Easy Fajita Marinade
This easy orange juice fajita marinade has the perfect amount of flavor and zest. Whatever type of fajita you prefer, this marinade will make you fajitas tender and juicy!
What I love about this easy fajita marinade
Don’t you just love a yummy fajita topped with cheese and guacamole and salsa and lettuce and cilantro and sour cream and whatever else you could possibly want? That’s the best part about making fajitas. You can have whatever you want. So I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you need certain toppings or corn tortillas over flour ones. I just want to share with you the juicy marinade I use to make them.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it


How to use this easy fajita marinade
I’ve been making this fajita marinade for a while now – at least a few years. It’s an orange juice based marinade, and it’s simple to make. You can use it on whatever fillings you want – vegetables, chicken, shrimp, steak – really anything. Typically, we marinade the vegetables and meats in separate zip-top bags. You can also cook the meat and vegetables however you want – grill them, bake them, saute them. Just cook them so you can eat them already! …and make sure the meat is cooked to its proper temperature.
FAQs and tips on making fajita marinade
Marinating meat is a quick and easy way to make your meat more tender, but it also adds a ton of flavor. The acidity of the orange and lime juices in this recipe help break down the protein and fibers of the meat.
You want to cut your meat against the grain because it breaks up the muscle fibers of the meat. Breaking down those fibers helps make the meat even more tender and easier to chew. Plus, it has way more texture this way!
Yes, you will not want to marinate for longer than 24 hours. Though it is truly best to marinate for 1-4 hours. The longer you allow the meat the rest in the marinate the more the fibers breakdown. If you marinate for too long your meat will start to use lose its structure and become soft and unappetizing.

Complete the meal with these delicious recipes
Print
Easy Fajita Marinade
This easy orange juice fajita marinade has the perfect amount of flavor and zest. Whatever type of fajita you prefer, this marinade will make you fajitas tender and juicy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups orange juice
- Juice of 3 limes
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.
- Pour marinade over meat, seafood, poultry or vegetables.
- Marinate for at least one hour.
Notes
*This recipe makes enough to marinate fajita meats and vegetables for 8 people. Feel free to cut it in half to suit your needs.
- Method: Mixing
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 179
- Sugar: 24.1 g
- Sodium: 594.1 mg
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Easy fajita marinade, fajita recipe
Published: July 31, 2013. Updated: December 14, 2021.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.