Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken
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Also known as “margarita chicken,” this tequila lime chicken is loaded with bright Southwestern flavor.
Tequila Lime Chicken, a.k.a. Margarita Chicken, is one of those dishes that just screams fun. The marinade is a combination of tequila, lime, garlic and spices, and it’s loaded with bright Southwestern flavor. Contrary to what you might think, this recipe is family friendly. The tequila is mild and the chicken isn’t too spicy. Pair it with my black bean salad, restaurant-style salsa, cornbread muffins, and margaritas for a Southwestern-themed cookout.
Table of Contents
“Made this for friends last weekend along with your black bean salad with corn, avocado & lime vinaigrette and cornbread muffins. The whole meal was a huge hit! Thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make Tequila Lime Chicken
- Olive oil: Serves as the base for the marinade, helping to blend the flavors and ensure the chicken stays moist and tender during cooking.
- Tequila: Gives the chicken a hint of boozy agave flavor that’s unmistakably tequila. It’s what makes this dish a little special and a lot delicious.
- Lime zest: Provides a bright, citrusy note that complements the tequila. Contrary to popular belief, acidic ingredients like lime juice don’t tenderize lean boneless chicken breasts but can actually “cook” the exterior, leading to a leathery texture. Using just the zest ensures the chicken remains succulent, capturing the lime’s flavor while maintaining its tenderness.
- Garlic: Lends robust flavor to the marinade.
- Ancho chile pepper, coriander, oregano: This spice blend contributes warmth, earthiness, and a hint of herbal brightness, giving the chicken a Southwestern flavor profile.
- Honey: Balances the acidity, salt, and heat with its natural sweetness.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Pounded to an even thickness, these cuts absorb the flavors well and cook up beautifully tender and juicy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Tequila Lime Chicken
Step 1: Pound the Chicken
Place the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon freezer bag and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. This both tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking. Left in their natural shape, the thin side of the fillet dries out while the thicker side finishes cooking.
Step 2: Make the Marinade
Begin by zesting the limes with a fine or Microplane grater. Simply rub the lime in one direction against the blades, turning the fruit as you go. Be sure to remove only the green part; the white pith underneath is bitter.
Mix all of the ingredients except for the chicken together in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag (go ahead and use the same one you used for pounding if it is still in good shape). Add the chicken breasts to the bag and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated.
Step 3: Marinate
Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (the bowl protects against leakage); let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Grill
Preheat the grill to high heat and cook, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook; when pounded thin, chicken breasts cook very quickly.
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Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken
Also known as “margarita chicken,” this tequila lime chicken is loaded with bright Southwestern flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons tequila
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, from about 2 limes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or about 2 pounds), pounded to an even ½-inch thickness
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon freezer bag. Close the bag and squish the marinade around to mix. Add the chicken breasts and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated. Seal the bag and place it in a bowl in the refrigerator (the bowl protects against leakage); marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Clean the grill and preheat to high. Lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. (Alternatively, you can spray the grates with a non-flammable cooking spray.) Place the chicken breasts on the grill and spoon any remaining marinade from the bag over top. Grill, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side (turning only once). Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 399
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 51g
- Sodium: 1015mg
- Cholesterol: 151mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi Jenn! Just want to say that I made tequillla lime chicken, and served it with your Thai quinoa salad. The taste of all the fresh ingredients is so refreshing. These two recipes are a great combo. I only had 4 hours to marinade chicken, and it was still amazingly tasteful. There are only a few of your recipes that I haven’t made, I look at your site’s recipes everyday!
I made this recipe tonight and although the flavor was wonderful the texture of the chicken was quite rubbery. I’m not quite sure what went wrong, I make moist grilled chicken on a regular basis and I’ve never had this issue before. Any insight you could provide would be. appreciated. I’d love to make it again sans the texture. Thanks!
Hi Jamie, Sorry your chicken was tough. That wouldn’t caused by the marinade because there is no acid in it. Perhaps the chicken was previously frozen and improperly thawed? Or it could have just been overcooked.
Undercooked, not overcooked. A lot of the chicken that goes to market today is rubbery/tough to begin with. That is a side effect of the process used to develop those enormous breasts. To keep them tender, slice them horizontally, pound them to a uniform thickness, and cook them thoroughly. There should be NO pink, and juices should run clear when you cut it. Use an instant thermometer.
And from the getgo, choose breasts that are soft and pliable when you poke them, right thru the plastic. If they feel like hockey pucks, they’ll be rubbery.
I love both the bean salad and the tequila lime chicken. Would you be able to freeze the chicken in the marinade so that it is ready for camping?
Hi Liz, Yes, that’s fine. Have fun!
This looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. However, I don’t have a grill. Would it work baked or broiled, or pan sauteed? Or best to bring it to a friend’s house who has one?
Hi Kay, I would either broil it or, better yet, bring it to a friend’s house 🙂
How long would you broil it?
Hi Tiffany, Just stick with the same timing as the grilling instructions. Hope you enjoy!
really very DELICIOUS and tasty. i will try this more and more time. thanks for nice sharing,
What is the minimum amount of time the chicken marinate? I’m a mom of 3 boys (soccer game, lax game and chasing down a 3 yr old), and I forgot to marinate ahead of time. Hopefully we can do this for dinner, if not plan B needs to be quickly implemented!
Hi Amanda, I’d say 3 for best results, but it will still be good if you don’t have as much time.
This is a fabulous recipe as is! Do not change a thing as the flavors are perfectly balanced. I am a caterer and have used this for small dinner parties with a Mexican theme. It pairs well with a fun take on a mexican-style brown rice with a lemon compound butter that I make, but it would work well with any fresh side dish that you would want to serve. The key is to make the side dish “fresh” so that it works well with the clean bright flavors of this chicken!
This is fantastic! 🙂
I prepared for my girl, during the summer, and she loved it! It was a highlight for Summer 2014! It’s now Fall, she shows up with a bottle of Tequila, and of course being a wise man, I understood. So, with 3 tablespoons of Tequila for the chicken breast, and 2 shots for me, it’s gonna be a great Fall Sunday evening! Thanks for a super recipe! Simple, delicious – Most Rewarding! 🙂
will the chicken keep for 5or 6 days in a sealed glass bowl
Hi Foster, I’d probably only keep it a few days to be safe.
Really enjoyed this. The chicken came out really moist, the marinade was not overpowering and added a very nice flavor to the chicken.
Thanks,
Maggie