Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are tender grilled chicken marinated in bright citrus flavors with a kick of spicy heat. These chili lime chicken tacos are the perfect combination of bold spicy flavor and fresh ingredients to make for the perfect light and healthy low-carb meal.

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Name: Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 7 large garlic cloves (... paper removed, crushed); 2-3 limes (... juiced and zested); 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon cayenne powder; 2-3 tablespoons sriracha sauce (.. to taste); 3 chicken breasts; 8 large romaine lettuce leaves; 4 ounces cojita crumbling cheese; 8 ounces salsa; 1 lime (.. sliced); 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (.. diced)

What are we talking about today? Tacos! Specifically, chili lime chicken lettuce wrap tacos!

Flavorful marinated chicken in a spicy chili lime marinade makes these lettuce wraps easy and low-carb. What could be better?

These chili lime chicken tacos are easy to make, super tasty with bright citrus flavors and a kick of heat.

Just finish off your lettuce wraps with all of your favorites taco toppings like garlic cilantro sauce, fresh salsa and cotija crumbling cheese for the perfect healthy snack.

Chili Lime Chicken Tacos

So why is this chili lime chicken taco recipe the BEST? Let me tell you..

Low-Carb and Keto Friendly: This marinated chicken taco recipe is low carb and an easy healthy snack or keto dinner idea.
Tortilla Taco: Not looking for a low-carb taco recipe? No worries, just swap out the lettuce wrap for your favorite tortilla.
Easy: Backyard grill not needed for these Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps. If you have one, great but if you don’t, simply marinade your chicken and cook in your kitchen for an easy low-carb dinner.
Flavor: Bold spicy marinade with zesty lime flavor makes these chili lime tacos a landslide winner when it comes to flavor.
Healthy: Tons of fresh ingredients make these homemade chicken tacos the perfect grilled summer recipe to enjoy when the weather warms up!

Chicken Taco Ingredients

Chicken – I use chicken breasts for the recipe but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer.
Lettuce – Iceberg, romaine, bib lettuce or butter lettuce will all work for lettuce wraps.
Soy Sauce – Saltiness and depth of flavor
Garlic – Flavor and bite
Olive Oil – Flavor and helps tenderize meat
Spices – Spicy, smokey and complex
Sriracha – Hot spicy flavor
Limes – Helps tenderize the chicken and brings bright zesty flavor to marinade

Secret to Chili Lime Chicken?

If you ask me, the secret to any great chili lime chicken recipe is going to be the chili lime marinade.

The longer you marinade you chicken, the more flavor you will work through the surface of your chicken.

I add an extra lime to my chili lime marinade recipe because the acidity from the lime tenderizes the chicken a bit more than most marinade recipes.

How to Make Chicken Lime Tacos

To make these chicken taco, start by adding soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice and lime zest, crushed fresh garlic, spices and sriracha to a large zip-top bag.

Wash, dry and if needed, slice chicken lengthwise and then add to the zip-top bag with your chili lime marinade.

Push out the extra air and seal tightly. Move your chicken around to make sure everything is covered in marinade, add your bag to a bowl or pan large enough to hold your chicken and move to the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Once marinated, prepare your grilling method (see below).

I cook mine using a grill pan , so spray the grill pan with non-stick spray and heat over high heat.

Remove your chicken from the marinade (do not discard the marinade!) and add your chicken breasts to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes each side and then finish them off in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Using two forks, shred your chicken breasts and top with the marinade sauce and mix together. Lay out the romaine lettuce leaves and add your chili lime chicken and any toppings your like. Serve immediately.

Can You Use Marinade as a Sauce?

Once your marinade comes in contact with the raw chicken, it is no longer safe to consume but you can still repurpose your marinade into a sauce if you boil it.

While your Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are cooking, pour the saved chili lime marinade into a small sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.

Boil for 1-2 minutes and then lower the heat to medium low to simmer while your chicken cooks.

Your marinade will start to reduce and thicken slightly.

It is imperative you bring the marinade to a full rolling boil to kill any foodborne bacteria. Once your chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes.

How Do You Zest a Lime?

What is lime yest, you ask?

Lime zest is the outmost rind of the lime, the green layer on the outside of the lime. It’s most loved for the strong lime flavor it brings to food due to the aromatic oils in the rind.

To zest a lime, use a sharp paring knife, veggie peeler or a zester. Simply drag the utensil lightly but firmly across the rind of the lime, removing only the outside green rind layer.

The white layer below it is called the pith and can be quite bitter so you want to be careful not to include that with your zest.

How Do You Grill Chicken Without a Grill?

There are a few ways to grill chicken for this Chili Lime Chicken Tacos recipe but honestly, don’t overthink it.

Cooking Chicken on a Grill

If you have an outside grill, simply heat your grill to medium heat and cook your chili marinaded chicken for 5-6 minutes.

Flip your chicken and grill for another 5-7 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove from the heat, cover with some foil and let sit for 5 minutes before shredding and serving.

Grilled Chicken in Oven

If you do not have an outside grill, you can use one or two different cooking methods to achieve tender oven grilled chicken.

First, spray grill pan or frying pan with non-stick cooking spray before adding your chicken breasts to the pan. Sear for 3-4 minutes each side and then finish them off in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

No grill pan? No worries, lay your chicken breasts in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

How To Cut Chicken Breast in Half

My farmers market chicken breasts are HUGE!! I normally slice them in half lengthwise because no one needs a 2 1/2 inch thick chicken breast for .. anything!!

To do this, simply place your boneless, skinless chicken breast on your cutting board and hold it flat with the palm of your hand.

Using a large sharp knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces.

I start by lining my knife in the middle at the end of the chicken breast, keep my knife as horizontal as possible as a gently cut though the length of the chicken breast.

Modifications

Carbs are life and you don’t need no stinkin’ lettuce wraps? Word! … substitute the lettuce leaf with your favorite corn or flour tortillas and live your best life, my friend!
Not a fan of chicken tacos? That’s cool.. this chili lime marinade works perfectly with flank steak of pork butt. Simply marinate your meat overnight and cook per your favorite method.
Don’t know how to top your Chili Lime Chicken Tacos? Check out a few of these suggestions: corn salsa, pineapple jalapeno salsa, tomato salsa, tangy cabbage slaw and garlic cilantro sauce.
This recipe calls for boiling off the used marinade to make a thicker sauce to top your grilled chicken with. It is completely safe but if it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to reserve out some of the marinade prior to adding in your chicken so that your have it to use for the sauce later on.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS

Add your large zip-top bag to a large measuring cup or tumbler.. makes it much easier to add your marinade ingredients without the bag tipping over.
To easily crush your garlic cloves, simply place your garlic clove on a flat surface, lay a large knife or cutting board on top and using the heel of your hand, push / pound down to crush your clove. Remove the paper peel and add to your marinade.
Leftovers? This Chili Lime Chicken reheats beautifully with just a minute or two in the microwave or heated up in a saucepan on the stove. Repurpose your chicken in a salad, more chicken tacos or if you have a lot left over or made a double batch, perfect in enchiladas!

How To Store Leftover Chicken Wraps

The chicken, lettuce, salsa and other toppings should be stored in separate containers in the fridge. The chili lime chicken will last up to 5 days.

How To Reheat Chili Lime Chicken

Reheat your easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Enjoy ♥ Heather

CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS