Tequila Citrus Chicken Tacos
What could be better than an easy-to-make weeknight meal that can be fully customized? That’s what makes these tequila lime chicken tacos shine! These tacos are paired perfectly with a quick, homemade corn salsa, which combines the sweetness of corn with the richness of avocado. You and your family will both love this recipe!
Servings: 8 tacos
Ingredients
- ½ cup gold tequila
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
For the corn salsa
- 2 cups sweet corn frozen and thawed or freshly cooked
- 1 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes drained
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 avocado diced
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
To serve
- 8 corn tortillas lightly charred for serving (optional)
- lettuce as desired
- cotija cheese as desired
- radish sliced, as desired
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the tequila, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and cumin. Whisk to combine and submerge the chicken in the marinade. Cover the marinating chicken and chill for 2 hours, or for up to 6 hours.½ cup gold tequila, ½ cup fresh orange juice, ½ cup fresh lime juice, 3 cloves garlic, 1 ½ tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 large breasts), 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- Grill: Once the chicken is marinated, prepare the grill by heating it on high for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium-high. Grill the chicken until browned on both sides with an internal reading of 160°F, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the grill and set it aside to rest for 15 minutes. While resting, the chicken will continue to cook.
- Prepare the salsa: In a large bowl, combine the corn, drained fire-roasted tomatoes, red onion, avocado, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, cilantro, cumin, and chipotle powder. Stir to combine and serve with tacos.2 cups sweet corn, 1 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, ½ cup diced red onion, 1 avocado, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp chipotle powder
- Serve: Slice the chicken breasts. Assemble tacos with tortillas, corn salsa, cotija cheese, radish, lettuce, and any other toppings.8 corn tortillas, cotija cheese, radish, lettuce
Video
Notes
For the most added flavor, use a yellow or gold tequila, rather than a white variety. The yellow or gold varieties will have more flavor, which is what is desirable when creating a marinade.
Make sure the citrus that’s added to the marinade is at room temperature. This will ensure that the most amount of juice can be squeezed from the fruit. If your oranges and limes are cold when making this recipe, pop them into the microwave to warm them up for a few seconds. This will bring their internal temperature closer to room temperature.
If marinating the chicken in a shallow vessel where the marinade does not fully submerge the breasts, make sure to turn them every so often. You do not want parts of the chicken to be left without marinade on them.
After the chicken has been grilled, make sure to let it rest before cutting it into slices. This resting time will allow the breasts to reabsorb their juices. If cut right away, a lot of the juiciness from the chicken would be lost.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco (does not include taco shell) | Calories: 148kcal