Tequila Chicken or Tequila Lime Chicken (Chicken Tequila)

Tequila (usually paired with lime juice) began to be added to chicken recipes by at least the 1970s, but the recipes became much more frequent in the 1990s. A 1977 recipe for “Chicken Tequila Sunrise” (below) included tequila and orange juice, just like the “Tequila Sunrise” cocktail. California Pizza Kitchen of Beverly Hills (later a restaurant chain) came out with “Chicken Tequila Fettuccine” by the mid-1980s; Applebee’s came out with “Tequila Lime Chicken” (or “Fiesta Lime Chicken”) in the mid-1990s.
 
“Margarita Chicken” is another name for “Tequila (Lime) Chicken” or “Chicken Tequila,” a tangy contemporary favorite.
       
     
California Pizza Kitchen
Chicken Tequila Fettuccine
The original! Spinach fettuccine with chicken, red, green and yellow peppers, red onions and fresh cilantro in a tequila-lime and jalapeño cream sauce.
     
Applebee’s
Fiesta Lime Chicken® 
Grilled boneless chicken breast marinated in lime juice and tequila and topped with a Mexi-ranch and Jack-cheddar sauce.   
$9.49
 
Chili’s
MARGARITA GRILLED CHICKEN
We start with tender, juicy chicken breast, marinate it with our classic Margarita flavoring and grill it to perfection. Served with rice, black beans, tortilla strips & pico de gallo.
$9.59
   
All Recipes
Texas Style Chicken Tequila
SUBMITTED BY: Brenda Broadway
“This dish is colorful and the ingredients prepared ahead of time. Your family and friends will love this recipe! Note: the most time consuming part of this recipe is making the paste for the sauce (it gives an unique flavor and is worth the effort). The paste can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before adding to the sauce. Serve with your favorite noodles (1b of dry) or with mashed potatoes (5 medium.)”
 
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup tequila
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
 
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and saute until soft. Pour in chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to a paste, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure it is not sticking.
2. While the sauce is cooking, place the chicken in a bowl, and pour soy sauce over it. Melt remaining butter in a skillet, and saute the onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper until soft. Remove vegetables, and set aside.
3. Add oil to the skillet, and cook the chicken over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Pour in the sauce and heavy cream, and add the peppers. Bring to a boil, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in Romano cheese and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve immediately.
 
Tex-Mex Cafe
Applebee’s Tequila Lime Chicken
4 chicken breast fillets
1 C. shredded cheddar/Monterrey jack cheese blend
2 C. crumbled corn chips or fried tortilla strips
 
Marinade:
1 C. water
1/3 C. teriyaki sauce
2 T. lime juice
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. mesquite liquid smoke
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. tequila
 
Mexi-Ranch dressing:
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. sour cream
1 T. milk
2 t. minced tomato
1 1/2 t. white vinegar
1 t. minced canned jalapeno slices
1 t. minced onion
1/4 t. dried parsley
1/4 t. Tabasco sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. paprika
1/8 t. dried dill weed
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. cumin
1/8 t. chili powder
Dash garlic powder
Dash ground black pepper (...)
 
14 October 1977, San Mateo (CA) Times, pg. 14, cols. 1-2:
CHICKEN TEQUILA SUNRISE
2 lbs. cut-up frying chicken
2 onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup tequila
1 clove garlic, minced (or pinch of instant)
3 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin seeds (or 1/4 tsp. cumin powder)
Salt and coarsely ground pepper
   
Spray a shallow nonstick baking pan with cooking spray for no-fat cooking. Put the chicken pieces skin-side up unseasoned. Place pan in a preheated 425-degree (hot) oven for 25 minutes, to crisp the skin and melt the fat. Remove from oven and pour off all the fat. Put the onion slices under the chicken. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
 
Return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes, or more, until chicken is tender and crisp and liquid is reduced to a thick glaze. Baste frequently with pan liquid, adding a tablespoon of water if the liquid evaporates too much. Makes four servings, 235 calories each.
   
5 June 1986, Daily News (Los Angeles, CA):
Our favorite is the Chicken Tequila Fettuccine, which combines chicken and ...
(California Pizza Kitchen—ed.)
 
11 December 1986, Daily Gleaner Kingston, Jamaica), food supplement, pg. XX:
Tequila chicken wings
   
30 December 1988, Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer, pg. 26:
Another fowl favorite at the Roxxi is the tequila chicken ($9.50), which is not only reasonable, but a fine-tasting marriage of chicken and a palate- ...
 
