Grilled tequila lime chicken served with fresh mango salsa is a perfect meal for warm summer nights. Each piece of lean white meat is glazed with a honey-lime mixture for enhanced flavor.
Chicken is one of the simplest proteins to cook on a barbecue and the flavor combinations are endless. There’s no better way to welcome the change in season than with a festive grilled tequila lime chicken paired with bright and colorful mango salsa.
A savory blend of spices combines nicely with tangy lime, aged tequila, and a drizzle of honey. This meal is bold in flavor but easy enough to prepare any day of the week. If you’re ready to fire up the grill, let’s not waste another minute!
There’s something about eating a mango that signals my brain to think island vacation or summertime. It’s one of those exotic fruits that just transforms the vibe of your dish in a fun and bright way.
There are a few ways on how to cut a mango, but the process is fairly straightforward. Because of the large seed in the center, you must cut around it. I like to use my 8-inch chef’s knife to cut from the top of the stem down to get two of widest sides first. Then I slice off two smaller sides. I cut down into the mango 1/4-inch wide slice pattern one direction and then cut across in the opposite direction to create a diamond hatch pattern. Then I use a spoon to scoop out the cubes of sliced mango.
A tasty salsa is the quickest way to add fresh flavors and nutrients into each bite. With health in mind, I like to incorporate as many colorful fruits and vegetables into my meals.
Ripe red tomatoes, creamy avocado, savory minced red onions, zesty lemon juice, spicy jalapeno all make it into this fresh mango salsa recipe. I always have an extra bag of chips on hand, so I can snack on the salsa as I grill.
Wow, check out that gorgeous spiced and marinated grilled tequila lime chicken breast! I like to add a simple lime juice and honey glaze combination to each side of the chicken when I’m grilling. It’s so good! The chicken is great on top of salads or even in as a filling for chicken tacos.
Now that the chicken is hot off the grill don’t forget to top with a generous amount of fresh mango salsa. Why not also make yourself a cold mango margarita since you have all of the ingredients on hand, just a friendly suggestion. I hope you enjoy those warm summer nights with friends or family just relaxing with full bellies, and that this chicken dish makes it to your table.
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If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #jessicagavin on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
The benefit of marinating chicken before cooking
The biggest advantage of marinating your chicken is to infuse MORE flavor! The surface of the meat gets most of the marinade love. The garlic and savory spices get dispersed in the oil which helps the fat-soluble flavor compounds disperse and stick to the surface of the chicken. The acids like lime juice in the marinade help to slightly tenderize the meat. I would go 1 to 2 hours max for this tequila lime marinade. The water-soluble ingredients like the salt and earthy flavors of the tequila gently infuse into the meat, thus making it even more flavorful.
Tequila Lime Chicken with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
Tequila Lime Chicken-
- 1/4 cup tequila
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus zest
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, thinly sliced or flattened to ½-inch thick, (4 breasts)
Glaze-
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Mango Salsa-
- 1 mango, cubed
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 jalapeño, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade-
- Whisk all marinade ingredients together; tequila, 2 tablespoons lime juice, zest, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, chili powder, black pepper and olive oil.
- Put chicken in a resealable plastic bag just large enough to fit the chicken.
- Pour marinade over the chicken, turning to coat. Remove any air from the bag and seal.
- Allow chicken to marinate for 20 to 30 mins (room temperature) to 1 hour (refrigerated).
Glaze-
- Combine in a small bowl 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lime juice, set aside.
Mango Salsa-
- In a medium-sized bowl combine mango, tomato, avocado, red onion, lemon zest and juice, jalapeno and cilantro.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Tequila Lime Chicken-
- Heat grill to medium-high. Add a small amount of vegetable oil on a folded piece of paper towel, and then carefully grease the grill with the oil.
- Once the grill is nice and hot, add the marinated chicken breasts and discard the marinade.
- Cook chicken on each side until no longer pink (160-165°F), about 4-6 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- After flipping the first side, brush the glaze onto the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and transfer to a clean plate, cover to keep warm.
Notes
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Looks like summer on a plate! I will definitely add this to my favourites. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
No problem Louise! I’m so ready for summer and can’t wait for you to try this recipe 🙂
Dear Jessica,
Thanks for sharing your receipe for Jerk Chicken . It was quick, easy, and I had all of the spices on hand. My husband raved about and he is looking forward to having it again.
I;m so delighted to hear your family enjoyed the chicken recipe Marina! I appreciate your feedback and can’t wait to share more recipes with you 🙂
Fresh, juicy and flavorful. Kinda like me, I’d like to think! Hehe. Seriously, though, this looks amazing and SO perfect for summertime!
Karly I’m sure you are all those things and even more 🙂 It’s definitely a fun dish to make when you are craving some fresh air and outdoor dining!
Does the type of tequila make a difference? I have silver Jose Cuervo I was thinking I would use…
Silver will work just fine Kat 🙂
We are nondrinkets so wr don’t have any tequila. Can I make without it?
Absolutely Annette! I would substitute the 1/4 cup tequila with water or if you have juice (orange, pineapple).
What else would you serve this with, vegetables?
Hi Tina! I would serve the chicken with this corn salad: https://www.jessicagavin.com/grilled-mexican-street-corn-salad/
or just some sauteed vegetable like zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Even a fresh salad would be nice too!
Wow! My husband and I made this tonight. So yummy! We had asparagus on the side and a few tortilla chips. We both love your recipes!
Whoo hoo! So happy to hear that your family enjoyed the chicken recipe Kathy 🙂
Great recipe! Definitely bookmarking this one!
Thanks a bunch ????
You’re welcome Kevin!
I love this recipe- I will definitely be making it again! I will admit I got a little carried away with the lime juice for the marinade and I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts -it’s the only chicken I had on hand that was organic. I grilled this over a hickory wood fire and the combination of the Smoky flavor from the wood combined with the mango salsa was awesome!
So happy to hear that you loved the recipe Cindy! The hickory wood fire sounds incredible!
Loved the mango salsa! Will definitely be incorporating it into my Mexican dishes.
Thanks Nicole!
I found this after doing a google search for mango chicken and I’m glad I did! Paired with jasmin rice! It was delicious! Used my husband’s Don Julio 1942 Tequila and we loved it! Loved the idea of the lime/honey glaze the only thing I did different was add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs! Thanks, looking forward to cooking more of your recipes!
I made this today, Memorial Day, for my family. Everyone loved it. The chicken was very tender and delicious!! I will definitely make this again.