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    Home » Budget Meals

    Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas

    Jul 15, 2007 · Modified: Jun 19, 2021 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas - Andrea Meyers

    The big Asian grocery store not far from my house had a great lime sale—20 limes for $1.00—so I came home with a bag of 20 limes and plans to make several lime dishes. This weekend we grilled some of this tequila lime chicken, which has become a favorite for us.

    How long should you marinade chicken in a citrus-based liquid? Overnight or no more than a couple hours? For years I've heard you should not marinade your chicken in citrus liquids for more than an hour because it starts to "cook" the chicken, meaning that the outside layers of the chicken meat start to take on a white, cooked-like appearance. So of course when I saw recipes which called for marinating your chicken overnight in lime juice and other ingredients, I was skeptical and thought for sure that the chicken would be ruined. But I also saw many comments online at various cooking forums and recipe sites where people swore that their chicken turned out fantastic when marinating overnight and that it was tender and juicy, not tough or overcooked.

    So this year I finally decided to try it and risk ruining a batch of chicken, and I am so glad that I did. Yes, the outside of the chicken does turn white, but when grilled the chicken is flavorful and tender. This recipe is now a favorite, and it makes great chicken fajitas. I make a large batch so that we can have leftovers for salads.

    [Updated May 2014.]

    Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas - Andrea Meyers
    Print Pin

    Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas

    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Marinating Time6 hrs
    Total Time6 hrs 40 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Southwestern, Tex-Mex
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Keyword: chicken, gluten free, grill, lime, summer, tequila
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 197kcal

    Equipment

    • medium bowl
    • 2 zipper freezer bags
    • grill

    Ingredients

    • 6 boneless chicken breasts

    Marinade

    • 1 cup lime juice (fresh)
    • ½ cup orange juice (fresg)
    • ½ cup tequila
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 grinds fresh black pepper

    Serve With

    • refried beans
    • Mexican rice
    • sauteed or grilled onions and peppers
    • gluten-free corn tortillas
    • tomatoes or salsa
    • sour cream
    • guacamole
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    • In the medium bowl, stir together the lime juice, orange juice, tequila, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    • Put the chicken breasts into the freezer bags, 3 per bag, and pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn the bags over a couple times, then put them in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
    • Preheat the grill to medium heat, and brush the grill rack with oil. Grill the chicken 10 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook another 8 minutes.
    • Slice the chicken diagonally across the grain and serve with the fajita accompaniments.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kalyn says

      July 16, 2007 at 9:39 am

      Sounds great. I often marinate chicken all day in the fridge while I'm at work and it turns out wonderful. What a deal on the limes!

    2. Deborah says

      July 16, 2007 at 1:42 pm

      I have never heard that debate about marinating times with citrus. I usually marinate everything overnight as a preference - I think the flavor is better that way. This recipe sounds wonderful - I'm going to have to give it a try!

    3. Dolores says

      July 17, 2007 at 12:48 am

      What a great deal on the limes! Looking forward to trying these on the grill next weekend.

    4. Alanna says

      July 18, 2007 at 11:12 pm

      Just wanted to let you know that your post is featured on BlogHer today! ~ AK

    5. Andrea says

      July 18, 2007 at 11:25 pm

      Kalyn, all your chicken recipes continue to inspire me!

      Deborah, yes I should have given in on this one years ago. I've always marinated red meats overnight but the chicken/citrus thing stuck with me. Glad I got over it!

      Dolores, for some reason those limes tasted better than any I've had in long time. Maybe it's because they were such a deal. 🙂

      Alanna, thank so much for the shout-out!

    6. Cris says

      July 23, 2007 at 8:42 pm

      I always think of how cheap limes are here compared to the US, but then I must admit, you got such a great deal! That marinade looks terrific, I did kabobs last weeke and left them marinating overnight with lime, also I had the same concern as you did, and found out the same. The tequila seems like a great addition!

    7. Jennifer S says

      August 09, 2010 at 3:56 pm

      Thank you for writing this- i just used bitter orange and let my chicken marinade overnight, then when i saw the chicken turning white i thought all was lost 🙂 Now i can not wait to get it on the grill.

    8. Janet Oresick says

      August 25, 2012 at 9:32 pm

      I always add some oil to my maranade. Will it help or hurt if I add some--or do you feel that it is not necessary? This recipe sounds great. I made it this evening and plan to maranade chicken tenders with it and then grill them. I'm working tomorrow so I'm not going to put the maranade on until right before I leave for work. THANKS!

      • Andrea says

        August 26, 2012 at 3:02 pm

        Hi Janet. It's not really necessary. The chicken gets very tender with all the citrus in the marinade. Just remember to oil the grill a bit before you put the chicken on.

    9. JoAnn says

      May 05, 2013 at 4:26 pm

      Anything with Tequila is good! hee heee! Sounds wonderful and I am trying next weekend.
      I love to cook isome what bulk style on Sundays to be prepared for the work week. I love the idea of marinating the chicken and then using it a few ways. Score! 🙂
      Thanks for sharing!

    Trackbacks

    1. Grilled Chicken Fajitas | House of Annie says:
      May 19, 2012 at 11:00 am

      [...] out other chicken fajita recipes by: Kalyn’s Kitchen, Andrea’s Recipes, My Kitchen Snippets, Annie’s Eats and Two Peas and Their [...]

    2. Debbie's Home Cooking Blog Archive Are you fearing that Dreaded Raw Onion? says:
      February 21, 2015 at 4:23 pm

      […] flavor. I love freshly sliced onions in tacos.  Place sliced onions into sandwiches, wraps, fajitas etc.  Why not give these ideas a try and see if it works out better for […]

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