Chicken Fajita Marinade
This Chicken Fajita Marinade only takes a few minutes to throw together! Make this simple marinade with fresh citrus juices and the perfect combination of seasonings. Flavorful chicken fajitas are just around the corner!
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Simple Chicken Fajita Marinade Recipe
Mexican food has a special place in my heart, and I have loved perfecting my recipes for it over the years. After so many attempts at making chicken fajitas at home, I realized that marinating the chicken was the key to success.
This is my favorite fajita marinade yet. The orange juice and lime juice help to tenderize the chicken and the spices give it lots of flavor. You can use chicken thighs for dark meat or lean chicken breasts for a lower fat content.
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Marinating meat before you grill it locks in flavor and helps keep the meat juicy and tender. It's the easiest technique to make fajitas that are restaurant quality! While I typically use this recipe for chicken fajitas, you can marinate steak or shrimp (or all three!) in it too.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
This is the best chicken fajita marinade and it's so incredibly easy to make. I'll never turn down flavorful fajitas, especially when the marinade is so simple:
- It's reliable. This homemade marinade recipe produces juicy chicken every time!
- This fresh marinade is better than store-bought and has ingredients you can pronounce.
- You can make this chicken fajita marinade ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you need it.
Ingredients
Before you go to the grocery store, check this ingredient list so you know what you'll need to grab to make the best chicken fajitas:
- avocado oil or olive oil
- orange juice
- lime juice
- lime zest
- salt
- dried oregano
- garlic powder
- ground cumin
- chili powder
- paprika
Substitutions and Variations
Swap the citrus: You can use lemon juice and and lemon zest in place of fresh lime juice and lime zest. The flavor will be different, but it will still give it the nice tang the acidic ingredient is supposed to!
Make it spicy: Give these fajitas a little kick by adding a pinch of black pepper, red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the marinade. You can even throw in some hot sauce!
Vary the veggies: Bell peppers and onions are my favorite fajita veggies, but you could also use sliced jalapeño peppers for more flavor and some extra spice!
How to Make a Chicken Fajita Marinade
Follow these step-by-step instructions to make a zesty fajita marinade and then marinate the chicken perfectly:
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for this easy chicken fajita marinade in small bowl or glass measuring cup. You can also place ingredients into a mason jar and shake well.
- Place chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts into a plastic bag or large bowl. Then slice up bell peppers and onions and place them into the bag or bowl of chicken.
- Pour the easy marinade over the chicken and vegetables and allow it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook according to your favorite method! You can grill the chicken, cook it on the stove or even roast it in the oven.
Hot Tip: The longer your chicken marinates, the more flavor it will have! However, do not let your chicken marinate more than 24 hours or the acidity of all of the citrus juices can start to break down the meat and affect the texture of the chicken.
How to Cook Marinated Chicken Fajitas
Once you've marinated the chicken, you can grill it, cook it on the stove or even roast in the oven.
Grilling: Preheat grill to medium-high and clean the grates. Lightly oil or rub with half an onion to prevent sticking. Grill chicken 7-8 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes, then slice and serve on tortillas with fajita veggies and toppings.
Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange marinated chicken on a lined baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Stovetop: Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a little oil. Cook chicken 6-8 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Rest a few minutes, then slice and serve.
Always check the temperature!
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to verify the meat is cooked all the way. The thermometer should read 165°F (74°C) when the chicken is done.
How to Store Leftover Marinade
First, let me tell you that it is important that you only store reserved marinade. In other words, do not reuse marinade that has touched any raw chicken. Any marinade that is leftover from the chicken must be discarded, but if you set some aside before you use it, you can store it for later or even freeze it.
Store leftover fajita chicken marinade in a mason jar or cup with an airtight lid. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Give the marinade a good shake to incorporate the ingredients before using.
What to Serve with Marinated Chicken Fajitas
After perfectly marinating and cooking your grilled chicken fajitas, serve them on warm flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Don't forget all of your favorite fajita toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, salsa, and even an extra squeeze of lime juice. Warm tortillas before building the fajita for best results!
Side dishes like traditional Mexican rice and refried beans are perfect to go alongside fajitas. Corn and tomato salad and grilled zucchini and squash would also pair wonderfully with fresh chicken fajitas.
You can also serve this best chicken fajita recipe over rice as a fajita bowl - with all your favorite toppings - or even on a bed of lettuce as a fajita salad. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is also a great way to make a low-carb meal, or your can grab some low-carb tortillas!
Check out my post on what to eat with fajitas for more ideas to serve with this easy recipe!
Tips for Success
Check out these few simple tips so that your chicken fajita marinade turns out delicious every single time:
- Squeeze fresh orange juice to give this citrus marinade an extra fresh flavor. Bottled orange juice will work, but fresh orange juice has a much better flavor.
- Use an instant read thermometer so that you can quickly get an accurate read on the internal temperature of your chicken.
- You can cook the peppers and onions on the grill alongside the chicken. Just use a grill basket or aluminum foil to hold the strips. You can also leave the veggies cut in halves to cook directly on the grill. Instead of grilling, you can broil the veggies on low in the oven while you are grilling.
FAQ
375°F (190°C) to 400°F (20°C) is the perfect temperature range to grill fajitas. Use an infrared thermometer to read the temp before adding the chicken to the grill grates.
Yes! Use a big skillet on the stove top and cook the chicken to a safe internal temperature. For best results, use a large cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet! Additionally, you can use a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Slice the chicken before adding it to the pan and cook at 425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes.
More Chicken and Marinade Recipes
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- BBQ Chicken Rub
- Italian Marinade for Pork Chops
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Did you make this recipe?
If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Chicken Fajita Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil or olive oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup lime juice freshly squeezed from 4 limes
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 pounds chicken such as breasts or thighs
- 2 cups vegetables such as sliced onion and bell pepper strips
Instructions
- Whisk together the ½ cup avocado oil, ¼ cup orange juice, ½ cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder and ½ teaspoon paprika in a small bowl or measuring glass, or add to a mason jar and shake well.
- Place the 2 pounds chicken and 2 cups vegetables in a bag or large airtight container. Pour the marinade over top and seal. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill and clean the grill grates. Place the marinated chicken onto the grill and the vegetables in a grill basket. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Notes
Nutrition
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