Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade
Posted: 09/17/2018
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This zesty and flavorful tequila lime chicken marinade is reminiscent of a margarita and perfect for making grilled chicken for fajitas. You’re going to love it!
I’m bringing you guys a little summer today….and a little fall later this week. It’s kind of how it has felt in Michigan lately. We’ve had temps in the 80’s, but the local Fall Festival is in full swing this past weekend, and we’ve spotted some leaves changing colors.
We visited the apple orchard with N’s class on a field trip, picked apples, and tasted cider and doughnuts. Well, I had a doughnut at the cider mill, but I made doughnuts from scratch for N since he’s allergic to nuts and sesame. The life of an allergy momma, am I right? I used an Ina Garten recipe for Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts and they were a hit.
One of my good friends was standing next to me at the field trip and said, “He’ll appreciate everything you do for him someday.” Probably not everything, but he gets left out so often because of his allergies, so I do try my hardest to help him feel included whenever possible.
He said thank you and devoured that doughnut sitting next to all his friends who were also eating doughnuts. That’s all the appreciation I really need. He even smiled for me for a quick selfie…all he’s been doing lately for photos are goofy faces so I’m happy I got him to give me a quick smile for a picture.
I’m not quite ready to let go of summer, and readers seem to really love chicken marinades, so I’m bringing you another great chicken marinade option. If you’ve missed some of the other ones, make sure to check them out! My balsamic chicken marinade is a great go-to when you have an empty fridge (and it’s Whole30 compliant!) and my honey mustard chicken marinade is one of my favorites. If you’re digging the idea of booze in a marinade, you’ll also love these beer marinated chicken thighs. Greek style chicken marinade is another one of my favorites.
This tequila lime chicken marinade is great if you’re gonna just eat a chicken breast with some sides, but it’s also really perfect if you want to slice up the chicken and use it for fajitas. The flavors of the tequila and lime along with the flame-grilled flavor you get from grilling the chicken makes it absolutely perfect for fajitas or a southwest style burrito bowl.
What’s in this Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade?
Reminiscent of a margarita, this marinade has tequila (obviously) and fresh lime juice. Its flavor is kicked up a notch with chili powder, garlic powder, and fresh cilantro. Sweetened slightly with honey and tied together with olive oil, the chicken stays nice and moist. Don’t overcook the chicken. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees.
Tips & Adaptations:
To make Whole30:
Leave out the tequila and honey. Won’t be exactly the same but it will still be delicious.
To make alcohol-free:
Just leave out the tequila. It will still be great!
Cilantro hater?
Leave it out, it’s cool! I get it, it tastes like soap to you! I could eat a straight-up cilantro salad but I understand it’s not for everyone.
Love Garlic?
Ben doesn’t…I wish he did! Garlic powder is more mild and achieves the flavor I want without being too obvious. If you love garlic, freshly minced garlic would be fab in this marinade. I’d start with one clove, but if you want to go big, add more!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
-8 servings
This zesty and flavorful tequila lime chicken marinade is reminiscent of a margarita and perfect for making grilled chicken for fajitas. You're going to love it!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- In a bowl or a measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, tequila, olive oil, cilantro, chili powder, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken in a zip-top bag or a baking dish and pour marinade over, moving chicken around to coat on all sides. If using a bag, put the bag into a bowl to prevent leaks spilling in your fridge. If using a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap.
- Place in fridge and marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. When ready to cook, remove from marinade and grill over medium heat (350°F) for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer, flipping once. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of meat and exact grill temperature.
Notes
- Nutrition information calculated for only half of marinade since much of it is discarded.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 4oz chicken breast, Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 231mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Roy says
Lime zest should be used instead of the juice in the marinade. The juice gives the chicken a leathery texture.
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks for your thoughts!
Tracie says
I’m excited to make this Tequila Lime Chicken today. Would love if you linked suggested sides with your recipes. LOL now I have to find something to go with this.
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks for the suggestion! We do that on a lot of our newer recipes and are gradually adding those suggestions to older recipes. Try this chicken with cilantro lime rice or drunken beans!
Diane says
Tequila Lime Chicken was fantastic! We are not fans of cilantro so I omitted that & added some lime zest. I only had 1 lime so I added a little orange juice. My whole family loved it!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! The addition of orange juice is smart, I bet that was delicious! Thanks for leaving a comment. :)
Lisa says
This marinade was wonderful, thank you for sharing! I added some diced habaneros for a little kick. I made extra marinade and added it to the pan juices after roasting my chicken and reduced it down to make a very flavorful pan sauce. I’m adding this one to my recipe index, thank you!!!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! Good call on the pan sauce, yum!
Anthony says
You leave out fresh garlic because of Ben? I say kick that garlic powder nonsense to the curb and tell Ben to man the heck up! Fresh garlic is a gift from the Gods.
Rachel Gurk says
Haha, this made me laugh out loud. I definitely add it sometimes, but leave it out other times. :)
Kira Galt says
I made skewers with this chicken, onion, and bell paper. It was great! Fajita on a stick
Rachel Gurk says
Sounds fantastic!!! Thanks for sharing that fun twist on this recipe.
Sean Mac says
I replaced the tequila with fresh squeezed juice from an orange and also included lime peel strips in the individual sous vide bags I prepared for the chicken breasts. After cooking in the sous vide bag to 150°, I returned the bag to the fridge to let the chicken set. After cooling, I cut the chicken into strips and used them as part of skillet fajitas. I also dice the chicken and use as a salad protein. The flavor is amazing!
Rachel Gurk says
Sounds like an awesome way to make it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Saadet says
Does the alcohol in the tequila cook out? Just wondering if it would be safe to serve to my kids.
Rachel Gurk says
Yes it does! :) It’s definitely kid-friendly.
Renee E says
This was so tasty! I probably ought to turn my grill a little lower next time as I did burn it a bit.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked the marinade! Grilling can be so tricky.
denise says
sounds delicious!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Denise!
sheenam | thetwincookingproject.net says
Looks like the perfect chicken recipe!!!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Sheenam! Glad you like it!
Bonnie says
Sounds like a great marinade. Probably could use it for beef as well. Especially for fajitas.
Rachel Gurk says
It would be – probably good on shrimp, too!
Carissa Nelson | Spoonful of Easy says
Hi Rachel,
I’m so with you — I’m in Illinois and this weekend we frolicked through some leaves in the 90 degree temperatures. In the Midwest you take what you can get I guess! I’m always looking for a great chicken marinade — especially for fajitas! Can’t wait to try this!
Rachel Gurk says
I hope you love this recipe! Stay cool…crazy to be saying that in September! :-P