This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises, all opinions are my own.
Mojo Marinade
Mojo marinate is an intensely flavorful, citrus and garlicky marinade that is perfect for chicken or pork. It boasts bold flavors of sour citrus, and combines with fresh herbs, and aromatic garlic and onion for a flavor party that results in juicy, tender meats.
I recently went on a Caribbean cruise with Princess Cruises, that originated in Florida. And when I arrived in Florida, I had been flying for several hours and needed something to eat. I wasn’t feeling picky, and just wanted something close and satisfying.
Well I happened upon a little joint with some Cuban flare. And ordered the Mojo Chicken, and was given the most amazing dish. The flavors blew my mind. We are talking about a chicken marinaded in oranges, limes, garlic, cilantro and more.
It was a mouthwatering savory garlic marinade with a sour citrus undertone that left me with a juicy, succulent, and frankly amazing bite!
After spending a week in the Caribbean cruising through beautiful ports, and eating amazing food, I knew when I got home I needed to recreate some recipe with those bold Caribbean flavors.
You can read all about my experience on a 7 Day Caribbean Cruise here, as well as how I packed for my cruise, why I loved cruising with Ocean Medallion, and more. I loved this trip to the Caribbean and the sights, sounds, and flavors I got to experience while there.
The Caribbean is known for not being shy with their seasonings, and the result are things like these Jerk Chicken Wings, or Blackened Shrimp, which are mind blowing-ly delicious.
This marinade made the top of my list. It is good on EVERYTHING. So here is what you need to know.
Meat of Choice + Mojo Marinade + Cook It Your Way = Perfection
What Can I Marinade with Mojo Marinade?
I will be sharing some of my favorite ways to use this marinade in the upcoming weeks. But for now, I just want to say that this marinade is great over chicken, pork, shrimp, and even flank steak.
In Cuban cooking, the term “mojo” really applies to any sauce that is made with garlic, olive oil, and a citrus juice. And it is most commonly used to marinate roast pork tenderloin.
I made pork chops with it, and they were juicy and succulent! But I also used it as a marinade for chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and baked chicken wings.
So you pick!
Is this Marinade Traditional?
Not exactly, but the results are the same, and the flavors are awesome.
Traditionally bitter orange juice is used, but here at Eazy Peazy we couldn’t find that locally, and wanted to make sure this is a recipe you can make with commonly found ingredients.
Instead of bitter oranges, we used a regular navel orange and add lime juice to approximate the bitter orange flavor.
It worked like a charm.
What does mojo marinade taste like?
It tastes like sour citrus meets garlic and then is lightened up with some fresh herbs and spices. It is the perfect marriage of flavors.
There are a lot of variations of this marinade, with mint in them, or jalapeños, as well as other herbs and spices. But the idea is to use sour citrus, orange and lime, and plenty of garlic.
How do you make this awesome chicken marinade?
To make a marinade that is effective at tenderizing and flavoring, you will need:
- An acid to tenderize: Typically marinades use a vinegar or citrus to tenderize the meat. With the mojo marinade you use the combo of lime juice and orange juice.
- Flavoring: Whatever seasonings or spices you want to use. For the mojo marinade this is cumin, cilantro, onion, garlic, and of course the citrus juices that double as flavor and tenderizer.
- Oil: This generally holds everything together and adds moisture to the meat. However, for this marinade I opted to skip the oil because after testing it several times I realized it was not needed. However, if you plan to bake the meat you are using with this marinade, add 1 Tbs olive oil to keep the moisture!
Mojo Citrus Marinade
One of the things I love about marinades is you can really switch things up to your preference. Add a little extra of something, or take a little away. You can add some mint leaves to this to give it an even fresher taste. Or some peppers like jalapeño to give it some heat. I have seen this type of marinade with oregano too.
The options are fairly endless, so play around and see what your tastebuds like best. Here is what I found to be the perfect combo for my family. Addressing the flavors we want with the heat and spice preferences of 6 people.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic or 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon red onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a jar or bowl.
- Shake or whisk together.
- Pour over chicken or pork in a container or zip top bag.