Sacramento (CA) Bee
HOMEY FOOTHILL SETTING
APPLE PIE NOT QUITE LIKE MOM’S
Published on November 12, 1989, Page EN7
** Pullen House Garden Restaurant (729 Lincoln Way) in Auburn is blessed with a homey, inviting setting rich with fantasies of thick apple pies, bread puddings and vegetable chowders. Unfortunately, the realities are thin apple pies, orange roughy, Chinese stir-fry and tequila-lime chicken, which wouldn’t have been a bit disappointing if Pullen House’s table service hadn’t been so slow, and it’s food so erratic.
 
1 July 1990, New York (NY) Times, pg. CN23:
Equally delicious were tequila chicken, grilled in strips and served with a fresh cilantro pesto and a racy, fresh-made red salsa, and mussels cataplana in a garlic broth.
   
12 April 1992, Kerrville (TX) Times, pg. 5C, col. 2 ad:
TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN BREAST
(Y.O. Ranch Hilton—ed.) 

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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Darwyn O Banks)
Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1993 14:19:03 GMT
Local: Fri, Aug 6 1993 9:19 am
Subject: Re: Columbus, OH
 
Personally, I’d recommend the Kung Pao Shrimp Pizza (Sounds weird, I know, but I found it phenomenal).  Tequila Chicken and Mushroom Pizza are also good.
   
14 November 1993, New York (NY) Times, “An Upscale Cafe With Southwestern Flair” by Patricia Brooks, pg. 756(CN16?):
A marinade of lime juice and tequila inspired the sizzling grilled tequila chicken with a deep limey resonance.
 
19 June 1994, New York (NY) Times, “‘California Style” Innovations on Pizza” by Richard Jay Scholem, pg. LI15:
...or pastas like chicken-tequila fettuccine or Thai chicken linguine.
(California Pizza Kitchen—ed.)
 
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (LizR)
Date: 1995/05/12
Subject: Re: Cooking with Tequila?
 
Tequila Chicken
Marinate chicken in a mix of 1/4 c tequila, 1/4 c lime juice. Saute 1 diced red onion until tender. Add some tomatilla salsa (1/4c or so). Add chicken and marinade. Saute until chicken is done. The marinade will cook off so you’ll just end up with sort of a sludge at the bottom. Remove the chicken and deglaze the pan with a little bit more tequila. Pour the sauce over the chicken. 
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Stephanie da Silva)
Date: 1995/06/22
Subject: REQUESTS file for 22 Jun 95
 
I’m seeking a recipe for Tequila-Lime Chicken.  Sometimes called Margarita Chicken.  I’ve had it at a couple of restaurants that won’t give out recipes.  It is delicious and would like to make it at home. 
 
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From: JUDI MAE PHELPS
Date: 1995/06/26
Subject: Broiled Chicken with Tequila & Lime
 
This recipe is for Michael J. Schrank who requested a Tequila-Lime Chicken recipe on 6/22/95.
 
MMMMM——- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
Title: Broiled Chicken with Tequila and Lime
Categories: Chicken, Alcohol
Yield: 4 servings
4 Chicken breast halves; skin-bone
1/3 c Tequila
2 tb Honey
1 Lime; zest and juice
1/2 ts Ground cumin
 
Preheat the broiler.  Pound the breasts lightly to flatten evenly. In a medium bowl, combine the tequila, honey, zest and juice and ground cumin.  Stir to mix well. Add the chicken and turn several times until the chicken is well-coated with the marinade. Place the chicken breasts on a broiler pan. Broil about 4” from the heat, turning once and basting several times with the sauce for the first 4 minutes, until the chicken is browned outside and white to the center, 6 to 8 minutes total.  Source: Newspaper
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Ilvbakin)
Date: 1998/06/14
Subject: Margarita or Tequila Lime Chicken
 
I was looking for a recipe for either margarita or tequila lime chicken like they serve at Appleby’s or Chilies.
 
New York (NY) Times   
FOOD; Adding Color to Empty Canvas of Sauteed Chicken
By FLORENCE FABRICANT
Published: February 28, 1999
(...)
Tequila Chicken With Chilies
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 frying chicken, cut up and patted dry
1 medium-size red onion, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1 cup finely chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1/2 cup silver tequila
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooked or canned and rinsed black beans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
 
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet. Add the chicken pieces and cook over high heat until nicely browned. Do not crowd the chicken pieces in the pan and remove them as they brown.
2. Lower heat, add the onion and red pepper and saute until tender. Add the jalapeno and pine nuts and saute for a minute or so, then stir in the chili powder. Add the tomatoes, tequila and lime juice.
4. Return the chicken to the pan along with any juices that may have been released by the chicken as it cooled. Baste with the pan juices and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cover and cook 40 minutes. Fold in the black beans and heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.
 
