Tequila Lime Chicken

Tequila Lime Chicken with Chipotles bursts with refreshing and rich flavors. It can be grilled, sautéed or baked. With its unique smoky flavor that will lure you in, it's excellent in salads, tacos, sandwiches, or served as a main course with sides.

Tequila Lime Chicken carries a ton of delicious sweet, spicy and tangy flavors.

Whether you serve it as a main course drizzled with its scrumptious sauce, or chopped into a salad, everyone will flip for it!

Ingredient Notes

• chicken - This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use chicken thighs.
• avocado oil - I like using a neutral oil when I use a lot of spices so they shine, but olive oil is okay too.
• tequila - Be sure to use a tequila you like the taste of. (The alcohol is cooked off, not the flavor!) In marinades, alcohol does not tenderize, but it does help season the protein and can carry amazing flavor. The tequila is delicious in this chicken marinade because it adds a delicious smoky flavor.
• chipotles in adobo sauce - Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce are jalapeño chiles that have been dried, smoked and packed in a sauce made of tomatoes and spices. They come in a can and you should be able to find them in most major grocery stores.
• honey - The touch of sweetness balances the tangy lime and spicy chipotles.
• lime zest - In this recipe I don't use the lime juice - only the lime zest. The zest contains the essential oils of the citrus and is therefore filled with pure flavor. Too much acid in a marinade can dry out and toughen protein. (So while citrus does enhance flavor, it should be used minimally and not for long periods of time.)
• garlic - Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots. If there are green shoots in your garlic cloves, slice them in half, lengthwise, and remove the green root with the tip of a knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.

How to Make Tequila Lime Chicken

- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the chicken, and whisk to blend.

Recipe Tip: The best way to mince garlic for a marinade is to use a microplane zester.

- Trim the chicken breasts of any excess fat. Pour the marinade into a heavy-duty zip-lock bag and add the chicken. (To avoid leaking in the refrigerator, put the bag in a second bag or a bowl.) Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and ideally overnight.

- Remove the chicken from the bag, and let any excess marinade drip off into the bag. Place the chicken on a clean, dry surface. (Do not throw out the marinade!) Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper, coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with a neutral oil and place it over high heat.

Recipe Tip: If you lightly pound any thicker parts of the chicken breasts before you begin, it will cook more evenly. Use a smooth meat mallet or the bottom of a small sauté pan, with the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap.

- When the pan is hot, add the chicken. You should hear a sizzling sound when it hits the pan, and if you don’t, wait until it’s hotter. Sauté just until it’s cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. (Times will vary, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.)

- As soon as you remove the chicken, pour the leftover marinade from the bag in the pan. With the heat about medium-high, use a flat-edged spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any stuck, caramelized bits of the marinade from sautéing the chicken. Work them into the liquid and bring to a boil. Since it’s just a small amount, it will look more like a strong simmer than a boil, and it will be thick. Turn the heat to low and simmer for just a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.

- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes (slice if desired), and drizzle with the cooked marinade.

Recipe Tips: If you choose to grill the chicken breasts, the cooking time will be similar to sautéing it. You can also bake the chicken on a sheet pan in a preheated 375°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Variations

• Mild version. For less heat, use less of the chipotles in adobo, or only the (adobo) sauce and none of the actual chiles with seeds. You can also omit it altogether, and use 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika instead.
• Bone-in chicken. While the cooking time will be much longer, you can use this tequila lime marinade with bone-in chicken (thighs or breasts) as well. (If you do, bake it in a 375°F oven for approximately 30 minutes — just until it’s cooked through.)
• Add orange juice. Add about ¼ cup of orange juice to the marinade when you're cooking it. This will add a sweet flavor and thin it a bit so it'll extend further.
• The tequila lime chicken marinade is also delicious with shrimp and fish. (Shorten the marinating time to about an hour.)

Serving Suggestions

• Add it to a chopped salad, or any other salad you’d like to. It’s a great way to turn a side salad into a hearty main course.
• It's delicious in tacos, burritos, tostadas, etc.
• My family loves it served with Mexican beans, Cilantro Rice and a salad with Latin flavors, for a great well-rounded meal.
• The cooked tequila-lime marinade is excellent drizzled over the chicken. If you don’t drizzle it and use the chicken differently, I’d still make the sauce and save it, even if it’s to dredge a piece of bread in. It’s so tasty!
• Whatever you serve the chicken with, it's pretty with green or red jalapeño pepper slices and lime wedges on the plate.

Can you make it ahead?

If you’re planning to serve the chicken hot, it should be served as close to cooking time as possible.

You can make it ahead if it will be used cold in salads, sandwiches, etc. Up to two days ahead is okay. (To keep it as juicy as possible, don’t slice it until you’re ready to use it and store it in an airtight container.)

More Must-Try Marinated Chicken Recipes

I hope you love this Tequila Lime Chicken recipe as much as my family and I do!

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.