Good evening !
Have you ever been to Applebee's or Chili's and ordered the margarita chicken? The zesty lime combined with the tangy tequila and spices make it one of the most popular dishes in both restaurants. Tonight, you have my take on this restaurant classic.
First, begin by putting together your marinade using olive oil, tequila, cayenne pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and salt. Wisk this mixture until well blended. Your chicken can be whatever you have on hand or is on sale at the grocery store but boneless is best for this meal. I used a small package of five chicken tenders that I caught on sale. If you are using larger, thicker, portions such as breasts or thighs be sure to tenderize and flatten to a consistent thickness. Place your chicken in the marinade and cool in the refrigerator. Longer is better but 15-20 minutes is sufficient time for the poultry to stew in the fridge. When you are ready to cook, both the chicken and marinade go in a baking dish and are placed in the oven at 350 degrees until the chicken is cooked through which is at least 165 degrees internally. With some dishes you could pull it out when the juices run clear but with the color of the sauce it will be hard to use this technique as a safe way to judge the temperature.
Well, now what? Did I eat the chicken all by itself, plated and plain? Nope, this is a good opportunity to use the leftover cilantro lime rice as a bed for the chicken. I also whipped up a quick pico de gallo for this dish. This is a quick and easy way to add vegetables to any dish as well as vibrant splash of color which goes well with the ruddy color of the chicken and white rice.
For the pico I used items that I already had in house. Keep in mind as you start to make this that you can substitute for items you like or already have on hand to save a few pennies. In a small mixing bowl I tossed together tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic, corn, jalapeno, lime juice, and tajin. It only takes a few minutes to put together and is an easy side for most meals, or a great snack with with some tortilla chips.
In the end, it was good meal and honestly I liked this version better than most restaurants. One thing I would suggest is grilling the chicken to add some of that smoky charcoal flavor and really round out this dish.
For my friends that don't cook with alcohol there are a few substitutions you can use, though the exact flavor cannot be reproduced. Agave or cactus juice works well as agave is the base of tequila. Also there is a company, Spiritless, which sells non-alcoholic distilled beverages. I have not tried them but it is an option.
Thank you, for having dinner with me. Remember that you are always welcome here. Pull up a chair, have a meal, sit with a friend, whatever you need, I am here.
4 tbsp tequila
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1\2 tbsp garlic
1\8 tsp salt
1 lime use both zest and juice
1 tomato diced
1\4 onion diced
1 jalapeno diced
1\4 cup corn
1\2 lime juiced
tajin to taste
2 cups water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1\2 tablespoon butter
1 unseeded diced serrano pepper
1 cup uncooked white rice
zest of 1-2 limes depending on size
pinch salt
Don't judge me for my photo editing skills, I am a cook not a photographer :)
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