This marinade for chicken is so versatile and perfect with any cut of chicken. It’s simple to make, all mixed up in a plastic bag without any mess. Allow chicken to marinade in this delicious mix for a few hours and you’ll have perfectly marinated Mexican chicken with great flavor, ready for all of your favorite recipes. We eat a lot of chicken at my house, and it can be tricky to come up with new ideas and flavors to go with chicken for multiple meals per week. Using chicken marinades makes the task of dinner so much easier. I also love that I can prep the meat in the marinade the night before and it’s ready to grill or bake at dinnertime the next day. Try this Mexican marinade to season a whole roast chicken, or a spatchcock chicken for a simple and impressive meal. If you need more ideas, check out my 6 chicken marinade recipes, they’re all super simple and delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Marinade for Chicken
Are you tired of regular ground beef tacos? Making chicken for tacos is a welcome swap and just as delicious and satisfying. Serve grilled chicken for tacos in soft corn tortillas and topped with guacamole and pico de gallo.
The flavors in this marinade are just so amazing. Warm spices, a bit of kick from chili powder, and the brightness of lime shine through. It tenderizes the chicken. Adding a marinade to grilled chicken makes it extra juicy and tender. The marinade for Mexican Chicken comes together in just a few minutes. We are simply adding all of the ingredients to a zip top bag with the chicken. No bowls, no whisk, and therefore very few dishes are needed. I love any recipe that doesn’t make me wash a lot of dishes. Simple ingredients. The ingredients for this marinade probably already live in your pantry. We’re putting together common spices to create a new, mouthwatering flavor mix.
Ingredients in Mexican Chicken Marinade
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Olive Oil – Oil is the main liquid ingredient in this Mexican marinade, and adds moisture to the meat. Garlic – Finely minced garlic gives a warm, savory flavor to the chicken. Fresh Lime Juice – Acid from the lime will tenderize the chicken as well as add a bright, fresh flavor. Chili Powder and Smoked Paprika – I love the mild heat and the smokey flavor that these spices add. Cumin – This warm spice just screams “tacos!”. It’s a necessity in any taco meat seasoning. Salt – for well-seasoned chicken for tacos. Cinnamon – This is optional, but I really like the way a bit of cinnamon makes this marinade different from any other I’ve tried.
How To Make Chicken For Tacos
What to Serve with Grilled Mexican Chicken
This chicken recipe is a fantastic base protein for so many different Mexican-style meals.
Make a filling burrito bowl with chicken, Cilantro Lime Rice, black beans, and my Lime Crema sauce. Shred or dice the grilled chicken and make chicken nachos. Top tortilla chips with your favorite cheese and chicken, then broil until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream or guacamole, and pineapple salsa when they come out of the oven. Serve Mexican grilled chicken with your favorite side dishes for a simple and delicious meal. I like grilled chicken with simple Roasted Potatoes and a nice fresh vegetable like Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli.
How to Store Chicken for Tacos
After cooking, allow the chicken to cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This grilled chicken is an amazing ingredient to add to lunches, use for meal prep, or create a quick taco dinner during the week. Cooking up a large batch of this on the weekend will save you tons of time during the week. I know you’re going to love this delicious and simple recipe for grilled chicken using my Mexican chicken marinade! Learning how to make this delicious chicken has made my dinner planning so much easier, and I hope it will do the same for you. Don’t forget to Pin this recipe for others to enjoy! © Little Sunny Kitchen
