Mexican Chicken Marinade

Mexican chicken on a plate with cilantro sprinkled on top and citrus in background

This easy Mexican chicken marinade makes the juiciest, most flavorful breasts or thighs with cilantro, citrus, chili powder and spices.

Course dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Prep Time 10

Marinade Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings

Calories 334kcal

Author Christy Gurin

Equipment

1 Reusable Bag or bowl or other container
1 Fork
1 Measuring cups and spoons set

Ingredients

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular is fine too
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice a mandarin or tangerine works great too
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 lb. chicken breasts or thighs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large ziplock, reusable bag or bowl, add all of the ingredients except chicken and stir to mix well.
Trim any excess fat or skin from chicken. Poke holes with a fork in several places throughout each piece of chicken to allow the marinade to soak in deeper.
Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to evenly coat. Place back in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 2 hours and preferably 8 hours or more, up to 24 hours at most.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard marinade. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165° F (74° C). See Notes for cooking methods. Cooked chicken will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Grilling – Heat grill until it is hot (about 400-450° F or 205-230° C). Oil grill grates before placing chicken on them. Cook boneless skinless breasts and thighs for about 5-7 minutes per side and bone-in thighs for 10-12 minutes per side, moving to the less hot part of the grill about half way through cook time. Let grilled chicken sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it and serving.

Baking – To keep from drying out, rub or spray the chicken with olive oil before placing in the oven. Place boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs spaced out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in oven preheated to 375° for 20-25 minutes. For bone-in thighs, dry chicken skin with paper towels and then bake skin side up for 45-50 minutes, broiling for the last few minutes of cook time to make sure the skin gets crispy.

Stovetop – Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil to a large skillet over medium heat, tilting to make sure oil covers entire pan. Pat dry and then add boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs to pan and sear for 6-8 minutes before flipping and cooking for 4-6 minutes on other side until cooked through.

For bone-in thighs with skin on, dry chicken skin with paper towels and then place chicken skin side down in the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook chicken for 4-5 more minutes. Remove lid and flip each chicken piece over. Replace the lid back and cook for an additional 8-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through. If you want skin crispier, you can place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to crisp it up.

Air Fryer – To keep from drying out dry chicken skin with paper towels and then rub or spray the chicken with olive oil before placing in the air fryer. Place boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs spaced out in air fryer preheated to 375° for 8-15 minutes depending on the size. For bone-in thighs, cook for 12-18 minutes, depending on how big they are.

To Freeze – place chicken and marinade in a freezer safe bag and seal tightly. Place in freezer and freeze until ready to use. To defrost, place bag with chicken in the refrigerator overnight or defrost in a bowl of water on the counter for 1 hour.

Storage - store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave slicing larger pieces into smaller ones to heat evenly.

Nutrition