A delicious year-round marinade, this Mexican Chicken Marinade is perfect for any cut of grilled or pan-fried chicken!

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A zesty and smoky marinade made with mainly pantry staples, this Mexican Chicken Marinade makes any cut of chicken ultra juicy! Whether you have 30 minutes or 8 hours to marinade, I give you tips for flavorful and succulent chicken every time!

Spice up your dinner routine with my new favorite chicken marinade: this Mexican Chicken Marinade!

This time of year is always the time of year that I go back to the drawing board, wondering what marinades to grill with. There’s something about it being almost a whole year since I last fired up the grill that causes me to almost forget all of the grilling I did the previous year.

Am I the only one who does this?! Please tell me I’m not alone.

This year, to help save from this conundrum next year, I’m determined to record my recipes and file them here on the site so I can come back to them.

I’m also whipping up some new recipes to keep the rotation fresh. After all, I want to do everything I can to help us all make the very most out of my time outside this summer, given who cooped up we’ve been this spring!

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Some of my favorite flavors lately have been Mexican-inspired. I mean, don’t even ask how many days in the last two weeks I’ve eaten breakfast tacos for brunch or lunch. 😬 Also, I’ve been pretty much living on Taco Tator Tot Casserole. There’s something so lively and versatile about Mexican seasonings; comfort food that can still be on the healthier side.

I also love to make up a big batch of chicken fajitas or taco meat and serve them in various ways throughout the week. On said breakfast tacos, on rice bowls, in quesadillas, or burritos — you name it.

These Mexican marinated chicken breasts (or thighs!) are just the same. I served them for dinner for the two of us with grilled corn and tortillas and enjoyed them the next day with a quinoa bowl. The following day, I made a quesadilla with the chicken. Can I tell you what a great week it’s been?!

So, grill (outside or on the stovetop) this chicken up and enjoy it (and meal prep victory!) for a few days to come, Or, introduce it to your crew at your next barbecue or cookout and I have a good feeling you’ll have a memorable chicken marinade for the years to come. 😍

This Mexican Chicken Marinade is…

• Zesty
• Herby
• Smoky
• Just slightly spicy
• Made with mainly pantry staples

… And makes chicken that is…

• Juicy
• Tender
• Succulent
• Perfect for tacos, quesadillas, burritos
• Delicious served on its own
• Great for barbecues and cookouts
• Crave-worthy on the stovetop
• Easily doubled or tripled
• Crowd-pleasing

Whether you’re looking for a fourth of July grilling recipe, or just another chicken recipe to add to your family’s weekly rotation, this versatile and delicious chicken marinade recipe is for you!

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Marinade ingredients:

For this marinade, we will need…

• Olive oil — extra virgin olive oil will provide the best flavor
• Garlic — minced fresh garlic is best, but canned minced garlic will also suffice
• Ground Cumin & Dried Oregano — such delicious Mexican flavors!
• Lime juice — fresh juice has great flavor, but you can also use bottled juice
• Canned chipotles in adobo sauce — see my notes below on where to find this!
• Chicken
• Cilantro — a classic Mexican herb; if you don’t like cilantro you can omit this and the dish will still be delicious

What type of oregano is best for this recipe?

You can use Mediterranean oregano — the type of oregano that is most common here in the United States — but dried Mexican oregano is best for this recipe. The flavor profile is more citrusy, making it perfect for this marinade.

You can find Mexican oregano in most bodega grocery stores and you can also find Mexican oregano online at Amazon.

Where do you find canned chipotles in adobo?

Canned chipotles in adobo can be found in most major grocery stores here in the United States. It’s often sold in about 7 ounce containers. You can also find it at most bodega grocery stores and online on Amazon.

What do you do with leftover canned chipotles?

You can do so many things with canned chipotles. You can use the leftovers in another recipe like chili, stir some pureed chipotles into barbecue sauce to make it smokier, or even stir some into a bloody mary.

If you don’t want to use your chipotles right away, you can put them in a freezer safe container or a freezer Ziploc bag and they will last in the fridge for up to 2 months.

A quick hack for chopping up the chipotles & cilantro:

This is one of my favorite kitchen tips! Easily chop up your chipotles and your cilantro by placing them in small dishes or cups and chopping them up with kitchen shears.

For the chipotles, it is a lot less messy way to chop them up; for the cilantro leaves, it is just a much easier way to mince the herbs.

Does this marinade work for chicken breasts and thighs?

Yes, you can marinate chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or even chicken drumsticks in this marinade.

