Tequila Lime Chicken bursts with bright margarita-style flavor from a simple marinade of tequila, fresh lime juice, cilantro, garlic and spices. This grilled chicken is easy to prepare, turns out juicy and tender, and is a crowd-pleaser—budget friendly too (slice it for tacos or salads).
Margarita Grilled Chicken with Tequila Lime Marinade
Tequila Lime Chicken features a lively citrus-forward marinade made from lime juice and tequila, balanced with garlic, cilantro and spices. Grill the marinated chicken until it’s juicy inside with attractive char marks outside. It’s often called Margarita Chicken, a popular Tex‑Mex favorite, and it’s a reliable choice for summer cookouts and casual catering.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Versatile: Use the grilled chicken as a main with sides, slice it for salads, or chop it for tacos, burritos or quesadillas.
- Great for Grilling: Ideal for backyard barbecues and summer gatherings.
- Healthy Protein: Grilling keeps the chicken lean and flavorful—good for meal prep and low‑carb plans.
Margarita Chicken Tequila Lime Marinade
This boozy marinade is straightforward to make. The alcohol from the tequila largely dissipates during grilling, leaving a subtle margarita note that complements the lime and cilantro.
Pro tip: I prepare this marinade two ways depending on time and ingredients—either from scratch or using a pre-made margarita mix to save time.
- From scratch: Combine quality tequila (no need for top-shelf), fresh lime juice, a touch of sugar, garlic, cilantro and spices for the best fresh flavor.
- Shortcut: Use a bottled margarita mix that already contains tequila, then add garlic, cilantro and spices—no squeezing limes required.
Tequila Lime Margarita Chicken Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card below for exact measurements, but the core ingredients are:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if you prefer).
- Tequila: Silver (blanco) or reposado works well; you don’t need the most expensive bottle.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed is best; fresh lemon can substitute if needed.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and chopped cilantro.
- Spices: Ground cumin, salt and black pepper.
- Oil: Olive oil to help carry the flavors and keep the chicken moist.
How To Make Tequila Lime Chicken
- Combine lime juice, tequila, sugar, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil in a shallow dish or resealable bag to make the marinade.
- Optional: Pound uneven chicken breasts to an even thickness for consistent cooking.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the marinade and refrigerate for 15 minutes up to 8 hours. Avoid marinating much longer than 8 hours to prevent texture changes from the acid.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Remove chicken from the marinade and grill in a single layer with space between pieces for 5–8 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
- If the chicken sticks when you try to turn it, wait a bit longer—the meat will usually release when it’s ready to flip.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest, tented with foil, for 5–10 minutes before slicing or serving to allow carryover cooking and retain juices.
How do you prevent chicken breast from sticking to the grill?
Clean the grates, brush them with oil, and lightly oil the chicken. Keep the grill below about 450°F and preheat it to medium-high so the meat sears quickly without sticking.
How long should the chicken marinate?
Marinate for as little as 15 minutes or up to 8 hours. Because the marinade contains acidic lime juice, avoid marinating longer than 8–10 hours to prevent the chicken from becoming mushy.
How Long to Grill Chicken Breast
Plan on roughly 5–6 minutes per side for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The most reliable method is an instant-read thermometer—remove the chicken when the thickest part reaches 160°F and let it rest until carryover cooking brings it to 165°F.
At What Temperature Should I Grill Boneless Chicken Breast?
Set the grill to medium-high, about 400–425°F, for a juicy interior with a nicely charred exterior.
What Goes With This Tequila Lime Margarita Chicken Recipe?
This Mexican-inspired chicken pairs well with many sides and salads. Serve with a creamy cilantro-lime coleslaw, a three-bean salad, or a comforting rice casserole. It’s also perfect for a taco bar—serve with warm tortillas, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, cheese and salsa.
For spice lovers, pickled jalapeños add a bright, tangy heat like taqueria-style toppings. To keep costs down, boneless chicken thighs are a juicy, economical alternative to breasts.
Safe Temperature for Boneless Chicken Breast
- The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the thickest part of the breast.
Storing and Reheating Margarita Chicken
Storing: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave at 60% power in short intervals or warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat. Adding a few tablespoons of chicken broth when reheating in a pan helps keep the meat moist.
Tequila Lime Chicken Recipe Tips & Notes
- You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts; cooking time will vary slightly.
- Remove the chicken from the grill when an instant-read thermometer reads about 160°F and tent with foil to rest; carryover cooking will raise the temperature to the safe 165°F.
- If the exterior is too charred before the center cooks through, finish the chicken in a 300°F oven in a covered baking dish until done.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a sealed container.
More Mexican and Tex‑Mex Inspired Ideas:
- Charro Beans
- Carne Asada
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Chipotle Shredded Beef Barbacoa
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Prickly Pear Margarita
Tequila Lime Chicken
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Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup tequila (silver)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Chicken
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the marinade, combine lime juice, tequila, sugar, chopped garlic, chopped cilantro, ground cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil in a zip-top bag or large bowl. If using a bottled margarita mix, omit the lime, tequila and sugar.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the marinade.
- Marinate for 15 minutes up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- Heat a grill to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill, turning once, about 5–6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
- Remove from the grill, tent with foil and let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If using bottled margarita with tequila, omit the lime juice, tequila and sugar in the marinade.
- Cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 160–165°F, then rest 5–10 minutes to reach the safe 165°F target from carryover cooking.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary by ingredient brands and portions used.
Nutrition
This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated to provide additional information. The recipe remains the same.