Smashed Margarita Chicken

KITCHEN LITTLE ESSENTIALS

To make this Smashed Margarita Chicken, you will need:

A grill pan (if you want to cook indoors)

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A light and bright summery stunner, this chicken is definitely more than meets the eye. I call it “Smashed” Margarita Chicken for two reasons:

1. There’s tequila in it, so there’s that.
2. The chicken is literally smashed – pounded thin so it stays nice and juicy as it cooks.

I’ve got a few really solid chicken tricks up my sleeve, things I do to ensure the meat stays as tasty and juicy as absolutely possible, and this “smashing” technique is one of my most oft employed. Man does it work wonders on a bird’s breast, let me tell you.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts are great for a lot of reasons, right? They’re affordable, widely available, flexible, and they seem to play nice with just about any flavors with which you could pair them. That said, they do have a tendency to go a bit dry – it’s really easy to overcook boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Unlike their dark-meat brethren, white meat pieces/cuts go from perfectly juicy to dry and lifeless in two seconds.

Chicken thighs can stand up to cooking much better, so I like to bring a few chicken tricks to the table when I work with chicken breasts. Today? We’re smashing them to smithereens.

How to Make this Smashed Margarita Chicken

Like any good Tequila Lime Chicken, this one is built upon the tangy, bright citrus flavors of lime and orange (just like your favorite margarita). When you add salt, tequila, and some fire – you’ve taken a great cocktail straight from the glass to the grill.

Here are a few simple need-to-knows for this easy tequila lime chicken:

1. This is a classic preparation for chicken, and you can make it on an indoor grill pan or on a gas grill.
2. Be sure to grease/spray the grates so there’s no stickin chicken (that would really cramp the style of the final dish).
3. The chicken really needs at least an hour in the marinade to be all that it can be. This gives it enough time to really soak up the garlicky, citrusy flavors.
4. Grill your fruit! In my instructions, I direct you to slice up some limes/oranges and throw them right on the grill with the chicken. This will impart some smoky flavor right into the fruit and will also get the juices flowing. I serve the charred fruit slices on top of the chicken and like to squeeze the juice down over top.

How I like to Serve this Margarita Chicken

I keep it really light and simple with this one. I like to serve it with a handful of peppery arugula and some creamy avocado. It’s really perfect here, the avocado, and maybe my favorite use for an avocado – alongside something salty and savory, like this chicken.

Smashed Margarita Chicken: Here’s the Step-by-Step

Place the chicken breasts on a flat surface (cutting board) and using either a heavy bottomed glass or meat mallet, pound them out until they are about half as thick as they were originally. 

Place the pounded chicken, the oil, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, salt, and Old Bay in a large, zip-top plastic bag. Give it a little massage to mix everything together and to ensure that the chicken is nice and coated with the marinade. Pop this in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 8.  

When the chicken is ready, preheat a gas grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray to ensure that the chicken won’t stick. Cook the chicken breasts until nice and charred on both sides and done in the center; about 3 to 4 minutes per side (the chicken is thinner than usual, so will cook faster). 

Place the sliced orange and limes on the grill (over indirect heat if using an outdoor grill) and allow them to char; about 1 minute. 

Serve your Smashed Margarita Chicken with the charred orange and lime slices (to squeeze over top), some fresh, peppery arugula, and slices of creamy avocado.

If you like the looks of this Smashed Margarita Chicken, you might want to check out:

Filipino Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice

Best Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken

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