and zest of 3 limes, ¼ cup of rum, ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint, 1 small minced shallot, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 4 minced cloves of garlic, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Add 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the marinade — be sure the chicken is submerged and coated on all sides. Cover the dish and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
Grill the Chicken: When you’re ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high heat (350℉ to 375℉). Place the rum-marinated chicken breasts on the grill, and cook for about 5 minutes per side — 10 minutes total, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
Make the Mint Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint, ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 2 minced cloves of garlic, ½ tablespoon of honey, plus fresh lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken before serving.
Serve: To make this mojito grilled chicken a full meal, I like to serve it with jasmine rice, a simple pineapple or mango salsa, and plenty of extra herbs to garnish. It’s so bright and fresh! To make the salsa, combine about 2 cups of diced pineapple or mango, 1 diced jalapeño pepper, ¼ of a medium red onion (diced), 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, and a pinch of kosher salt.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover mojito rum chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The mint sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, though it’s best made fresh. Reheat chicken breasts on the stovetop until warmed through, then serve with mint sauce.
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