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Glass measuring cup of Mexican chicken marinade surrounded by fresh ingredients like bell peppers.

Mexican Chicken Marinade Recipe

Contributor: Christine Pittman

This recipe makes enough marinade for 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Marinate: 90 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Marinade
  • Method: Blended
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 jalapeño, stem removed
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced*
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Measure all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Puree until you have a smooth mixture without chunks.
  2. Add chicken to the marinade. Marinate chicken strips or bite-sized pieces for 1 hour. Marinate medium-sized chicken pieces (such as 4 ounce chicken thighs or 6 ounce chicken breasts) for 90 minutes. Marinate larger pieces for 2 hours. (Note that marinating for longer can lead to salty chicken.)
  3. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Do not season the chicken with salt before cooking.

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Notes

*Or use 2 Tbsp. of lime juice.