Mexican Chicken Marinade
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Total Time
10 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
67 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Condiments
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Cuisine
Mexican
Mexican Chicken Marinade
Description
The Mexican Chicken Marinade combines light olive or avocado oil with lime juice and a generous amount of fresh chopped cilantro, which lends a fresh herbaceous note. Garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper bring the classic smoky, earthy, and slightly spicy characteristics key to Mexican flavor. The chicken, either boneless skinless breasts or thighs, is thoroughly coated in this marinade and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, allowing the lime juice to tenderize the proteins and the spices to penetrate the meat.
You can cook the marinated chicken by baking at 400°F until reaching an internal temperature of 165°F, grilling, pan-searing, or air-frying, depending on your preference. These cooking methods seal in the marinade while delivering succulent, juicy chicken that carries the bright, tangy, and mildly spicy flavors impeccably.
The lime juice may cause the surface of the chicken to turn slightly white, which is normal and part of the marinating process. Resting the cooked chicken for several minutes before slicing helps retain the juices and improve texture. Optional fresh cilantro and lime wedges make for traditional garnishes, adding extra freshness and acidity at serving.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil light, or avocado oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ½ cup cilantro chopped, packed
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds chicken breast boneless skinless, or thighs
- cilantro optional garnishes, wedges
- lime optional garnishes, wedges
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag and add the chicken to the bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible and seal it. Squeeze the bag to coat the chicken pieces fully with the marinade. Place the bag flat in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- To cook the chicken, you can either bake it, grill it, cook it in a skillet on the stove or air fry it. - To Bake: Transfer the chicken and marinade into a large baking dish. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. - To Grill: Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat and brush with oil. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. - To cook in a skillet: Heat a skillet on the stove over medium high heat and add a little oil. Remove chicken from the marinade and cook in the skillet 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. - To air fry: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in air fryer basket. Cook 6 minutes, then flip with tongs and cook another 4-8 minutes until chicken is done.
- Garnish chicken with cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Recipe is sized for 2 pounds of chicken breast or thighs; adjust marinade quantities accordingly for different amounts.
- You can use any chicken cut suitable for your recipe: boneless skinless breasts or thighs work well with this marinade.
- Marinate between 30 minutes and 24 hours; longer marination can cause the chicken texture to become mushy due to lime juice.
- A slight whitening of the chicken surface during marination is normal from lime juice effects.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
- Allow cooked chicken to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing to let juices redistribute inside the meat.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 67 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 tablespoon (marinade only) | |
| Calories | 67kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 0.3g | 1% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Sodium | 300mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 38mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sugar | 0.2g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 228IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 13mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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