- Marinate for 4-12 hours depending on cut of meat.
Tips For Marinade
- This marinade does not make a ton. It is intended for about 1 pound of meat.
- This marinade is freezer friendly. Which means you can make it ahead if you want a quick meal. Just make sure it is tightly sealed in a freezer safe container, and it can keep for up to 3 months.
- If you are freezing the meats with the marinade on them, it is a good idea to let them marinate for a few hours before you put them in the freezer. This will produce optimal results in flavor.
- Whisk ingredients together. I love the whole chunks of onion, etc. However, if you want a smooth marinade, you can blend or food process it. The flavors will still be awesome. That is what I do with this jerk chicken marinade, and while it isn’t as visually appealing, it tastes amazing.
- In order to avoid food safety concerns, never freeze chicken or pork twice. Marinade fresh meat and then freeze.
When Cooking
- Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
- Pork should be cooked to 145 degrees F.
- Cook your favorite way: Grill, bake, slow cook, air fry, instant pot. The options are endless.
Can I Freeze Mojo Marinade?
Absolutely! I love making big batches of marinades and freezing them to use later. And it couldn’t be any easier with this particular marinade.
You simply combine all of your ingredients, and put them in a zip-top freezer bag. You can freeze as is, or add your raw meat and seal, remove air, and freeze.
When you want to use the meat, thaw overnight in the fridge. Then just cook it using your preferred method.
No matter how you choose to cook your mojo marinated meat, the best way to cook your food perfectly is using an instant-read thermometer. Remember, chicken needs to be cooked to 165 degrees, and pork to 145 degrees.
Caribbean Cruise with Princess Cruises
Okay… now that you know all the things about this marinade, and how to make it, where the inspiration and flavors come from, etc. let’s talk a little bit more about this cruise. It was so dreamy and fun, and I just love sharing about all my travels.
First, it was with Princess Cruises
I have cruised with several lines, and I have to say this was one of my favorite cruises of all time. Princess has a technology they recently started using called OceanMedallion. And it is currently on 3 ships, with 2 more this year, and 6 rolling out in 2020.
It makes life so easy and relaxing. I have never had a smoother trip!
This technology is similar to the Disney magic bands, where everything you need is on a medallion you wear on your person. It is a room key, a credit card, ID, and more. Plus it pairs with awesome internet MedallionNet, and several apps that make life onboard easier. In fact, it even makes getting on board easier.
Read about the OceanMedallion in this post where I explain all the perks.
Second, we visited several awesome ports I can’t wait to share with you. I will be sharing more on each port individually, but haven’t had the time to get those up yet. So coming soon. But here are the highlights:
- Princess Cays – We spent some time on the beach and doing a historic Dune Buggy Excursion. This is the place to just relax and enjoy some island vibes.
- San Juan – The gorgeous streets of Puerto Rico captured my heart, as well as the amazing food and drinks, where this Pineapple Mojito was inspired from. We took a historic walking tour, and cooking class. And then visited the forts on our own. I could spend a whole week here.
- Amber Cove– The gorgeous new port in the Dominican Republic! One of my favorite stops because the excursions were just so fun. I will be sharing more on this soon! But imagine hiking up to some waterfalls then making your way down them by jumping into them and sliding down natural slides. Awesome!
- Grand Turks– The gorgeous waters of Turks and Caicos should not be missed, and the sting ray excursion is one of a kind! And the food here is awesome too. This is a great beach day destination.
Third, if you have been looking for a great family vacation, couple’s trip, or girl’s trip, the Caribbean should be on your list, and especially a Caribbean Cruise.
From the beautiful spa and adult only Sanctuary area of the Princess Cruises, to the amazing dining experiences you can have on board, the awesome ports, and top notch excursions. It is a fantastic way to relax, and come back new!
Mojo Citrus Marinade
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Orange Juice freshly squeezed
- 1/3 cup Lime Juice freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic minced or 1 large garlic clove roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon red onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro fresh, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a jar or bowl.
- Shake or whisk together.
- Pour over chicken or pork in a container or zip top bag.
- Marinate for 4-12 hours depending on cut of meat.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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