The Ultimate Mexican Marinade for Chicken (or Skirt Steak)

Name: The Ultimate Mexican Marinade For Chicken (or Skirt Steak)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup red wine vinegar (or substitute white vinegar); ⅓ cup lime juice (freshly squeezed); ⅓ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed); 2 tbsp garlic (minced); ½ head of cilantro (roughly chopped); 1 medium onion (yellow); ½ red bell pepper (chopped in large chunks); 1-2 jalapenos (use 2 if you prefer spicier food); 1 tbsp cumin; 1 tbsp chili powder; 1 tbsp Mexican oregano; ¼ tsp ground cloves; 1½ tbsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp pepper

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Fresh ingredients, unbelievable flavor, and an easy blender process - this truly is the ultimate Mexican Marinade for Chicken (or Skirt Steak)! The final result makes for top notch tacos, burritos, Mexican bowls, nachos, and more.

Jar of grilled taco marinade with oranges, limes, and cilantro on the counter

I'm letting you in on a treasured family recipe today…. The Ultimate Mexican Marinade for Chicken (or Skirt Steak). Mexican food is highly favored in both our immediate and extended family. When we first made this marinade recipe from a small Mexican food website, we knew we'd found a winner for years to come (it's been 10 years since we first made it!). Unfortunately, that website no longer exists, but fortunately we printed it out before that site was gone.

There are many Mexican marinades for chicken out there, but we always come back to this one. Besides the fact that it is super simple to make (and only requires a blender), it always results in the most vibrant, delicious flavor… it wows us every time! Plus, it is equally good on chicken or skirt steak, depending on what you have on hand.

Keep this one on hand as part of your Game Day Recipes collection- it's always a crowd-pleaser!

Absolutely delicious flavor. Never using another marinade recipe again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Tabitha

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Ingredients for Mexican marinade for chicken
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make Mexican marinade for chicken
For a crowd
What to serve with grilled Mexican chicken
FAQs
Other Mexican Recipes
Tips and tricks
Recipe
Comments

Ingredients for Mexican marinade for chicken

Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil. Olive oil can be too flavorful for this recipe.
Red wine vinegar: Or you can substitute with white vinegar.
Lime juice: Fresh squeezed is a must (none of that pre-juiced concentrate).
Orange juice: 👆Fresh squeezed is always better here. The citrus juice adds flavor but also tenderizes the meat.
Garlic: Minced or roughly chopped.
Cilantro: Remove most of the stems before using.
Onion: A yellow onion lends great flavor without being too sweet.
Red bell pepper: Choose a firm, well-colored pepper for the best flavor.
Jalapeños: Leave the seeds in for flavor. If you want it a bit spicier, use two jalapeños instead of one.
Cumin: Ground cumin, not cumin seeds.
Chili powder: Just regular chili powder (smoked chili powder is not the best here).
Mexican oregano: Mexican oregano is from a different plant than typical oregano and lends a different flavor to the marinade.
Ground cloves: A little goes a long way to add another dimension of flavor.
Salt: Kosher salt, as always.
Pepper: Simple ground pepper.

Helpful kitchen tools

How to make Mexican marinade for chicken

I cannot say enough how easy this marinade is…. but I think this picture says it all! Give all the large vegetables a quick, rough chop. Then throw all the ingredients in a blender (affiliate) and blend until mostly smooth (it will still have some texture to it, so don't worry about it being perfectly smooth).

If you don't have a blender you can use a food processor. Just be sure not to overfill it.

Marinade ingredients in the blender before blending (left) and after blending (right).

And that's it! This recipe makes about 3 ½ cups of marinade, which can safely marinate 5-6 pounds of meat. I prefer to marinade the meat in a large resealable plastic bag. For big flavor with excellent results, marinate the meat for 8 hours or overnight before grilling.

Close up of jar of Mexican Chicken Marinade.

For a crowd

Marinades are the best for serving crowds ... just double or triple the recipe depending on how much meat you need. My only word of warning is to make sure a double or triple recipe will fit in your blender. If not, just make 2-3 batches separately.

What to serve with grilled Mexican chicken

First and foremost, this easy Mexican chicken marinade recipe makes super flavorful tacos. I prefer to serve these tacos "street style" with diced onions, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime on top. This meat is also excellent in burritos, Mexican bowls, and loaded nachos (think cheese, black beans, salsa, sliced jalapeños, sour cream … so good!).

For more sides to serve with:

Pico de gallo
Mango Salsa
Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa
Taco Salsa
Green Enchiladas
Refried beans or black beans
Cilantro Lime Rice or Pineapple Rice (with cilantro and lime!)
Mexican Rice Recipe

FAQs

What kind of meat is chicken Mexican marinade good on?

Of course, chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs, but skirt steak is also excellent in this marinade.

How long does this marinade last in the fridge?

It will last up to 1 week in the fridge. Store in a jar or airtight container to keep it fresh as long as possible.

Can I freeze this marinade?

Yes! My favorite way to use the marinade is to pour it over the chicken or skirt steak in a zip-top bag and freeze it. It's a great recipe for meal prep!

How to grill mexican marinated chicken (or steak)?

The best way to cook chicken for tacos is to use an outdoor grill. It is great on either a charcoal grill or a gas grill. For juicy chicken and nice grill marks start with a hot grill between medium heat and high heat, leaving some of the surface area without any heat for indirect cooking. Start by placing the pieces chicken on the hot side of the grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes a side. Then move to the indirect side of the grill. Allow it to finish cooking until a meat thermometer registers the internal temperature at 165º.

Follow the same procedure for cooking skirt steak. Remove when meat is done to your likeness

Grilled chicken and steak on platter with other taco ingredients surrounding it.

Other Mexican Recipes

Perfectly Seasoned Black Beans - A fantastic way to use dried beans! Make them in the Instant Pot or slow cooker for a hands-off side dish.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Shredded Beef Recipe - This easy recipe makes a great Mexican bowl or tacos.
Cilantro Lime Rice - A simple but dynamic flavor combo that is worth every last bite!
Chicken Tortilla Soup - The most requested soup in our family, hands-down. Flavorful, healthy, and soul-comforting.
Honey Lime Shredded Chicken - Another chicken recipe with outstanding flavor.
Chicken Fajitas - After marinating, it can all be done in under 20 minutes!
Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Tacos- the yummiest slow cooker chicken tacos. So easy and delicious!

Tips and tricks

Use the freshest ingredients possible for the best flavor. Freshly juiced limes and oranges, especially, make a big impact on the end result.
Although you can marinate the meat for only 8 hours, it becomes significantly more flavorful when you marinate it overnight. Shoot for overnight if possible.