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–+ servings
A bowl of marinade on blue tile
Kate Ramos

The Best Mexican Chicken Marinade Recipe

This bold Mexican chicken marinade recipe is bursting with flavor and is incredibly easy to make. It makes mouthwatering grilled chicken but is also a great marinade for grilled mushrooms, zucchini, or even tofu. Mix up a batch and keep it in your fridge for when the grilling urge strikes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 1/2 cups marinade
Course: Condiments and Salsas
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 159
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  2. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or use it to marinate 2 pounds of chicken, vegetables, or any other protein.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 643mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g

Video

Notes

  1. Limes: You need lime zest and lime juice for this recipe. Zest the limes first, then squeeze them for the juice.
  2. Chili powder: I used ground Fresno chili powder but that can be hard to find. Feel free to substitute your favorite chili powder. For similar flavor I would use a basic chili powder or ancho chili powder. Chipotle chili powder will give it a spicier, smokier flavor.
  3. Marinating time: After several tests, I think the best marinating time is between 4-6 hours for chicken and 4 hours for vegetables. Any longer than 8 hours and the lime juice starts to denature the protein in the chicken and make it tough.
  4. Make Ahead Instructions: This marinade can be made up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to grill. You can also marinate and grill the chicken, then store that in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  5. Special equipment (affiliate links): Chef's Knife, Measuring Spoons, Mason Jar, Microplane Zester, Citrus Squeezer, Whisk

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