Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken packs spicy, sweet and tangy flavors in each bite. With fresh ingredients and an easy prep, there is no excuse not to try it for dinner tonight.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Recipe
This Margarita Grilled Chicken is one of my favorite dishes from Chili’s restaurant! Lime-infused grilled chicken served on top of Spanish rice and black beans – topped with fresh-made pico de gallo! Plus – the pico took three minutes to make!
- Why You'll Love This Copycat Recipe
- What's in Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken?
- How to make Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken
- Variations:
- Tips, Tricks and FAQs
- Perfect Side Dish Ideas for Margarita Chicken
- Love Chili's Menu? Try these other delicious copycat restaurant recipes:
- Copycat Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken Recipe
What’s in Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken?
The ingredients for this easy copycat recipe are super simple – all you need is:
- Chicken breast tenders
- Margarita Mix – any brand of ready-made will do
- Kosher Salt
- Tequila (optional) – I did not use this as I’m not much of a drinker
I have other recipes for Spanish Rice (or this Cheesy Mexican Rice) and Chipotle’s Black Beans that I used for the base of the dish.
This dish is also topped with fresh pico de gallo – which is like a chunky version of salsa. Here’s what you need to make that:
- Tomato
- Onion
- Jalapeno
- Lime
- Cilantro
- Salt
How to make Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken
I love how easy this delicious dinner is to make – marinating your chicken is the most time-consuming step! Here’s what you do:
- In a large bowl, pour margarita mix in bowl and add chicken tenders and salt. Stir tenders in mix to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. (Don’t marinate any longer or it breaks down the chicken too much!)
- While chicken is marinating, make your Pico de Gallo:
- In a bowl, mix together tomato, onion, jalapeno, salt, cilantro and lime juice
- Stir pico. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare your beans & rice about 20-30 minutes before you want to eat. The chicken takes less than 10 minutes to cook.
- After marinating, turn grill pan to medium heat and spray skillet heavily with non-stick cooking spray (or sprinkle with olive oil)
- When skillet is hot, drain chicken from marinade and add half chicken tenders to grill pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Turn on your exhaust fan – trust me.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cook rest of chicken tenders.
- When chicken is done, prepare your bowls. Place the spanish rice in the middle of the bowl. Surround the edges with black beans. Place chicken breasts tenders on top like a teepee.
- Top chicken tenders with pico de gallo and tortilla strips. (You could add cheese too!)
Variations:
You can definitely mix it up with this dish – here are a few ideas:
- Seasonings – you dust chicken breasts with taco seasoning – or individual spices like garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder – they’re all great for flavoring chicken
- Sides – serve with avocado & sour cream, a side salad or even potato wedges
- Mix up the leftovers – Add scrambled eggs and you’ve got a great breakfast burrito
- Veggies – You could add sauteed spinach or zucchini as a side
- Marinade – You could make your own citrus marinade with lemon, lime & orange juice – or use a bottled Mojo Criollo!
Tips, Tricks and FAQs
Nope – but you can add tequila to the marinade if you like. I say – save it for the dinner drink!
No – the acidity will start to “cook” the chicken (like ceviche) – so 2-4 hours is good. And trust me – when you bite into the chicken – you’ll taste the margarita!
No – not at all! You could add pepper flakes to the marinade if you like!
So most people have a way they like to cook chicken – here are all of your options for this recipe: (well not all – you could pull out the old school George Foreman!)
* Head to your outside grill – grill at 350 for just 2-3 min on each side for these chicken tenders
* Air Fryer – this won’t make the fancy grill marks but I find it’s the juiciest chicken – 10 minutes at 350
* Grill Pan on the Stove Top – that’s what I did for this recipe – it only took 2-3 minutes on each side. (you could also use a cast iron skillet)
Yes – your cooking time will increase based on the size of your chicken. Or you can slice your chicken breasts into tender-sized pieces before marinating.
This recipe serves four people and has 296 calories per serving.
If you’d like to make your own – mix together ½ cup sugar, 1 cup water and 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 10 limes) equals about 2 cup margarita mix.
I made little meal prep bowls with my leftovers and placed a 1/3 cup rice, 1/3 cup black beans and 2 chicken tenders in my bowl. Then I topped with pico and sealed them up. I like to use these glass snap-top airtight containers.
The easiest is to reheat in the microwave for 2:30 minutes. It’s the quickest and simplest way plus it doesn’t dry out the thicken.
Yes definitely – but I would only freeze after cooking. If you have the meal prep container with leftovers – just pop it in the freezer. It’s good for 2-3 months.
Perfect Side Dish Ideas for Margarita Chicken
This goes great with a serving of your favorite Mexican rice – or these other side dishes:
- Spanish Rice & Beans
- Chipotle Black Beans
- Popeye’s Red Beans & Rice
- Chipotle Corn Salsa
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Love Chili’s Menu? Try these other delicious copycat restaurant recipes:
Copycat Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless raw chicken breast tenders
- 1/2 bottle Margarita Mix
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
Pico de Gallo
- 1 tomato small dice
- 1/4 onion small dice
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded, small dice
- 1 lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cilantro
Toppings & Sides
- 1/4 cup Santa Fe Tortilla Strips
- Spanish Rice
- Black Beans
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, add chicken tenders, margarita mix and salt. Stir so tenders are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.1 lb boneless, skinless raw chicken breast tenders, 1/2 bottle Margarita Mix, 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- While chicken is marinating, make your Pico de Gallo:
- In a bowl, mix together tomato, onion, jalapeno, salt, cilantro and juice from one lime1 tomato, 1/4 onion, 1/2 jalapeno, 1 lime, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp cilantro
- Stir pico. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- If making beans & spanish rice – make this about 20-30 minutes before you want to eat. The chicken takes less than 10 minutes to cook.Spanish Rice, Black Beans
- After marinating, heat grill pan (or grill or air fryer) to medium high and spray heavily with non-stick cooking spray
- When skillet is heated, add half chicken tenders to grill pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Turn on your exhaust fan – trust me.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cook rest of chicken tenders.
- When chicken is done, prepare your bowls. Place the spanish rice in the middle of the bowl. Surround the edges with black beans. Stack 3-4 chicken tenders on top like a teepee.
- Top chicken tenders with pico de gallo and tortilla strips.1/4 cup Santa Fe Tortilla Strips
Maria says
Thank you for this recipe. Whenever I would cook grilled chicken, it would be dry but this recipe it’s juicy! I’ll have this again tonight.
Rachna says
I love this bowl. Looks so healthy and lime infused chicken sounds so delicious. I am going to make it soon. Thank you.
sonia says
Grilled chicken is n great dish for my family.
Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Sachs says
Such a colourful and vibrant dish. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
Beth says
So easy and yummy! This has always been one of my favorites dishes and now I can make it at home. Thanks so much!
David says
If I wanted to use tequila, how much should I add? What size vottle of margarita mix are you using to determine what half a bottle is?
FoodHussy says
I used the gallon jug – so 1/2 gallon – but really you just need enough to cover your chicken. Re: tequila – add as much as you would for the bottled “recipe”.
David says
What settings should I use if I want to use an air fryer such as the instant pot duo?
FoodHussy says
I’ve never used the instant pot duo – but an air fryer is an air fryer – so 350 for 10 minutes should work!