This grilled chili lime flank steak is perfect for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner. With a simple marinade made from lime juice, oil, and spices, the steak comes out juicy and flavorful every time. Place it in the fridge in the morning to marinate, then grill it to perfection when you come home. It’s great on tacos, burritos, or salads, or just eat it on its own! Any way you serve it, it’s going to become a family favorite.
Are you a flank steak fanatic like I am?
Flank steak might be my favorite cut of beef (yes, even behind filet mignon). It’s just so easy and versatile!
I love using it in a marinade – and I’ve done several, include a balsamic marinated flank steak, an Asian-inspired flank steak, and a Mexican-inspired carne asada.
Unlike the other flank steak recipes, this one has a bit of a smoky flavor that is great in things like steak tacos and steak burrito bowls, and perfect if you want to make a leftover steak taco salad. That is, if you even have leftovers.
When I was recipe testing I made this chili flank steak several times, and each time it turned out great – juicy and delicious and completely gobbled up by everyone in my family. Including my 10 year olds, so you know it’s not too spicy for kiddos.
Everything you need to know to make this recipe, including helpful tips and step-by-step photos, is included in the post below.
Check it out and make this super easy recipe for your family this week!
GRAB THESE INGREDIENTS
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Flank steak – get one that’s between 1.5 and 2 pounds. You can use skirt steak in this recipe but the marinating time will be less as skirt steak is a much thinner cut – around 1 hour.
- Lime juice – fresh lime juice is key here as it typically has a tangier, brighter flavor than bottled lime juice. You can absolutely use bottled lime juice in a pinch, just know that the flavor will be more subdued.
- Oil – you want a mild oil for the marinade. I like to use avocado oil.
- Spices – this recipe uses my homemade taco seasoning blend, which includes chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt).
How to make chili lime flank steak
There are three main steps to this recipe:
- make the marinade,
- marinate the steak, and
- grill the steak.
Even though the steak needs to marinate for several hours, all of these steps are easy to do and once your meat is on the grill it cooks in under 20 minutes!
Make the chili lime marinade
Marinate the steak
Grill the steak
*Easy Dinner Tip*
Make the marinade the night before and store in the refrigerator in a lidded container. In the morning, give it a quick stir then pour it over the steak and come home ready to a marinated steak ready to throw on the grill!
Does internal temperature matter for grilling steak?
The short answer is YES.
Typically, all meat should be cooked to a specific internal temperature to ensure it’s not underdone.
Steak is a little different as it can be cooked more to preference than other types of meat, anywhere between 115 degrees F for very rare to 160 degrees F for well done.
But you have to measure it to know what temperature it’s at, and therefore how done your steak is.
If you’re curious to find out more, read this post I wrote all about internal temperatures for meat – and never deal with overcooked meat again!
We LOVE our Thermoworks Thermapen ONE meat thermometer to quickly and easily check the internal temperatures of meats. We’ve used a Thermapen for years and they are AMAZING. Get one for yourself here (affiliate link).
What to eat with chili lime flank steak
My family loves to eat this flank steak with some salad, other veggies, and/or potato sides. Specific side dishes we’ve had with flank steak are:
- Potatoes: grilled potato wedges, mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes are all delicious.
- Veggies: lots of options here, including grilled asparagus, grilled onions, and zucchini and mushrooms.
- Salads: a simple green side salad, something slightly sweet like a blueberry spinach salad, or even an easy broccoli coleslaw work well.
If you make this grilled chili lime steak, then don’t forget to leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
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Juicy Grilled Chili Lime Flank Steak
Equipment
- A gallon-sized sealable plastic bag (or flat dish with lid)
- Grilling tongs
Ingredients
- 1.75-2 lb flank steak
- 1 oz fresh lime juice from 1 small-medium lime
- 2.5 oz oil
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt Diamond Crystal
- 2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1.5 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp Ground Coriander
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Start by making the seasoning blend. Use measuring spoons to measure out each spice and place it in a small bowl. Use a small whisk to stir them all together until well combined. Set aside.
- Measure out the lime juice (or juice a lime if not already done) and oil into a liquid measuring cup. Add the spices to the cup and stir everything together until thoroughly mixed.
- Place the raw flank steak into a sealable plastic bag (you can also use a shallow 9×13 casserole dish with a lid, or use plastic wrap as a cover). Pour the marinade into the bag over the flank, then use your hands to press the air out of the bag and seal it. Manipulate the bag to help cover the steak in the marinade, then store it flat in the fridge for 8 to 10 hours, flipping the bag over halfway through.
- Take the bag out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before putting the steak on the grill. Preheat the grill to around 450 degrees F to get the grill grates hot.
- Use tongs to place the steak directly on the grill then immediately turn the heat down to have it settle around 350 to 375 degrees F. Close the lid and cook the steak for 6 minutes on the first side, then use the tongs to flip it and cook another 5 minutes on the second side, again with the lid closed.
- At this point, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak and cook another 3-15 minutes depending on what internal temp you want your steak at (I like to cook it to around 140 to 145 degrees F). The time will vary depending on how thick your steak is, what your outdoor temperature is, and how well your grill maintains heats.
- Once the steak reaches a couple degrees below your desired temperature, remove it from the grill to rest for about 10 minutes – it will continue to rise in temperature a bit as it rests before cooling down. Then use a large sharp knife and cutting board to slice the steak and serve.
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