Mexican Chicken Marinade

Spice up your chicken with this simple and tasty Mexican-inspired marinade recipe. Perfect for grilling or baking, this marinade is sure to become a family favorite. Use it to make Mexican chicken for tacos, quesadillas, grilled skewers, and more.

about this mexican chicken marinade

Wondering how you can shake up that boring, plain chicken this week? This Mexican chicken marinade is the simple way to do it!

This marinade is super easy to throw together any night of the week. Though the ingredients are simple and likely already in your pantry, they pack a ton of flavor. The mix of spices, citrus, and fresh herbs really amps up the flavor of the chicken, no matter what cut you may be using.

The best part? This marinade is a total game-changer for meal prep. Toss your chicken in it before work, and by dinner time, you’ve got a flavor-packed protein ready to roll. Tacos, burritos, salads, there are so many options to work with here. It’s the best chicken marinade to use for tacos, chicken fajitas, and so much more.

And don’t worry if you’re not a spice fanatic. This marinade brings the flavor without setting your tongue on fire.

But if you are a heat freak, feel free to add in some hot sauce or cayenne pepper to add a little kick to the chicken.

Now let’s talk about the marinade ingredients!

ingredients

olive oil. Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor in the marinade. You can also use avocado oil, if preferred.

garlic. Minced garlic is all you need for the recipe! We usually buy our own in a jar to make life easier. You can also peel and mince whole garlic cloves yourself, if preferred.

lime juice. Fresh lime juice is best to use! You can also use store bought juice, but fresh citrus juice generally tastes better because it is less tart.

cilantro. Be sure to use fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems.

spices. You will need chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper for this marinade.

here’s how to make mexican chicken marinade

whisk together

Add olive oil, garlic, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, pepper, and cilantro in a medium bowl until well combined.

marinate

Place chicken into a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade in and press out the air in the bag before sealing it. Place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, at least 4 hours, until ready to use. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook chicken as desired until it reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.

tips and tricks

make sure your spices are fresh. Check your spices to make sure they are fresh! Spices expire in 6 months, so if it’s been longer than that (or you can’t remember how long it’s been), pick up new ones!

use fresh cilantro. Fresh cilantro is better than dried cilantro for flavor!

how many hours should you marinate chicken?

Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours to get the best flavor! You could also marinate the chicken up to 24 hours. Do not marinate the chicken longer than that, because the flavors will become overpowering and the chicken won’t taste as good.

what chicken cuts can I use with this marinade?

You can use this marinade with chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or even a whole chicken. Any piece of the bird will work with this marinade!

what if cilantro tastes like soap to me?

If cilantro tastes like soap to you, don’t worry! You can simply remove the cilantro from the marinade recipe. There’s still plenty of seasoning in the marinade to give you that Mexican flavor, even with out the fresh cilantro. Do what works best for your taste buds!

how should I cook my marinated chicken?

Any way you want to! You could cook the chicken in a skillet, grill it, broil it, bake it, or even throw it in the Instant Pot to make shredded chicken for tacos, quesadillas, and more.

Need some inspiration for your next gathering? Check out my easy appetizer recipes page!

how to use this mexican chicken marinade

You can use this marinade made with simple ingredients with your favorite cut of chicken, whether it’s chicken breasts, chicken thighs, etc. Any piece of the chicken goes well with this marinade. You could even marinate a whole chicken in the mixture.

Our favorite thing to do with the chicken is to make tacos or a burrito bowl! Top them off with your favorite salsa (like roasted chili corn salsa) or pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole for an easy dinner with minimal effort. Serve with a side of black beans and rice!

However, this simple marinade is also so tasty with pork or even thick white fish.

side dishes to pair with your chicken

Crunchy fried Mexican potatoes are seasoned with a homemade Mexican seasoning, fresh cilantro, and a touch of butter.

Smoky charred corn is a simple way to grill corn without making it complicated!

Bacon cilantro lime grilled corn salad is perfect for serving alongside grilled chicken or on top of chicken tacos!

Not seeing what you want above? Check out our list of side dishes for grilled chicken for some fun recipes to try out!

Finally, if you make this mexican chicken marinade recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star recipe rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!

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