Tequila Lime Chicken is one of the best ways to cook chicken and ensure that it is juicy and perfect every single time. If you are short on time, you can marinate it for just 15 minutes but of course, the longer you keep the chicken in the marinade, the more flavourful it will be. Don’t worry about the alcohol content if you’re feeding this to kids, as it will burn off in the oven.
Additionally, while you can use just about any cut of chicken for this, I really prefer the legs with the thigh attached (also known as chicken quarters). The dark meat is nearly impossible to overcook and in fact, once the chicken cooks past 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes even more tender. I wouldn’t take the chicken past 180, though, as it will become quite tough after that point.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tequila
1 cup of fresh lime juice, from approximately 5 to 6 limes
Zest of 3 limes
3 tablespoons honey
1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t want too much spice)
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup cilantro (or parsley if cilantro isn’t your thing)
4 green onions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken legs with thighs attached
Directions:
1.) Place all ingredients, except chicken, into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
2.) Place chicken into a resealable freezer bag and pour tequila marinade over. Shake to mix or rub marinade into the chicken. Marinate chicken for 15 minutes to eight hours.
3.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4.) Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
5.) Remove chicken from the marinade and place on baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, baste the chicken with some of the remaining marinade.
6.) Roast chicken for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (not near the bone) reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
7.) Remove chicken from oven and tent with foil for ten minutes.
8.) Serve and enjoy!