Fajita Marinade
This bright, tangy fajita marinade uses fresh lime, garlic, and warm spices to enhance steak or chicken in minutes, perfect for quick dinners or backyard grilling.
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 2 limes 2 limes, juiced (about 2–3 tablespoons fresh lime juice)
- 4 cloves 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup olive oil Can substitute with avocado oil for higher smoke point.
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper until uniformly combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to create a loose emulsion that will coat the meat evenly.
- Place 1–2 pounds of steak or chicken in a resealable plastic bag or nonreactive container. Pour the marinade over the meat.
- Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag, or cover the container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; ideally a few hours or up to overnight.
- Remove the meat from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to take off the chill. Discard used marinade that has touched raw meat or boil it for at least 5 minutes if you intend to use it as a sauce.
- Grill, sear, or broil the marinated meat to your preferred doneness — chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); steak 125–145°F (52–63°C) depending on desired doneness. Let the meat rest 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Best enjoyed with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, and a drizzle of crema or plain Greek yogurt. Store raw marinated meat refrigerated and use within 24 hours. Cooked leftovers can be stored for 3–4 days.