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Grilled tequila lime chicken tenders are tender, juicy and loaded with flavor. Marinate them for an hour or two, and they take less than 20 minutes to make.
We’ve had amazing weather lately, and so our grill is working overtime. While most of the country is celebrating the start of grilling season, here in Arizona, it’s usually getting too hot. Needless to say, I’m loving this weather, and we’re spending as much time as we can outside.
We probably grill chicken more than anything, followed by beef and sometimes pork. The Hubs even grills bacon on the weekends, which is so much easier than frying it.
Usually, we have chicken with barbecue sauce — it’s the kids’ favorite. But sometimes, I’ll make a simple olive oil and citrus marinade and sauce. Cilantro lime is one of my favorites, and it goes so well with chicken.
But today, we decided to be slightly more adventurous, and I made tequila lime sauce and marinade, instead.
The tequila gives the chicken a little extra kick, and the alcohol burns off so that it’s fine for the kiddo. I also added some diced jalapeno pepper, garlic and fresh cilantro. Believe me, there’s definitely a ton of flavor going on here!
In this particular recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken tenders. There was an awesome sale at the store the other day, and we stocked up on fresh tenders. These are so easy to work with, and they cook so much faster than other cuts of meat. But, you can always use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, if that’s what you have.
The longer the chicken marinates, the better it tastes, but in a pinch, any amount of time is fine. I saved the leftover marinade, heated it on the stove to kill off bacteria from the raw chicken, and then, we poured this sauce all over the cooked tenders.
The result is amazing! Honestly, you have to give this recipe a try.
And if you don’t want to use alcohol, just leave the tequila out and maybe add some lemon juice to the mix, instead.
How to Make Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken Tenders
Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 1//2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tequila
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 whole limes
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
Instructions
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken, and place in a large zip-top bag
- Add the remaining ingredients, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 or more hours
- Heat grill, and cook tenders over heavy duty aluminum foil for about 8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees
- Heat leftover marinade until bubbling. ( You can add more olive oil, orange juice and lime juice if you need to. )
- Transfer cooked chicken to a platter, and pour sauce over the chicken
- Serve immediately
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These grilled tequila lime chicken tenders were incredibly juicy and not dry at all. And the flavor? Sublime. Best of all, they only take about 15 to 20 minutes to cook. I’m more than fine with that.
I served the chicken along with corn, baked potatoes and a big old bowl of homemade guacamole — simple but so satisfying!
Not only is this a quick and easy summer dinner the first time around, but you can also use the leftover chicken in sandwiches, salads, tacos or just about anything. And that definitely works for me!
Have a super day!
Do you squeeze the limes for juice, cut them up, or what?
You squeeze the lime juice into the marinade. We usually toss the squeezed limes in for extra flavor, but that’s optional.
That tequila lime sauce sounds AWESOME! Such a perfect dish for summer!
Chicken is like our all time favorite thing to grill too! Ok, well Thomas love steak but I love chicken and could eat it every day! Love this recipe!
Thanks, Angie. That sounds like us — I love chicken!
Gotta love some boozy chicken! This is a perfect summer recipe – fun, light and on the grill! We’ve been all about grilling, too, and it’s nice to change up the flavors. Pinned and can’t wait to try this!
I love juicy chicken tenders! Great that you used tequila! 😀
Thanks! These weren’t dry at all! 🙂
This chicken looks delicious! Love that tequila twist.
Thanks so much! I think we’re going to make tacos with the leftovers — yum!
Oh boy! I love that idea, Dee. Smart thinking! 🙂
This recipe sounds perfect for grilling season! Love that there is tequila in the marinade- yum. 🙂
I think the tequila really makes the dish taste extra special!
That sounds a little bit like a margarita chicken marinade. Love it!
Thanks, Dorothy. I can tell you that margaritas go very well with this! 🙂