The smaller the cut of meat, the less time it will need to marinate (more on that below), so keep that in mind when choosing your meat.

You can also use bone-in chicken breasts and thighs (see my notes on that, too. 🙂

How long do you need to marinate the chicken?

You can marinate the chicken anywhere from 30 minutes – 8 hours. The longer you marinate the chicken, the better, though you can still get great flavor with 30 minutes.

For the best flavor with minimal marinating, use smaller cuts of chicken like chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or cut your chicken breasts into halves or thirds.

For bone-in breasts and thighs you will want to marinate them on the longer side — around 6-8 hours.

How do you make this marinated chicken?

1. Whisk up all the marinade ingredients in a medium to large size mixing bowl until combined.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade (or, add the chicken to a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over) and turn the chicken in the marinade until covered.
3. Zip up the bag or cover the bowl and let the chicken marinade for 30 minutes – 8 hours.
4. Preheat the grill or a grill pan on a stove top to medium to medium-high heat. Spray the grill pan with non-stick spray if using.
5. Add the chicken to the grill or grill pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the juices run clear.
6. Remove the chicken from the heat and place on a plate. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, let it rest for 3-5 minutes and serve warm!

What tools do you need to make this marinade?

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Kitchen shears
• Lime juicer
• Grill or grill pan
• Grill turners or grill pan spatula
• Meat thermometer

Can you double or triple this recipe?

Yes, this recipe is very easily doubled or tripled (or multiplied by any factor!). Just multiply each ingredient by the multiple you’d like and follow the recipe as directed.

How do you serve this chicken?

There are so many great ways to serve this chicken. Here are some of my favorites I like to serve it:

• With grilled corn & a romaine salad
• In tacos: on toasted tortillas with salsa and sour cream
• In quesadillas: slice the chicken up and tuck it with a shredded Mexican cheese blend between two toasted tortillas before toasting it on a non-stick griddle
• In a burrito
• With a light Mexican lager beer like Pacifico, Modelo, Corona, or Dos Equis

How long does this chicken last?

Store leftovers of this chicken covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Can you freeze this chicken?

The chicken also freezes well. You can freeze the raw chicken in the marinade a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.

You can also freeze already cooked chicken in an airtight container for 1-2 months.

Other grilling and Mexican-inspired recipes you might enjoy:

• Chicken Fajitas
• Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Taco Tater Tot Casserole
• Spicy Honey Chicken Marinade
• Black Bean Breakfast Enchiladas
• Asian Sesame Chicken Thighs
• Tri-Tip Steak Marinade
• Grilled Cabbage and Cauliflower Salad
• Grilled Corn Salad with Chickpeas

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Yield: 5-6 servings

Mexican Chicken Marinade

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Marinating Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes

A delicious year-round marinade, this Mexican Chicken Marinade is perfect for any cut of grilled or pan-fried chicken!

Print

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (or 2 large cloves) minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano*
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (or the juice from 1 large lime)
• 2.5 tablespoons diced canned chipotles with adobo sauce
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs or bone-in chicken drumsticks**
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Lime slices

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, garlic, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and chipotles in adobo sauce until combined.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade (or, add the chicken to a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over) and turn the chicken in the marinade until covered.
3. Zip up the bag or cover your mixing bowl and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to 8 hours,***
4. Preheat your grill to medium to medium-high heat or your stovetop grill pan to medium or medium heat. If using, spray your grill pan with non-stick spray.
5. Once your grill or grill pan is heated, add the chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping every 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the chicken juices run clear.
6. Remove the chicken from the grill and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and garnish with lime slices. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Notes

This recipe is very easily doubled or tripled (or multiplied by any factor!). Just multiply each ingredient by the multiple you'd like and follow the recipe as directed.

Store leftovers of this chicken covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The chicken also freezes well. You can freeze the raw chicken in the marinade a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months or you can freeze already cooked chicken in an airtight container for 1-2 months.

If you're having trouble finding canned chipotles, you can find them on Amazon.

*For best results, use dried Mexican oregano.

** You can also use this marinade on bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, but they will take 4-5 minutes longer -- or an extra flip of the chicken -- to cook.

*** The longer you marinate the chicken, the better, but if you're short on time you can still get good flavor. Just use a smaller cut of meat like chicken thighs or chicken tenders or cut your chicken breasts in half or in thirds. This will help the marinade penetrate the chicken faster. If you use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs you will want to marinate them 6-8 hours.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 392Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 176mgSodium 442mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 56g

This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.

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