Margarita Chicken

A couple of weeks ago I made some amazing Chipotle Marinated Steak for lunch and thought it would be great if there was some chicken to go along with the steak burritos everyone was eating.

Do you have a great chicken marinade?   I certainly didn't.

I usually think of a marinade as Teriyaki but decided my chicken needed something to go along with the steak and what better accompaniment to a Mexican dish than a margarita! 

And so, Margarita Chicken was born.

It is so tender and flavorful that I'll probably make my family sick on how often I plan to cook it over the summer, lol.

The best thing about this marinade is it can take anywhere from 2 hours to 24 hours and still have great flavor and is super easy to prepare!

Here's what you need:

3 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

3 garlic gloves, grated on a microplane

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1-2 limes, I used two because I love lime flavor

2 oz. tequila

2 Tbs. honey

1 tsp.  chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

4-6 chicken breasts

In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the marinade until combined.  

Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and add the marinade.  Massage until all the chicken is well coated with the marinade.

 

Place in refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours (if you're in a hurry 1 hour will be fine but the longer you marintae the more flavor is retained)

Take out of fridge 30 minutes before cooking and place counter to come to room temperature.  Meat cooks more evenly if not cold.

Preheat BBQ to 375 degrees.

Grill on the barbecue at 375 for 7-10 minutes per side (depending on thickness, thick pieces will take longer) or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees internal temperature.

 

When the chicken is completely cooked through, place on cutting board, tented with foil, and let rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing.  This will help redistribute the juices so your chicken is tender and juicy.

Serves - as many as pieces you cook

Enjoy!

Here's the handy printable ~ Margarita Chicken