This Mexican chicken breast is packed with flavor. Golden on the outside with eye-pleasing grill marks. It is super juicy and moist on the inside. It is simply irresistible and the best of all, it is ready in 15 minutes.
You will be amazed how your simple pantry ingredients can turn these pan grilled chicken cutlets into a tasty, mouth-watering dinner the whole family will love.
If time is of the essence or you want this dish to be totally hands-free, just bake it in the oven or the air fryer. It is quicker and splatter-free.
Mexican chicken breast recipe
This Mexican chicken breast recipe is one of my go-to choices when preparing a fast and flavorful dinner for my family. This chicken can be prepared quickly and is exceptionally effortless to make.
I marinated the chicken with my homemade Mexican chicken marinade and then popped it on the stovetop grill for 8-10 minutes.
This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or when craving delicious Mexican flavors without spending hours in the kitchen or ordering a takeout.
Related recipes: Instant pot Mexican rice, Mexican chicken and rice, how to cook chicken breast in a pan and stovetop chicken thighs.
Why you will love this recipe
Flavorful and juicy: This recipe is packed with authentic Mexican flavor. The mix of spices and lime juice gives every bite a delicious burst of flavor. Furthermore, searing the chicken breast on a sizzling skillet ensures a juicy and succulent texture.
No marinating necessary: The ingredients in this recipe are simple and flavorful enough, so you don't have to marinate the chicken beforehand, especially if time is of the essence and you have some hungry tummies to feed. This saves time and makes this dish perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
Easy to make: With just a few pantry staple ingredients and minimal prep time, this Mexican chicken breast is quick and easy to make. It's also great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd.
Versatile: You can serve this stove top chicken breast cutlets however you want. Serve it over rice, with some veggies on the side, or use it as a filling for tacos or burritos. It can even be used as a burger. The options are endless!
It can be made ahead of time: You can make the marinade and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also marinate the chicken overnight for even more flavor.
Tools needed
Heavy-duty grill pan: This is the one I used, but you can also use a cast iron skillet.
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Measuring cups and spoons
Mexican chicken breast ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Chili powder seasoning
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Fresh cilantro
Lime juice
Brown sugar
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make Mexican chicken
Make the Mexican chicken marinade: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chopped cilantro, brown sugar, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
Cut two chicken breasts into four cutlets and transfer to a freezer bag or a bowl.
Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the chicken.
Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Pan grill the chicken breast: Place a heavy-duty, griddle pan on medium-high heat. Brush oil over the pan.
Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes without moving to develop nice sear or dark grill marks. Flip the chicken breasts and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the cooked cutlets from the pan, place it on a plate, and rest for 3-5 minutes before you slice or serve it. Enjoy!
Air fryer instructions
Follow the instructions above.
Cook Mexican chicken breast in the air fryer at 380F/190C for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F/74C.
Oven instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F/200C
Follow the instructions to marinate the chicken
Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes. Rest for 5
How to store
Let it cool down completely, and place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to freeze it, transfer the cooked chicken to a Ziploc freezer bag and it'll stay good for up to 3 months.
What can I serve this Mexican chicken breast with
This pan grilled chicken is versatile and can be served however you like. You can shred it and make shredded chicken tacos. Cut it into cubes and toss in your favorite salad.
You can also serve it with rice (cilantro lime rice, garlic rice or seasoned rice) or this instant pot rice and beans.
If you want to keep things simple and healthy, you can serve your chicken with cauliflower rice, steamed broccoli, or air fryer vegetable medley.
More easy chicken recipes
Baked thin sliced chicken breast
Lemon pepper chicken drumsticks
Mexican Chicken Breast
Equipment
- griddle pan
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless chicken breast
Mexican marinade ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Tablespoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Lime juice
- ½ teaspoon Brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Mexican chicken marinade: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chopped cilantro, brown sugar, salt and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Cut two chicken breasts into four cutlets or more if using a large chicken breast. Transfer to a freezer bag or a bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the chicken.
- Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
- Pan grill the chicken breast: Place a heavy-duty griddle pan on medium-high heat. Brush oil over the pan.
- Add the marinated chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes without moving to develop nice sear or dark grill marks. Flip the chicken breasts and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the cooked cutlets from the pan, place it on a plate, and rest for 3-5 minutes before you slice or serve it. Enjoy!
Air fryer instructions
- Follow the instructions above.
- Cook Mexican chicken breast in the air fryer at 380F/190C for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F/74C.
Oven instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C
- Follow the instructions to marinate the chicken
- Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious pan grilled Mexican chicken recipe you can make at home in 30 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 stars and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
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