The Best Grilled Chicken Tacos Marinade
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
5 mins
-
Cook Time
15 mins
-
Additional Time
30 mins
-
Total Time
50 mins
-
Servings
4 servings
-
Calories
293 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mexican
The Best Grilled Chicken Tacos Marinade
Description
The chicken is marinated in a blend of neutral oil, fresh lime juice and zest, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. This combination brings zest, mild heat, and subtle sweetness that permeates the meat over at least 30 minutes of chilling. After marinating, the chicken is grilled over medium heat until cooked through, then rested before slicing thinly.
Assembling the grilled chicken slices into taco-sized flour or corn tortillas alongside avocado, fresh cilantro, and corn salsa completes the dish, offering layered textures and complementary fresh, creamy, and crisp notes. The marinade’s balanced flavor ensures the chicken remains tender and well-seasoned without overpowering the toppings.
Besides tacos, the marinated grilled chicken works well in salads, burritos, or enchiladas, making it a versatile protein for multiple meals.
Marinate the chicken up to three hours for better flavor penetration, and discard any leftover marinade before grilling to avoid contamination. Resting the cooked chicken helps retain juices for tenderness.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast pounded to even thickness, boneless skinless
- 8-10 flour or corn tortillas, taco-sized
Marinade
- ⅓ cup neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- lime juice juice of 2 limes
- lime zest of 1
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Topping
- corn salsa toppings
- avocado
- cilantro
Instructions
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a large resealable bag, add marinade, and seal bag. Chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours.
- Remove chicken from bag and discard excess marinade. Grill over medium heat 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked through.
- Transfer chicken to a platter and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes. Thinly slice and serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours to develop flavor without compromising texture.
- Discard excess marinade before grilling to ensure food safety.
- Thinly slice chicken after resting for juicy, tender taco filling.
- This marinade is versatile and works well beyond tacos—in salads, burritos, or enchiladas.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 293 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 293kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 615mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 129mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 158IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
