This chicken fajita marinade is a blend of olive oil, lime juice and spices, all mixed together to form the perfect flavoring for zesty fajitas. You can also use this marinade to make Mexican style chicken for burritos, nachos, tacos and more!

Mexican food is favorite in my house, every week I find myself making steak tacos, chicken enchiladas or chicken fajitas. This fajita marinade takes just 5 minutes to put together and always gets rave reviews.

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Chicken fajita marinade served over sliced chicken and vegetables.

I have been making this chicken fajita marinade for many years – it’s my absolute favorite way to add flavor to plain old chicken breasts! This is the best method of enjoying restaurant style fajitas in the comfort of your own home.

How do you make chicken fajita marinade?

This marinade is a mixture of olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and onion powder. Whisk all of the ingredients together and you’ve got a simple yet flavorful marinade. Add chicken to the marinade, and let it sit in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. Cook your chicken as desired, along with peppers and onions, and you’ll have delicious fajitas to enjoy!

Assorted spices and herbs in bowls.

Tips for the perfect marinade

  • Be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice.
  • I use a mild chili powder, so I add 2 tablespoons to my marinade. If you’re using a chili powder that packs some heat, you may want to cut it back to 1 tablespoon.
  • Smoked paprika can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores and adds so much great flavor.
  • This recipe makes enough marinade to coat about 1 pound of chicken.
  • You can use chicken breasts, chicken thighs or chicken tenders in this marinade. I typically use chicken breasts that are cut into strips.
  • This marinade can be made up to 2 days before you plan to use it.

Sliced bell peppers and onions in a bowl.

How long can you marinate chicken?

This chicken should soak in the marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes, and a maximum of 8 hours. The marinade contains a large amount of lime juice, and the acid in the juice can change the texture of the chicken if it soaks for an extended period of time.

Sliced chicken and vegetables coated in fajita marinade.

Chicken fajita marinade variations

While I typically make this marinade as written, sometimes I add other ingredients to the mix depending on what I have on hand.

  • Herbs: Feel free to add a handful of fresh herbs such as chopped cilantro leaves or sliced green onion.
  • Spice: If you prefer a spicy marinade, add some hot sauce or minced canned chipotle peppers to taste.
  • Citrus: While lime juice is a classic pairing with Mexican food, you can add some lemon or orange juice to the mix for a different flavor.
  • Protein: This marinade also works with other types of protein such as shrimp, flank steak or pork tenderloin.

Fajitas made with chicken fajita marinade in flour tortillas.

You can’t go wrong with a good marinade! Whether you choose to grill, pan sear or bake your fajitas, the results will be perfect each and every time.

More Mexican food favorites

Chicken Fajita Marinade Video

5 from 154 votes

Chicken Fajita Marinade

AuthorSara Welch
Chicken fajita marinade served over sliced chicken and vegetables.
This chicken fajita marinade is a blend of olive oil, lime juice and spices, all mixed together to form the perfect flavoring for zesty fajitas. You can also use this marinade to make Mexican style chicken for burritos, nachos, tacos and more!
Time
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Marinating Time30 minutes
Total Time41 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1-2 tablespoons chili powder depending on the heat level of your chili powder. I use a mild chili powder so I do the full 2 tablespoons.
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

  • Place the olive oil, lime juice, water, sugar, kosher salt, cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, chili powder and pepper in a bowl.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Add 1 pound of sliced chicken, 1 1/2 cups sliced bell peppers and 1/2 cup sliced onions to the bowl and toss to coat.
  • Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 962IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Hello! I’m Sara!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I loved it! Delicious, even from my picky 4 year old. I tripled the ingredients for my 3 lbs of chicken thighs. My foodie hubs agreed with my 4 yr old. Yummm!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this tonight for the first timeโ€ฆ.WOW! Is all I can say! It is an excellent recipe for fajitas. Will definitely make on a regular basis.

  3. 5 stars
    Really good! Used a tad more lime juice, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of Chipotle powder. I cut up 1/2 onion, one yellow bell pepper, one red bell pepper, and a whole poblano. Yummy!!

  4. 5 stars
    Love this marinade! After making it countless times I have to leave a review. My first time making this the only ingredient I didn’t have on hand was the fresh lime juice, so I went with what I did have; mandarin cuties. Used the same amount as you would the lime (historically 3 cuties) and it came out SO GOOD. So good that we’ve done it the same way ever since! This is in heavy rotation at our house.