Despite the fact that winter 2.0 could potentially be making an appearance later this week (I can’t even talk about it) patio season is still practically knocking at our door. Bright umbrellas, bouncy deck chairs, and ice-cold drinks like Sangria, Beergaritas, and Strawberry Mojitos are my favorite spring and summertime staples, but this year le bebe dictates we hold off on the tipsy bevs (until August, anyway!)
That being said, I decided to turn one of my favorite warm-weather cocktails into a bright and zingy dish that anyone, preggo or not, can enjoy hot off the grill this season – Fresh Margarita Chicken.
I got the idea for the dish after stumbling upon a TO DIE FOR looking recipe for Fresh Margaritas from Cookie + Kate, which got me thinking about other ways I could enjoy the signature citrusy flavors besides on the rocks.
So, I took its ingredients of tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime and orange juices, then added in a few savory ingredients like crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, and then marinated lean chicken breasts in the mixture for a couple hours. After tossing ’em on the grill I paired ’em with margarita must-haves like fresh guacamole, and cilantro-lime rice.
I could NOT be more pleased with how this chicken turned out! Not only was it super juicy with a slightly charred and sweet crust, but did you know that marinating chicken and other meat can reduce carcinogens created from the grilling process by up to 50%? Fresh Margarita Chicken, FTW!
Start the Fresh Margarita Chicken by creating the margarita marinade. First zest 1 lime and 1 orange then add the zest to a big bowl or ziplock bag. If you don’t have a citrus zester (here’s the one I have >>) use a sharp knife to slice just the green and orange parts off the citrus fruit, or just leave it out – it won’t be the end of the world.
Next add the juice of 4 limes and 2 oranges, as well as 3 big crushed garlic cloves and LOTS of salt and pepper. After all, what is a good margarita without its signature, salty bite?!
Add 1/4 cup tequila next (optional – but the alcohol will cook off,) plus 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon agave nectar (could use honey.)
Then add 4 small chicken breasts and place in the fridge to marinate for 1-4 hours. I can’t tell you how fab this marinade smells by the way – just like a fresh margarita!
Let the chicken breasts rest out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes after marinating, then grill ’em over high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until cooked through.
I placed my Fresh Margarita Chicken over a bed of fluffy Cilantro-Lime Rice, then dolloped fresh, Lazy-Girl’s Guacamole on top to dip into with each bite. Perfection!
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Fresh Margarita Chicken
Description
Fresh Margarita Chicken is quick and easy. Delicious all year round!
Ingredients
- zest of 1 lime + Â juice of 4 limes
- zest of 1 orange + juice of 2 oranges
- 1/4 cup tequila (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon agave nectar (could use honey)
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- salt and pepper (lots)
- 4 small chicken breasts
Directions
- Combine ingredients from lime zest to salt and pepper in a large bowl or ziplock bag then mix well. Add chicken breasts then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.
- When ready to grill or cook, let chicken breasts rest out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes then grill or saute over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until cooked through. Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice and Guacamole.Â
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I promise you will fall in love with this chicken after the very first bite. If you don’t have a grill, or if it’s not warm enough to grill where you live, just saute the marinated chicken in a hot skillet until cooked through. You’ll still get that fabulous margarita flavah. Ooo oo oo, this would also be a great dish to serve this weekend for Cinco de Mayo!
Meal plan 05.17.13 | Julie's Doodle Blog 05.17.2013
[…] Tuesday: Margarita chicken […]
Deborah @ Delicious Happens 05.14.2013
This marinade sound/looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it! Congratulations on your new job! Looking forward to reading about your new adventures!
It’s a Celebration! | Iowa Girl Eats 05.12.2013
[…] menu included Margarita Chicken with MAS GUAC on top (just avocados mashed with lime juice, garlic powder, salt & […]
Friday Favorites | Iowa Girl Eats 05.10.2013
[…] went well this morning! Katie Ward (who’s leaving at the end of June, sob!) and I made Fresh Margarita Chicken which is a perfect dish to grill up for Mother’s Day this weekend. My Mom gave me a, […]
5 Minute Lunch: Mediterranean Turkey Wrap | Iowa Girl Eats 05.10.2013
[…] *** Looking for the recipes you saw on KCCI this morning? Click here for Fresh Margarita Chicken > *** […]
Natasha 05.07.2013
We made this chicken and rice as part of burrito bowls this evening. So good! Thanks for the recipe. With Trader Joe’s Mango salsa it tasted like we were back on our honeymoon :)
Jolene 05.06.2013
What a cool new gig! If you ever want to visit a dairy farm, let me know, my fiance has one in NE Iowa (and I’d love to meet you in person!).
Margarita Chicken & Cilantro-Lime Rice!!… | With a Side of Hope 05.06.2013
[…] Margarita Chicken from Iowa Girl Eats […]
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts 05.04.2013
Congrats on the new job, what a fun experience! This chicken sounds fabulous. It will definitely be made at my house this summer!
Kristin D 05.02.2013
What a great project! My husband and I are both Iowa farm kids. After I left home for college, I really found out how many people live here who don’t know much about farming. We both grew up in very rural communities, so even those who didn’t live on a farm either had family who did or had some kind of interaction with “the rest of us” ;). When we bought our own home, we decided to get just a few acres so that we could have a large garden, a couple cows, and a handful of chickens to be a little more self-sufficient and know where our food comes from. It’s been really awesome and I love that we can share this part of life with our kids. I’m lookin forward to reading about all your experiences!
Erin 05.02.2013
Mmm, this might be on our menu for the weekend (weather permitting) Also, my mouth has been watering all week long to make your raspberry lemonade crumb muffins, OMG I can hardly wait for Sunday morning! Congrats on your new job! Can’t wait to read all about it.
Megan 05.02.2013
Awesome oppotunity!!!
Erin 05.02.2013
I used to marinate chicken in margarita mix, 2 lemons, 2 limes, and honey. So similar! But I don’t buy the margarita mix anymore because of the high fructose corn syrup; this recipe will be a great alternative. Thanks!
FitBritt@MyOwnBalance 05.02.2013
Congratulations on your new blog job! Yay!
Margarita chicken looks simply amazing. Definitely want to give it a try!
Tracy 05.02.2013
Congrats on your new job! As a native neighboring Nebraskan from the city (Omaha), I’ll be really interested in what you learn. Growing up we always thought of Nebraska as Omaha and the “rest of the state” aka the farms!
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio 05.02.2013
LOVE the recipe and LOVE the new gig!! So exciting!
Emily @ Life on Food 05.02.2013
I used to live in Iowa and cannot wait to hear about your adventures.
brandy m 05.02.2013
What a cool gig!
And great fact about marinating!
You are my #1 fave blog…IGE FTW!
(Just had to google FTW…haha) :-)
Masha 05.02.2013
Can’t wait to try this for Cinco or even ANYDAY throughout the summer! Looks so beautiful and colorful! Congrats on the new opportunity! Looking forward to your insight.
Sara 05.02.2013
I love the idea for the blog! I work at a hospital and we partner with the ISU Extension each spring/summer to get fresh produce from local growers. I love knowing where our vegetables are coming from and helping support local farmers. Hopefully you can give us some more ideas of things we can purchase from central Iowa! :)