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 8 Sep 2000 06:38:47 -0600
Local: Fri, Sep 8 2000 7:38 am
Subject: Tequila Lime Chicken
 
Tequila Lime Chicken

1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) limeade
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2 W
1/2-strips
1 small orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (4 ounces)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 16 ounce package uncooked spinach fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
Mix tequila, limeade and lime peel in medium glass or plastic bowl. Stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Place chicken and marinade in 12-inch skillet. Stir in bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package. Divide fettuccine among 6 serving plates. Spoon chicken mixture over fettuccine. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with additional grated lime peel if desired. (Betty Crocker’s Best of Healthy and Hearty Cooking)
 
James (webmaster, chef, writer)
Blue Heaven Restaurant, Key West, FL
http://www.blueheavenkw.com  
 
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From: “Daffodil”
Date: 10 Sep 2000 12:40:19 GMT
Local: Sun, Sep 10 2000 7:40 am
Subject: Applebee’s Tequila Lime Chicken
 
Applebee’s Tequila Lime Chicken
TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN is downright awesome….tangy from the marinade with creamy southwestern-style dressing, and topped all off with a melted cheese. You can have this sit on a bed of crispy corn chips or make it more like the restaurant with some home made tortilla strips shown in Marzee’s Corner below. Serve this dish up with some Spanish rice and/or some salsa on the side and you’re in business!
 
Marinade
1 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup. tequila
 
4 chicken breast fillets (...)
 
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From: Duckie

Date: 2000/10/22
Subject: TEQUILA CHICKEN SPECIAL
 
TEQUILA CHICKEN SPECIAL
Source: Grand Canyon Cook Book
 
2 Tbsp. OLIVE OIL
1 GARLIC CLOVE, minced
1 GREEN ONION, chopped
2 ANAHEIM CHILE PEPPERS, chopped
4 boneless CHICKEN BREASTS (skin removed)
1 tsp. SALT
1 tsp. PEPPER
1/2 cup TEQUILA
1/2 cup LIME JUICE
1 Tbsp. DRIED ROSEMARY
2 Tbsp. BUTTER
 
In a non-stick frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil (medium heat) Add garlic, peppers and onions and saute until the garlic is soft. Remove the vegetable from the pan.
 
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and brown the chicken for about three minutes on each side. Add the tequila, lime juice, rosemary and sauteed vegetables. Cover and simmer for five minutes, or until the chicken is just done. Coat the chicken with butter, let simmer for another minute and serve.
 
8 August 2007, Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger, pg. 24:
TEQUILA CHICKEN.
From James Laird, Chef/Owner, Restaurant Serenade, Chatham.
 
4 servings cup tequila
cup lime juice , freshly squeezed
cup orange juice , freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 garlic cloves , peeled and minced
cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
cup canola or other neutral salad oil
4 chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lime , cut in wedges
 
1. Preheat grill.
2. Combine tequila, juices, honey, pepper flakes, jalapeno, cumin, garlic, half of the cilantro and half of the oil in blender or food processor. Puree until just combined.
3. Place chicken in nonreactive dish and cover with tequila mixture. Cover, and refrigerate for no more than 1 hour. Remove chicken from mixture. Pat dry and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Grill chicken until cooked, baste with tequila mixture. Dispose of mixture after chicken is cooked.
5. Garnish with remainder of cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with warm tortillas, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce and yellow rice.
Nutrition information Per 7-ounce serving: 310 calories; 150 calories from fat; 15g protein; 13g carbs; 6g sugar; 16g total fat; 1g saturated fat; 0g trans fat; 35mg cholesterol; 3g dietary fiber; 190mg sodium; 4% Daily Values calcium; 8% Daily Values iron
   
(Trademark)
Word Mark MARGARITA GRILLED CHICKEN
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 029. US 046. G & S: prepared entrees consisting primarily of chicken for comsuption on and off the premises. FIRST USE: 19960913. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19960913
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 75198942
Filing Date November 15, 1996
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Owner (APPLICANT) Brinker Restaurant Corporation CORPORATION DELAWARE 6820 LBJ Freeway Dallas TEXAS 75240
Attorney of Record JAMES P BRADLEY
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “MARGARITA” and “GRILLED CHICKEN” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date August 10, 1998
   
(Trademark)
Word Mark FIESTA LIME CHICKEN
Goods and Services IC 029. US 046. G & S: PREPARED FOOD SERVED IN RESTAURANTS, NAMELY, GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS. FIRST USE: 20020411. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20020411
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 76419001
Filing Date June 10, 2002
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition October 10, 2006
Registration Number 3188439
Registration Date December 26, 2006
Owner (REGISTRANT) Applebee’s International, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 4551 West 107th Street, Suite 100 Overland Park KANSAS 66207
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record J. David Wharton
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “LIME CHICKEN” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE