An Inspired Cook

Time is winding down when I can get outside and grill.  But this week we had a really nice day full of sunshine and I thought I’d better enjoy every minute of it!  All summer I intended to make Margarita Chicken but somehow I never got around to it.  I found these colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes that would make a beautiful pico to top my drunken chicken.  It was pretty on a plate with salty and citrusy flavors coming through in every bite.

The chicken needs to marinate a bit so I’m getting started on that first.  I assembled some limes, garlic, salt, tequila, cilantro and olive oil.  I love everything lime so I added the coarse lime sea salt and Persian lime olive oil but that’s just me.

I squeezed 3 limes which came out to about 1/4 cup.

Into a small bowl I mixed the 1/4 cup of lime juice and 3 tablespoons of tequila plus 1 teaspoon of salt.

I grated 3 cloves of garlic and added about 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro.

Mix that all together and pour over your chicken pieces.

Drizzle a good 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the chicken and arrange chicken so that it is coated with the marinade. Cover and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or a couple hours, however long you have time to prep ahead.

I’m making a colorful avocado pico with a pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, garlic, jalapeno cilantro and lime juice.

Quarter the cherry tomatoes.

Add 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno and 2 cloves grated garlic.

Add 2 tablespoons of finely diced red onion and about 1/4 of a large avocado diced.

Roughly chop about 2 tablespoons of cilantro and spritz with lime juice.

I added about 1/4 teaspoon salt and mixed the pico together.

I set the chicken to grill.  It took about 10 – 12 minutes on each side.

Turn the chicken over after 10 – 12 minutes and grill the other side.

I chose this hot pepper jack cheese to melt over the chicken but you can use whatever you like.  Slice enough to cover the amount of chicken pieces you have.

With about 5 minutes left of grill time I set some cheese slices over the chicken to melt.

Serve the chicken warm with avocado pico over the top.  I like to serve it alongside some cilantro lime rice.

Salty and citrusy, Yum!





Margarita Chicken

4 pieces Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts
Margarita Marinade, recipe follows
Avocado Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
Slices of Jalapeno Jack Cheese,  enough to melt over chicken pieces

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over chicken to marinate 2 hours.  Prepare a gas or charcoal grill and cook chicken 10 – 12 minutes on each side.  The last 5 minutes of grill time, place slices of cheese over chicken to melt.

Spoon avocado pico de gallo over top of chicken. Serve with rice or beans.


Margarita Marinade

1/4 cup Lime Juice (about 3 limes)
3 tablespoons Tequila
3 cloves Garlic, grated on a microplane grater
1 teaspoon coarse Salt (I used Fresco Lime Gourmet Sea Salt)
1/4 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Olive Oil (I used Persian Lime Olive Oil)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well and pour over chicken pieces to marinate.


Avocado Pico de Gallo

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes (I used Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes)
2 tablespoons Jalapeno, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, grated on a microplane grater
2 tablespoons Red Onion, finely chopped
1/4 Avocado, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons Cilantro, roughly chopped
Spritz of Lime Juice
Salt to taste

In a medium sized bowl, cut the cherry tomatoes into quarter pieces.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix together.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.  Spoon over grilled margarita chicken.