This simple Chicken Fajita Marinade is your ticket to a flavor-packed fajita night. I used a bold blend of dried herbs and spices, fragrant aromatics, and fresh citrus to infuse the chicken with mouthwatering Tex-Mex flavors and plenty of moisture. The marinade comes together in less than 5 minutes and works with any cut of chicken.
Chicken is definitely the most popular protein in my kitchen. It’s lean, versatile, and the perfect choice for all of our favorite Mexican-inspired dishes, from this bold Chicken Tinga to these crowd-pleasing Chicken Enchiladas to classic chicken fajitas. My secret to restaurant-quality chicken? It all begins with a flavorful marinade.
Chicken Fajita Marinade
If you want to make restaurant-worthy chicken fajitas at home, a good marinade is the best place to start. This fajita marinade recipe is made from a handful of savory, warming spices and fresh citrus to tenderize the chicken and infuse every bite with mouthwatering, zesty flavors.
I included directions for making the marinade in a bowl and a blender. Both methods are simple to follow and give you a zesty marinade in less than 10 minutes. Better yet, it’s a perfect fit for any cut of chicken you like, from chicken breasts to drumsticks, and fills the meat with Tex-Mex flavors in as little as 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
After marinating the chicken, follow the steps to pan-sear or grill the chicken. Whichever method you choose, the outcome is juicy, flavorful chicken with that irresistibly smoky char. All that’s left to do is slice it up and serve it fajita-style in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Seasonings — I used dried oregano, chili powder, ground coriander, cumin, coarse salt, and ground black pepper for that signature Tex-Mex flavor. Add a pinch of cayenne if you want a little extra heat.
- Aromatics — Garlic cloves and shallots give the marinade layers of savory flavor. If you’re missing shallots, use red onion instead.
- Limes — I used both freshly squeezed lime juice and lime zest. The zest adds a vibrant citrusy punch that penetrates the chicken more deeply than the juice alone.
- Honey — You can use honey, maple syrup, or agave.
- Oil — Any neutral oil, like avocado or canola oil, can be used. Olive oil works fine for the bowl method, but it can become bitter when blitzed in a blender.
- Chicken — This marinade works with any cut of chicken. However, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are ideal for classic fajitas since they cook quickly and are easier to slice than bone-in cuts.
How to Make the Best Chicken Fajita Marinade
Bowl method: I whisk the marinade ingredients (except the oil) in a medium bowl. Slowly, I drizzle in the oil while whisking until it’s emulsified. Next, I add the chicken to the bowl and coat every piece. I cover the bowl, then place it in the refrigerator to let the chicken marinate.
Blender method: I blend the marinade ingredients on high until the marinade is emulsified. I pour the marinade into a bowl, add the chicken, and mix to coat the cuts. Just like with the bowl method, I refrigerate the chicken to give it time to marinate.
How to Pan-Sear Marinated Chicken
Preheat: I heat the oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear: I add the chicken to the skillet and sear it for 6 to 7 minutes per side or until the outside gets nice and golden-brown. Once cooked, I let the chicken rest for a few minutes to help lock in the juices. Afterward, I slice it into strips before serving it in the fajitas.
How to Grill Marinated Chicken
Preheat: I preheat the grill to medium to medium-high heat (about 325 to 350°F).
Grill: I place the chicken on the grill and grill it for 6 to 7 minutes per side with the lid closed. For those coveted grill marks, I give the chicken a 90-degree turn halfway through cooking the first side. Like with pan-searing, I let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef TIPS + Notes
It’s important not to rush the marinating process when preparing marinated chicken for fajitas. For a good amount of fajita flavor, soak the chicken for at least 2 hours. To really take it over the top and make the meat extra juicy, soak the chicken for 24 hours. Just don’t marinate chicken for longer than 48 hours, or else the proteins in the meat will begin to break down.
- Cut the aromatics in half when blending: Blending the marinade will intensify the aromatics and throw off the balance of flavors. To prevent this, only use 2 garlic cloves and a quarter of the shallot when following the blender method.
- How to safely reuse leftover chicken marinade: I usually discard the leftover marinade since it has been in contact with raw chicken. If you’d like to reuse it as a sauce or glaze, boil it for at least 5 minutes to kill harmful bacteria and avoid the risk of foodborne illness.
- Use a meat thermometer: After cooking, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken to ensure the internal temperature has reached 165°F for white meat (breasts) or 175°F for dark meat (thighs or drumsticks). If you don’t have a thermometer, cut into the thickest part to make sure the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
- Use it for other fajita meats: This versatile marinade also works with shrimp and steak. Adjust the marinating time—shrimp only needs 15 to 30 minutes, while steak (particularly flank or skirt steak) benefits from 12 to 24 hours.
Serving Suggestions
Half the fun of making chicken fajitas is personalizing each one. I always pile the juicy chicken strips into flour or corn tortillas before loading them with grilled onions and peppers, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and/or a squeeze of fresh lime.
The fajitas are pretty filling as is, but I’ll never say no to a few Mexican-inspired sides. Mexican rice is one of my go-tos, while tortilla chips with salsa are always a hit with the kids.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Prepare the marinade up to 2 days in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to combine it with the chicken.
How to Store: If you have extra marinade that hasn’t touched raw chicken, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for up to 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Chicken Fajita Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons dry oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 finely grated garlic cloves
- ½ peeled finely grated shallot
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 3 limes, about 6 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- ½ cup Olive oil or neutral flavored oil
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoon of coarse salt
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Up to 3 pounds of chicken – breast, thighs, drums, or wings
Instructions
Bowl Procedures:
- Add all the ingredients but the oil and chicken to a medium-sized bowl.
- Next, slowly drizzle in the oil while continually whisking until it becomes emulsified.
- Add the chicken directly to the bowl and thoroughly mix, or transfer the marinade and the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and mix to combine.
- Marinate it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours, or up to 48 hours if necessary.
Blender Procedures:
- For these procedures, use half the amount of garlic and shallots. Note: When blending, it’s good to use a neutral-flavored oil, as olive oil can turn bitter.
- Add all the ingredients but the chicken to a blender and blend on high speed until emulsified.
- Transfer the marinade to a bowl along with the chicken, and thoroughly mix, or transfer the marinade and the chicken to a resealable plastic bag and mix to combine.
- Marinate it in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours. You can push it to 48 hours if you have to.
Cooking Procedures:
- To Pan Sear: I usually use a non-stick skillet and add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Turn the heat up to medium-high and place the chicken in the pan. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Be sure to keep an eye on the heat; you don’t want things to burn, you want the chicken and marinade ingredients to brown up just like this. If you notice things are browning too quickly, then turn the heat down. White chicken meat should be at 165° F before removing, and dark meat should be at 175° F before removing. Take the chicken out of the pan and rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
- To Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, which is approximately 325 to 350 degrees F. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, with the grill door shut. On the first seared side, I like to give it a 90-degree rotation halfway through just to give it those coveted grill marks, like this. Finish it up on the grill until they’re cooked through. White chicken meat should be at 165° F before removing, and dark meat should be at 175° F before removing. Take the chicken off the grill and rest for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
Chicken Fajita Marinade Recipe