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–+ servings
Mexican grilled chicken on a plate.
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4.88 from 8 votes

Mexican Grilled Chicken

Minimal ingredients and effort makes this Mexican grilled chicken a great recipe for meal prep. This smokey and tart marinade is also perfect for chicken, steak, or vegetables!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 233kcal
Author: Alicia

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice or tart cherry juice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a gallon sized bag, combine the oil, juice, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and minced garlic cloves. Smoosh around to mix everything up. Drop in the chicken breasts (see note on size of chicken breasts), and marinate for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours.
  • Preheat the grill to medium/high heat (about 400-450 degrees F) and place a little bit of oil onto a paper towel. Using tongs, rub the towel on the grill grates to oil them, being careful to avoid excess oil flare ups. A little bit of oil goes a long way! Place chicken breasts on the grill, close the grill lid, and cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until grill marks form and the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The chicken will release easily from the grill grates when it's ready to be flipped.
  • Remove from the grill and cover with foil. When ready, slice the chicken breasts and serve warm.

Notes

  • If using thin-sliced chicken breasts, which marinate and cook much faster, cook for about 4-5 minutes per side.
  • To get thin chicken breasts - run a sharp knife down the middle center of the chicken (sideways) or use a mallet to pound to about ½ inch thickness. 
  • A grill pan will also work if you don't own a charcoal or gas grill. See post for instructions for baking and pan-searing chicken.
  • This marinade will keep up to a week without the chicken. Use for other types of meat like pork or flank steak, or brush onto grilled vegetables. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1breast | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg