This is the best Mexican chicken marinade recipe! It's made with simple ingredients including lime juice, oil, cumin, and cilantro, and has the most incredible flavour. You will also love how quick and easy it is to make.
Mexican inspired recipes like my mango habanero salsa recipe, chunky guacamole, and chicken taco seasoning are some of my all time favourites which is why I am so excited to be sharing this new marinade recipe with you.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This authentic Mexican chicken marinade is full of flavour and will make your chicken so juicy and tender! You’ll never want to season your chicken any other way again.
- It's so fast, quick and easy to make and only takes a few minutes to prepare.
- This chicken marinade is made with simple pantry staple ingredients like lime juice, cilantro, and cumin.
- This Mexican marinade works for chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken wings and chicken drumsticks. You can also use it for steak, shrimp and fish.
- This marinade recipe is gluten-free, healthy, sugar free, keto, paleo, Whole30, and dairy-free.
- You can use this marinade to help make different Mexican recipes including chicken tacos or chicken fajitas!
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Fresh lime juice: This helps tenderize the meat and helps give it so much flavour. I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice for the best taste.
- Herbs and spices: dried oregano, dried cilantro, cumin, paprika, sea salt, ground black pepper and chili powder all blend perfectly to give this easy marinade recipe the best flavour.
- Fresh garlic: to add even more flavour to this simple marinade recipe.
- Avocado oil: to help make the chicken so juicy and tender! You can swap this for olive oil.
- Chicken breasts: I recommend using free range chicken breasts if possible for the best taste. You can also use this marinade for other chicken cuts including chicken thighs, chicken wings, or chicken drumsticks too.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- This Mexican chicken marinade recipe can be easily adapted and modified! Like more garlic? Add another clove. Like it more spicy? Add more chili powder. You could also use Mexican oregano or smoked paprika to give it a different flavour.
- This chicken marinade recipe works for up to 6 chicken breasts or thighs but you can easily double or triple this recipe if you are serving a crowd or want leftovers.
How to make Mexican chicken marinade:
Step 1
First, add all the marinade ingredients to a bowl or glass measuring cup and stir well to combine.
Step 2
Next, pour the marinade over the raw chicken breasts and let them marinade for 2 hours, or overnight. You can marinade the chicken in a large glass baking dish or in a large resealable plastic bag, whichever you prefer.
Step 3
Then cook the chicken however you like. See below for a guide for how to cook chicken many different ways.
How to cook chicken:
You can cook marinated chicken in many different ways and here are some guidelines for cooking it to ensure you get the most tender chicken.
To grill:
Heat the grill until it is hot (about 400-450° F or 205-230° C). Cook breasts and thighs for about 5-7 minutes per side or bone-in thighs for 10-12 minutes per side, moving the chicken to the less hot part of the grill about half way through. Let the grilled chicken sit for a few minutes before serving.
To bake in the oven:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the marinated chicken in a glass baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless thighs and 45-50 minutes for bone in thighs.
To pan fry:
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over medium heat. Then add the marinated chicken breasts or thighs to the pan and sear for 6-8 minutes before flipping and cooking for 4-6 minutes on the other side until cooked through. For bone-in thighs with the skin on, place the chicken skin side down in the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook the chicken for 4-5 more minutes. Remove the lid and flip each piece over. Replace the lid and cook for an extra 8-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
To air fry:
Preheat your air fryer to 375° F and cook chicken breasts or thighs for 10-15 minutes. For bone-in thighs, cook for 12-18 minutes.
You will know your chicken is cooked when it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C) as measured with a meat thermometer.
*Note that the cooking times will vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces you are cooking.
Top tips:
- This Mexican chicken marinade also works for chicken thighs, chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, steaks, seafood, or even grilled vegetables.
- The best way to get juicy chicken is to ensure you don't overcook your chicken or else it can end up rather dry.
How to serve:
You can serve this chicken in so many ways. You can use it to make chicken tacos, taco salad, chicken fajitas, enchiladas, burrito bowls, or serve it on it's own with other side dishes such as rice, lime and cilantro cauliflower rice, sweet potato rice, Mexican rice, cooked or grilled vegetables.
For even more flavour you could top this chicken with mango habanero salsa, sour cream, pico de Gallo or easy healthy guacamole.
How to store:
If you have extra marinade, set aside the extras (before you soak the chicken in it) and store it in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this Mexican chicken marinade for later use.
Once the chicken is cooked, you can store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Mexican chicken marinade FAQs:
The best grilled chicken is always marinated first! It adds so much flavour deep into the raw chicken that you just can't get with a spice rub. I always marinate chicken at least a few hours before cooking.
Marinating takes a little time. You want to marinate your chicken at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Every marinade has a few basic components: acid, oil, and flavours. The oil and acid help permeate the meat to tenderize it and make it super juicy. The herbs and spices add extra flavour to the meat.
Most recipes for marinating meat and chicken recommend marinating for anywhere between 2-24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become a little mushy.
This marinade does have a little heat but I would not call it spicy. If you do want it to be spicy I would add more chili powder.
Other recipes you will love:
Recipe
Mexican Chicken Marinade
Equipment
- Plastic bags or baking dish
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
Instructions
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a bowl or glass measuring cup. Stir well to combine.
- Pour the marinade over the raw chicken breasts and let marinade for 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Cook the chicken how you like. Use the cooking guide in the post to determine cook times.
Notes
- This marinade recipe works for up to 6 chicken breasts.
- Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you are serving a crowd.
- This marinade also works for chicken thighs, chicken wings, and chicken drumsticks.
- You can marinade in a glass dish or in a plastic bag, whichever you prefer.
Christinne
Where is the cooking guide mentioned jn instruction step 3?
Dr. Erin Carter
In the post in the section titled "How to cook chicken"