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–+ servings
Grilled chicken thighs, marinated in a zesty Mexican chicken marinade, garnished with lime wedges and fresh cilantro on a white plate.

Mexican Chicken Marinade (works with any cut, grilled or baked)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
A make-ahead marinade for any cut of chicken, with bake and grill times for boneless thighs, breasts, and bone-in thighs below. Freeze the raw chicken in the marinade, and it marinates as it thaws.

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, combine the cilantro, avocado oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and garlic.
    ½ cup cilantro, ¼ cup avocado oil, ¼ cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, oregano, and sea salt, 2 cloves garlic
    Overhead view of a glass bowl containing a vibrant mexican chicken marinade, with visible green herbs and a reddish-brown liquid.
  • Place the chicken in a shallow bowl or baking dish and pour the marinade over the top. Mix the chicken around a little so that it is well-coated in the marinade. Cover the chicken, put it into your fridge, and let it marinate for 30 minutes - 24 hours.
    2 lb chicken thighs or breast
    Raw, marinated chicken thighs are arranged in a white baking dish, coated in a vibrant Mexican chicken marinade with visible chopped herbs and seasoning.

Cook the chicken

  • Bake: Put the chicken and all of the marinade into a shallow baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, for 15 minutes for boneless thighs, 20-25 minutes for breast, and 35-45 minutes for bone-in thighs or drumsticks.
  • Grill: Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes for boneless thighs, 18-22 minutes for breast, and 30-40 minutes (over indirect heat) for bone-in thighs or drumsticks.
    Eight pieces of seasoned chicken, infused with a zesty Mexican chicken marinade, are grilling on a black barbecue grill, with flames visible under some of the pieces.

Optional: freeze the chicken

  • Put the raw chicken into freezer bags then pour the marinade over the top. Squish the bag around a little so that the chicken is coated in the marinade then seal the bag and put it into your freezer.

Notes

Avocado oil: You can substitute any neutral-flavored cooking oil. 
Store leftovers in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days. You can eat it cold (I love it sliced on a salad for lunch) or gently warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Serving: 1 = 5 ounces of chicken, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 586mg, Potassium: 608mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 536IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg