Margarita Grilled Chicken

Margarita Grilled Chicken – a super easy copycat recipe from Chili’s restaurant.  Flavorful chicken grilled and topped with a fresh pico de gallo for an easy and delicious dinner. 

The Margarita Chicken at Chili’s is one of my favorite things to order there.  Pair that with their chips and Chili’s Salsa and I am a happy girl! Everything is so light and fresh and it doesn’t totally weigh you down like many restaurant dishes. And now you can make it at home in just a few minutes!  

 

If you are a fan of the Copycat Fiesta Lime Chicken you are going to love this! This has similar flavors and both are topped with a fresh pico de gallo.

What Is Pico de Gallo?

Pico is pretty much like a fresh chunky salsa.  It is a mix of chopped tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro and lime juice.  Super fresh and great with the chicken.  But if you want to take a shortcut, your favorite salsa is a very tasty alternative.  

Copycat recipes are great to make at home because you can make small changes to make them exactly what you enjoy!  If you likes this spicy, you can add more jalapeno to your dish.  Plus you know what is going into it, and aren’t surprised by hidden calories or fat that are in restaurant dishes. 

Margarita Grilled Chicken Chilis Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts
• Margarita Mix
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Tomato
• Onion
• Lime Juice
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro

I love how easy this margarita chicken recipe is. The marinade is really just a margarita mix!  After it sits in the marinade you season with a couple of spices, but that is it.  Can not be simpler to make.  The Chili’s menu even says “only tastes like a guilty pleasure“.  So it is a simple and light chicken dinner you can make in minutes at home!

How to Make Margarita Grilled Chicken

1. Start by marinating the chicken. Combine margarita mix with chicken and let it marinate for about 30 minutes – 2 hours.  You don’t want to go overnight or the lime juice will start to break down the chicken.
2. Make the Pico de Gallo. While the chicken is in the fridge make the pico by chopping the tomatoes and finely dicing the jalapeno and onion.  Mix everything together and just store in the fridge until it is time to serve. 
3. Season the chicken. Once the chicken is ready to go on the grill, remove and discard the marinade.  Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  
4. Fire up the grill! Grill chicken over medium high heat for about 8-9 minutes per side, until it is full cooked.  The best way to tell when it is done is to use a meat thermometer.
5. Enjoy! Remove from the grill and serve topped with your fresh pico de gallo. 

How Long Do You Grill Chicken

Chicken usually takes about 18-20 minutes to cook on the grill.  This will depend on how thick your chicken is.  If you pound your chicken thin or are using chicken cutlets it will cook much quicker.  The best way to tell when chicken is done is by using a meat thermometer.  You want to insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat and have it reach 165 degrees F.  This is when chicken is safe to eat. 

Chili’s serves their margarita chicken with a side of rice and beans.  Which is exactly what you can do at home!

• Slow Cooked Black Beans
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice

How Else Can I Cook The Chicken

Depending on the weather, you may not want to go out in the cold, snow or rain to grill. You can definitely cook the chicken pretty much anyway you like. Just follow the instructions for the marinade, and then bake at 350º F for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Or you can cook it in a skillet on the stovetop or if you have an Air Fryer, follow the cooking instructions in this Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe. Lots of options if you won’t want to fire up the grill.

Copycat recipes are a great way to get dinner on the table at home for a reasonable price that you know you are going to love.  You save money, more than likely calories and time making some of your favorites at home.  Plus you get to have them more often which is always a win!

More Copycat Recipes

• Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell)
• Pasta Milano (Macaroni Grill)
• Soft Breadsticks (Olive Garden)
• Chicken Madeira (Cheesecake Factory)
• Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster)
• Canes Sauce (Raising Canes)
• Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co.)
• Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (Cafe Rio)

Continue to Content

Yield: 4

Margarita Grilled Chicken

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Margarita Grilled Chicken - a super easy copycat recipe from Chili's restaurant.  Flavorful chicken grilled and topped with a fresh pico de gallo for an easy and delicious dinner. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup margarita mix
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Pico de Gallo

• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 2 Tbls onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbls lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbls chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Instructions

1. In a plastic food storage bag combine chicken and margarita mix. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
2. Meawhile, prepare the pico de gallo by tossing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in fridge until ready to use.
3. Once the chicken is ready for the grill preheat to medium high heat.
4. Remove chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
5. Place chicken on the grill and cook for 8-9 minutes per side until fully cooked. The internal temperature of the meat will be 165 degrees F when it is full cooked.
6. Remove from the grill and serve with pico de gallo

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 450Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 102mgSodium 821mgCarbohydrates 64gFiber 1gSugar 59gProtein 38g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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