This Chicken Taco Marinade begins with marinating chicken (breasts or thighs) in a taco-inspired spice blend with olive oil and fresh lime juice. Marinade for Chicken Tacos is very easy to make and adds loads of flavor to the meat.
Quick Tip
What is Chicken Taco Meat Called?
Pollo means chicken in Spanish. When you see pollo (pronounced PO-yo) on menus, the chicken is typically marinated, grilled, and then cut into small pieces.
The BEST Chicken Taco Marinade
For the past couple of months, we have had a container of this delicious Taco Chicken in our fridge at all times. I typically grill up a whole bunch of chicken at the beginning of the week and we eat it that night for dinner. With the leftovers, Iโll chop or dice them and store them all in the fridge. That way, itโs ready to get thrown into meals throughout the week.
This has been such a lifesaver during busy summer days โ especially when we have activities in the morning and minimal time before afternoon engagements.
The boys love the leftover chicken tossed in a quick salad, taco, burrito, or quesadilla (all easy meals to throw together with already prepared and flavorful chicken!). They get on me to make more the minute itโs gone!
Chicken Thighs Or Breasts?
Either works in this Chicken Taco Marinade and there are pros and cons to each.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs deliver extremely tender meat, plus theyโre more forgiving (meat doesnโt dry out) if grilled or marinated a little too long.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are less forgiving (because they are a leaner type of meat), but can be wonderfully succulent when grilled correctly.
- If using breasts, slice breasts in half before marinating. Slice and/or pound your chicken breasts into evenly thick pieces before marinating. That way theyโll soak up all the delicious flavor from the marinade and theyโll cook evenly. We donโt want to pound the breasts to be flat, just to be an even thickness throughout. Even thickness means all parts of the chicken will be done at the same time. I really like this meat mallet, and hereโs a good YouTube video that illustrates the pounding process.
How Long Should I Marinate Chicken?
Many marinades suggest marinating for a long time, even overnight. But if thereโs citrus or acid (like lime juice in this Chicken Taco Marinade), keep it shorterโabout 2-3 hours, no more than 4 hours. Citrus can start โcookingโ the chicken, making it dry. Chicken thighs handle longer marinating better than breasts. If youโve seen ceviche, you know how citrus can โcookโ raw food!
Quick Tip
Even 30 minutes of marinating the chicken is effective. For a quicker marinating time, cut breasts in half horizontally to create 2 thin pieces. For thighs, poke a few holes using the tines of a fork. This will help the marinade penetrate the meat for a shorter marinating time.
Chicken Taco Marinade Grilling Tips
- This is an easy marinade โ youโll be amazed how quickly it comes together! That prep time is even quicker with a microplane for zesting the limes and then a citrus juicer for juicing them.
- Flip chicken while marinating. Throughout the marinating process, be sure to flip the bag of marinating chicken onto the other side. We donโt want just one side of the chicken getting flavorful!
- Generously oil your grill grates. I do this by rolling up a few paper towels, drenching them in oil (canola or vegetable), and using tongs, rubbing the drenched paper towels along the grill grates. This will contribute to a beautiful sear, and ensure the chicken doesnโt stick to the grates.
- Let the chicken rest. Tent with foil and let the chicken stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting in. This allows the juices to redistribute inside the chicken; this means juicier meat!
Variations
This citrusy Chicken Taco Marinade relies on limes, but you can also use lemons. You could even make this chicken taco marinade with orange juice (freshly squeezed โ not from concentrate).
How To Enjoy This Chicken
- As is! Dice it up and enjoy with some cooked quinoa, rice, cauliflower rice, or other carb and a diced avocado for some creaminess.
- In a burrito bowl. Dice the chicken and serve it over rice with some black beans, corn, cheese, and your favorite burrito bowl toppings (think sour cream, avocado or guacamole, pico de gallo).
- In a salad. Dice the chicken and serve over chopped romaine. Add some cherry tomatoes, avocado, black beans, corn, and tortilla strips; drizzle on this cilantro lime sauce or a cilantro-lime vinaigrette (like the one in this southwest quinoa salad).
- Added to a taco, burrito, quesadilla, tostada etc. This is such a great all-purpose chicken flavor and can be added to any of your favorites. Dice it up small and add to any of the recipes linked in this bullet point (replace the ground chicken in the tacos with this chicken and then simply add the chicken to the other linked recipes).
Side Dish Suggestions
Serve this Chicken Taco Marinade with one (or a few) of the following side dishes:
- A big green salad like this Garden Salad, Caesar Salad, or Olive Garden Salad.
- Some roasted veggies like these Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli, or Roasted Cauliflower.
- Chips and salsa
More Grilled Chicken Recipes:
- Grilled Curry Chicken with coconut milk
- Citrus Chicken Marinade with lime and orange juice
- Moroccan Chicken served over couscous
- Grilled Chicken Marinade our favorite all-purpose chicken marinade
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl with a two-ingredient sauce
Chicken Taco Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim the chicken breasts of fat and slice them evenly in half widthwise. Pound pieces to an even thickness (with a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan) to ensure even grilling. Place the prepared chicken in a large resealable bag and set aside. For thighs, trim excess fat and place in a large resealable bag.
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper). Whisk until smooth and remove 2 tablespoons of the mixture and set aside for later.
- Add the rest of the marinade to the bag with the chicken. Seal the bag, then knead with your hands to ensure all the chicken is well coated. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 30 minutes and preferably 2โ3 hours. Donโt marinate longer than 5 hours (acid from limes will start to dry out chicken).
- Preheat a grill to medium-high (about 450ยฐF.) Generously oil the grill (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates. Donโt skip this step.)
- Using tongs, pick up chicken from the bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Place chicken flat on the grill. Grill the chicken, turning only once halfway, about 4โ6 minutes per side (until the thickest part of the chicken registers 165ยฐF and the meat is nicely charred). When chicken is ready to flip, it should come off the grill grates easily (I use a metal spatula).
- Working quickly so the grill lid is closed as much as possible, baste the chicken with the reserved marinade as you grill and after flipping. Timing will vary based on the size of the chicken and the actual heat of the grill.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest 5โ10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Thinly slice or chop. Taste and add more salt if needed. Drizzle on some more lime juice and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super easy to make and tasted great in tacos. We will definitely be using this recipe regularly.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Cazz!
Extremely flavorless chicken marinade. Would not recommend this recipe.
Hm..did you change the recipe at all? Did you use fresh spices and enough salt and pepper?