Name: Mojo Marinade
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Cuban-Inspired
Ingredients: 1/2 cup orange juice; 2-3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate; 1/4 cup lime juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon lime zest; 1 teaspoon orange zest; 2 teaspoons garlic, minced; 1/4 cup white onion, grated; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves; 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Published on 07/09/23

by Erin Jensen

This homemade Mojo Marinade recipe is full of bright citrus flavors that are traditional to a classic cuban mojo marinade! Made with real, simple ingredients in only 5 minutes. The refreshing orange and lemony flavors combined with spices will bring so much flavor to your favorite cuts of chicken or pork!

The Best Mojo Marinade

We have loved playing around with Cuban-inspired flavors and Cuban food for years and this traditional cuban mojo recipe (mojo criollo) does not disappoint! This signature marinade of Cuba (pronounced mo ho) is packed with so much fresh and citrusy flavors that are so good when you are grilling chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or pork chops. Our family loves to grill easy weeknight dinners all summer long and an easy marinade is always a must to make sure your meat is juicy and tender!

What You Will Need

sour orange juice & orange juice concentrate – traditional orange flavors are a must for this easy mojo marinade.
lime juice – another citrus juice that always pack a punch!
lemon zest, lime zest, & orange zest – the zest of the fruit is always great for adding a boost of flavor.
fresh garlic & onion – key ingredients for traditional mojo marinades!
ground cumin, dried oregano leaves, kosher salt, & ground black pepper – simple mojo seasonings that are in your pantry and pair well with all of the citrus flavors.
olive oil – homemade marinade recipes always need a little bit of oil in the base.

How To Make Mojo Marinade

The first step to making this Cuban recipe is to gather all of the simple fresh ingredients.

Mojo marinade ingredients in separate bowls.

Now place all of those ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to fully combine. Option to place them in a glass jar, seal the lid, and shake.

Mojo marinade ingredients in a medium, white bowl.

Pour the garlicky marinade over your chicken (or another one of your favorite proteins) in a shallow baking dish. Massage marinade in to all the nooks and crannies. Let it marinate at room temperature for no longer than 30 minutes.

Mojo marinade poured over chicken thighs in a white baking dish.

Remove your meat of choice from the marinade and cook any way you want!

Grilled mojo chicken on a plate with rice and black beans.

Best Way To Use Mojo Marinade

Our all-time favorite way to use this marinade is to add wonderful flavor to our boneless, skinless chicken thighs and toss them on the grill! You could also grill boneless chicken breasts or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Perfect in those warm summer months! The citrusy goodness would also be delicious on a grilled pork tenderloin or grilled pork chops. On the side, we love to enjoy mojo chicken with rice and some seasoned black beans!

Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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