Okay, so this weekend my boyfriend and I are throwing our first party together. We are having a joint birthday BBQ at our place. Since our birthdays are 3 weeks apart, we decided that a joint party made the most sense. And my boyfriend…being a typical guy…has lived in his place for a while now and has never had anyone over. That makes this BBQ a combination of 2 birthday parties and a housewarming all thrown into one….it is gonna be big…no pressure…
In preparation of this little get together I have been working to get the yard in shape. At this point my efforts to make the backyard nice may have morphed into a little obsession. Everyday I am out in the yard doing something. Planting the garden, maintaining the garden, reseeding, weeding, trimming the hedges, planting flowers, adding more plants to the garden, hanging lights…wait do we need more flowers? Ugh, at this point I cant stop. I need someone to step in and say “Jessica step away from the potting soil.” But I guess there are worse obsessions right? And hey, I have to admit, my backyard is starting to look pretty darn good. Not to pat myself on the back or anything.
Anyway, given that I have basically been living outside, I have also been enjoying grilling out most nights. Now I don’t know about you but it can be easy to get into a grilling rut. Burgers, corn, BBQ chicken, brats….while these are of course all grilling staples…sometimes you just need to break out a mix it up a little bit, right? I don’t know if you have ever tried tequila lime chicken on the grill, but if you haven’t you need to immediately. It’s great. And easy. I love easy. Just throw some tequila, lime juice, and chicken in a bag to marinate. Season with salt and pepper and toss on the grill. It is fast, moist and delicious. So if you are like me and becoming obsessed with your backyard, try throwing this chicken on the grill. I mean you have to eat while you admire your amazing handy work right?
Local Ingredient: Pasture raised chicken (purchased from the farmers market).
Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders, preferably pasture raised
1/4-1/2 cup good tequila
2 limes, juiced and zested
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the chicken tenders, tequila and lime juice. Toss to make sure all the chicken pieces are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.
- After the chicken has marinated remove from the fridge. Place on a plate and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to medium high heat. Place the chicken on the grill. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken, being sure not to allow it to tear.
- Continue to cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove and place on a clean plate or serving dish. Garnish with lime zest and fresh chopped cilantro.
[…] Sunday I grilled up some of our Tequila Lime Chicken. Because I make this recipe with chicken tenders, they are perfect for making a quick and healthy […]