Southwest Marinade (Quick & Easy)
Combine the best southwestern flavors in this delicious marinade packed with lime, chili, garlic, and a dash of red pepper for heat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This southwest marinade is quick and easy to make and oh-so-flavorful on your grilled meats! You will have this marinade on repeat all summer long.
Before You Start
Before you begin, measure out all of the spices and mix in a separate bowl to make sure the flavors are fully incorporated before adding to your meat.
Make sure you have a sturdy plastic bag with a tight seal for your meat and marinade. I personally prefer the gallon bags with the zipper tops.
Southwest Marinade (Quick & Easy)
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes8
hoursCombine the best southwestern flavors in this delicious marinade packed with lime, chili, garlic, and a dash of red pepper for heat!
Before You Begin
– Combine the spices in a bowl and mix before adding to marinade.
– Use a gallon bag with a strong seal.
What To Serve With
– Cilantro Lime Rice
– Roasted veggies
– Black beans
– Salsa
Other Dinner Recipes
– Parmesan Rabbit Meatballs
– Italian Ground Rabbit Sausage
– Smoked Pork Carnitas
Ingredients
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oregano
2 lbs chicken or other meat
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
Zest/juice 3 lime
Directions
- Measure out all of the dry spices in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Place the meat in a sturdy gallon bag.
- Pour in the spices, oil, zest, and lime juice.
- Seal the bag and shake it until all of the meat is coated in the marinade.
- Place the marinating meat in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
- Bake or grill the marinated meat as you choose.
Tips for Best Results
- Use any type of meat that you prefer with this marinade.
- For easy meal prep, prepare meat in this marinade, vacuum seal the bag, and freeze. Defrost and cook when you are ready!
- Marinades work best on meat that is thawed.
Ingredients
- Salt
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Minced garlic
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Lime
Equipment
- Gallon bag with sturdy seal
- Small bowl
- Citrus squeezer
- Zester
How to Make Southwest Marinade
- First, measure out all of the dry spices in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. This step helps you to avoid clumping spices in the marinade bag.
- Place your meat of choice in a sturdy gallon bag. It is best if your meat is thawed before placing in a marinade.
- Pour in the spices, oil, zest, and lime juice.
- Seal the bag and shake it until all of the meat is coated in the marinade.
- Place the marinating meat in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. You could also freeze the meat in its marinade for an easy meal down the road.
- Bake or grill the marinated meat as you choose.
Storage
- Store the marinating meat in the fridge until you are ready to cook (raw meat is good in the fridge for 1 week).
- Freeze the marinating meat in an airtight gallon bag or vacuum sealed bag for an easy meal later. Personally, we love to freeze our rabbit meat in this yummy Southwest marinade! (The Best Way to Store Rabbit Meat for Easy Meals)
- Store the cooked meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
FAQ
How spicy is the southwest marinade? It can be as spicy as you choose! If you like the heat, add more red pepper flakes. If you prefer to avoid spice, eliminated the red pepper altogether.
Could I use this as a dry rub instead? You could, but the lime juice adds a flavorful element that you might miss.
What side dishes go well with these flavors? You could pair any meat marinated in this southwest marinade with cilantro lime rice, roasted veggies, black beans, sour cream and salsa, or any other Mexican dish pairings you enjoy.
Spice up your dinner game with this flavor-packed southwest marinade that pairs well with any meat!
