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Chicken is such a great protein for marinades. You can really play around with flavors to transform a plain piece of meat into something out of this world. While I love the taste of BBQ, sometimes I need something a little more refreshing and light. This tequila lime chicken did just that. With a little zing from the tequila, zestiness of the lime and sweetness of agave, this dish is the perfect summer recipe.
How to make the tequila lime marinade.
The refreshing taste of the marinade is the perfect combination for a great summer chicken dinner! For this recipe, I did use alcohol. It is safe to serve this meal to children as the alcohol content will cook off in the high temps.
In a mixing bowl, pour in your tequila of choice. I used Teremana Tequila Blanco by Dwayne Johnson because, well, I like him and the tequila is actually pretty good. Next, add in agave syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Chop up some cilantro and mix all the ingredients together.
Set aside 1/3 of the marinade for later use. Place the bone-in chicken thighs into the remaining 2/3 of the sauce and let them marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge for optimal flavor.
How to grill the perfect chicken thighs.
Heat up the grill to 350-400 degrees and set for dual zone grilling. This means you will need direct as well as indirect heat options. First place the marinated chicken thighs on direct heat for about 5 minutes per side to get a nice char on the skin.
Next, move the chicken to the indirect zone and let it finish grilling for about 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp of the thighs reach 165 degrees.
While the chicken is on the grill, take the leftover marinade you set aside and heat it up in a sauce pan. Once you get it to a boil, remove it from the heat and strain into a new container. This will be used as the finishing sauce on those perfectly grilled chicken thighs.
Once the tequila lime chicken thighs reach their cooked temperature, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes. Before serving, pour some of that amazingly delicious sweet and zesty tequila sauce and enjoy!
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Printer friendly recipe below:
Tequila Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 cup Tequila
- 1/2 cup Agave or honey
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1/4 cup Chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- Freshly squeezed juice from 3 limes
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, pour in tequila, agave syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, olive oil, cumin seasoning, Mexican oregano, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper, cilantro and mix it all together.
- Set aside 1/3 of the marinade for later use.
- Place the boneless chicken thighs into the remaining 2/3 of the sauce and let them marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge for optimal flavor
- Heat up the grill to 350-400 degrees and set for dual zone grilling.
- First place the marinated chicken thighs on direct heat for about 5 minutes per side to get a nice char on the skin.
- Next, move the chicken to the indirect zone and let it finish grilling for about 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp of the thighs reach 165 degrees.
- In a saucepan, bring the leftover marinade you set a side earlier to a boil, strain and pour into a serving container.
- Once the tequila lime chicken thighs reach their cooked temperature, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!
