Quick Chicken Fajita Marinade

Want to make the best chicken fajitas at home tonight? Use this quick and easy chicken fajita marinade and make it happen!

You can even use this marinade for basting grilled or baked chicken, veggies, skewers, even other proteins like seafood and beef!

20-minutes is all it takes to infuse your chicken with the classic flavors of the restaurant-style recipe!

You’re probably here for fajitas, so I’m going to give you all the tips I know to make the best chicken fajitas that are tender, juicy, and delicious at home.

Chicken Fajita Marinade Ingredients

This fajita marinade adds to the chicken and veggies with fresh lime juice, paprika, and chili spices. Here’s everything you need to make it: 

• Olive oil
• Fresh lime juice
• Salt
• Dried oregano
• Cumin powder
• Garlic powder
• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Serve with: Roasted Peppers and Onions

How to Make Fajita Marinade

This is a super easy marinade that comes together in less than a minute. Grab a bowl, a whisk, and those marinade ingredients because we are about to make this: 

1. To a medium bowl, add the olive oil, lime juice, and seasonings. Whisk until incorporated. 
2. Transfer the marinade to a large zip bag or airtight container and add the prepped chicken. Seal, marinate and cook. 

How easy is that?! You can even watch how this recipe comes together in the video below:

How Long to Marinate Chicken for Fajitas

When it comes to fajita marinade, the chicken should marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and no more than 24 hours. After a day, the lime juice will begin “cooking” the meat and make it tough.

Using citrus juices such as lime or lemon in marinades is effective because the acids enter the meat quickly, giving more flavor in a shorter amount of time than soy-based marinades. This recipe and my Lemon Chicken Marinade prove it and are often used to cook chicken fast.

Prepping Your Marinated Chicken for Fajitas

To make perfect chicken fajitas, I start with butterflying the chicken breasts; this ensures that every slice will be the same thickness and cook faster without drying out. 

Next, you’ll slice the chicken halves into thin strips, making sure to go against the grain, which is the real secret behind tender pieces of cooked meat. 

Don’t know how? Check out this video where I show you how to slice protein against the grain.

After your marinade, you can easily cook your chicken and get tasty fajitas like these!

Check out this post for directions on cooking chicken fajitas

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