Citrus Chicken Fajita Marinade Recipe

what makes a great chicken fajita marinade?

The key to a delicious fajita recipe is vibrant, bold flavors that season both the meat, onions, and bell peppers. 

For this recipe the ingredients are marinated in all the bright, cheery flavors of winter’s last citrus and then cooked on the grill (preferably outdoors) for a smoky finish.

It’s also important to give the chicken and vegetables at least a few good hours of marinating time, it will really make all the difference.

The orange, lemon, and lime juice flavors will increase exponentially as it sits, leaving the meat tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.

marinade ingredients

Obviously we’re going to use lots and lots of juicy citrus fruits but there are a few other ingredients you’ll need: 

• Citrus! For this recipe I used the zest and juice from oranges, lemons, and limes but you could also use grapefruit or tangerines too. A microplane grater is key for easily removing the zest. 
• Olive oil
• Spices. I use chili powder, salt and pepper—that’s it!
• Chicken. This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they are healthy and quick to cook, but you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
• Onions and bell peppers.
• Tortillas for serving. Flour tortillas are traditional but warm corn tortillas are great too!

prep tips

Before you get started, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you heat the grill. 

Light a charcoal or gas grill and heat to medium high heat. You can also cook these on a grill pan like pictured above. 

Grill the chicken, onions, and peppers until cooked all the way through. Grill chicken until it reads 160°F on an instant read thermometer to be sure its cooked all the way through. 

this fajita marinade is also great on: 

• flank steak
• pork chops
• salmon or Alaskan cod
• zucchini, eggplant, or mushrooms
• shrimp or scallops

how to serve 

You could definitely slice the chicken and vegetables up and put them on top of a crisp salad or rice bowl but we love them best as tacos. 

To make tacos, you will need warm tortillas. 

In Texas, where fajitas are from, flour tortillas are the norm, but corn tortillas are great too. I usually do a mixture of both. 

To heat tortillas you will need to warm them in a dry, hot comal or cast iron skillet. Lay as many tortillas as will fit in a single layer in the hot comal and cook a minute or so on each side until lightly toasted and warmed through. 

Remove and keep warm in a tortilla warmer or wrapped tightly in a clean kitchen towel until ready to eat. 

As for what to put on top, the sky’s the limit.

Avocado slices? Sure. Guacamole? Even better. Sour cream, salsa, sliced jalapeños, and radishes? If you want.

I liked my fajitas light and fresh with just a sprig or two of cilantro and a dousing of fresh lime juice but you can top away to your heart’s content.

what to serve with these fajitas

• Crock Pot Borracho Beans Recipe
• Sweet Potato Nachos with Smoked Cheddar and Black Beans
• Raspberry-Prickly Pear Agua Fresca
• Roasted Beet Salad with Green Chiles and Lime
• Cilantro-Lime Corn
• Super Simple Salsa Verde
• Spiced Fig Tequila Sour Cocktail

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