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Fajitas are the perfect weeknight meal. Start the meat marinating earlier in the day and you are guaranteed a flavorful dinner! They cook up quick and easy. Pair with colorful sliced bell peppers and onions and load into soft flour tortillas for a filling dish. Serve alongside some charro beans, and some cilantro lime rice for a complete Tex Mex meal.
Why use this marinade?
- The combination of lime and pineapple juice tenderizes the meat used in the dish giving you tender, juicy meat every time!
- Using few seasonings and spices allows the true flavorings of the meat to still shine in the this recipe without being overpowering.
- This marinade comes together quick and easy with mostly pantry items or items typically kept in the home.
- Control what goes into your food by making your own homemade marinades.
Ingredients Needed for Homemade Fajita Marinade:
Notes on some ingredients:
- Pineapple Juice: my preference is to buy the cans of Dole Pineapple juice, if you plan on making a large batch or using the juice for other recipes or drinks a large can will work, otherwise get a pack of small cans so you’re not wasting and keep them in the pantry.
- Lime Juice: fresh squeezed juice is always best!
- Soy Sauce: I use regular soy sauce in this recipe since I want the extra salt when marinading.
How to Make Fajita Marinade and How to Use It:
- Prepare the marinade by combining the ingredients in a large jar, or small bowl.
- Marinate the meat you are using (either chicken or skirt steak) in a sealed container or large sealed plastic bag.
- Let the meat marinate for at least 3-6 hours. I don’t recommend leaving the meat to marinade overnight since the pineapple juice can start to make the meat turn mushy.
Tip: Be sure to set aside a couple tablespoons of marinade for grilling the veggies in at the end.
Cooking the meat:
Once the meat has marinated for 3-6 hours cook in a large cast iron skillet, chicken should be cooked to 165℉, steak to desired doneness (135-140℉ for medium rare) remove from the skillet and let rest on a cutting board while you grill the bell peppers and onions in the remaining marinade.
For more information make sure you check out this post on Steak Fajitas so you cook your steak perfectly every time! Or this post on Chicken Fajitas for more information to ensure perfectly cooked chicken.
More Tex Mex Essential Recipes:
- This Homemade Tex Mex Chili Gravy is the ultimate enchilada sauce.
- Nothing beats Homemade Salsa and a big bowl of tortilla chips!
- Prepare some Authentic Guacamole to serve alongside your fajitas.
- Make the ultimate fajita meal by using your own Homemade Flour Tortillas.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section. Thanks!
Fajita Marinade
Ingredients
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp lime juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
Chicken Fajitas
- 3 lbs chicken breast boneless, skinless
Steak Fajitas
- 3 lbs skirt steak
Instructions
- Combine: In a large measuring cup combine the ingredients needed for the fajita marinade. Reserve 2 tbsp of the marinade for the vegetables. Set aside.
- Prepare Meat: Clean up the meat being used, remove any excess fat.
- Marinate: Place the meat in a large dish or a plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top, covering the meat.
- Chill: Seal and place in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours to marinate.
Notes
- Lime Juice: use fresh lime juice
- Storage: marinade can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days before adding to meat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by the wonderful @KJandCompany.co
How am I supposed to know what ingredients are for the marinade? It’s your recipe not mine.
I’m not sure what you mean, the ingredients are listed in the recipe card.