Spicy Honey-Lime Chicken (2024)

FAQs

What does lime juice do to chicken? ›

Lime juice adds a zesty and tangy kick to the chicken, making it a versatile ingredient for a wide range of dishes. Whether you're grilling, baking, or sautéing your chicken, marinating it in lime juice can elevate the overall taste and texture of the meat.

This easy Sweet and Sour Chicken is made with battered chicken, bell peppers, onion, pineapple, and a quick and easy Sweet and Sour Sauce. It's simple and a meal the whole family will enjoy.

For this Lime Marinade, chicken is best marinated for 12 to 24 hours. It will make the outside a touch white because the amount of lime juice in this marinade “cooks” the chicken a bit (think ceviche). But it doesn't take it so far that the chicken starts to break down so don't be alarmed.

Honey Chicken Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need boneless skinless chicken breasts, eggs, salt, black pepper, all purpose flour, corn starch, oil, green onions, honey, soy sauce, water, sesame oil and apple cider vinegar.

The reason you do not want to marinate chicken for longer than 4 hours is that the acidic ingredients in the marinade (like vinegar, wine, or lemon juice) will begin to break down the structure of the meat too much and it will start to “cook” before ever touching a heat source.

Important: If your marinade is full of fresh citrus or vinegar, like the one in this chicken skewers recipe, keep the marinating time below an hour for optimal results. Poultry marinated in citrus, like lemon or lime juices, or vinegars can turn mushy and stringy if left to soak for too long.

In some cultures around the world, such as those in the Caribbean — where I live — washing meat is a common practice that's considered an indicator of cleanliness in the kitchen. Acidic agents like lemon juice or white vinegar are typically included in the process.

Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, or until it's browned and cooked through. Add the remaining chopped cilantro to the cooked chicken. Squeeze fresh lime over the finished chicken or serve with lime wedges so each person can squeeze their own.

Use the lime and its juices to scrub the surface of each individual piece of chicken. This helps to remove the slime and film off the chicken. The salt helps to "exfoliate" as you scrub the limes on the chicken like a "sponge".

But, presumably to cut even more costs in a competitive fast-food market, KFC doesn't actually serve real honey. Instead, it's "Honey Sauce," made from the ingredients many parents try to avoid: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and sugar.

Can I use syrup instead of honey for chicken? ›

If the honey you're replacing is in a sauce, a glaze or marinade for meat or vegetables, use maple syrup in its place. It'll act in much the same way, even if it changes the flavor of the dish a bit. For recipes that include the word “honey” in their name, you may want to think twice about making a substitution.

Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh.

Research proves the natural form of calcium carbonate (also known as milk of lime or First Saturday Lime) is effective in controlling poultry diseases like Avian influenza, Newcastle disease, Ornithosis, and many more.

Lime juice has previously been shown to break down connective tissues and affect tenderness in a positive manner (Hinkle, 2010). Likewise, pineapple juice is also known to enzymatically alter solubility of connective tissue (Zochowska-Kujawaska, Lachowicz, & Sobczak, 2012).

Use the lime and its juices to scrub the surface of each individual piece of chicken. This helps to remove the slime and film off the chicken. The salt helps to "exfoliate" as you scrub the limes on the chicken like a "sponge".