Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken Recipe

This Chili's margarita grilled chicken recipe is loaded with unbeatable flavor. When you combine zesty margarita mix with tender grilled chicken and homemade pico de gallo, you'll have a killer Chili's copycat recipe that's indistinguishable from the restaurant! 

My Version Of Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken

If there's one thing that is on the Chili's menu you just can't get as good anywhere else, it's the margarita grilled chicken.

Honestly, I think it's the best thing on their menu. The Chili's margarita chicken takes plain grilled chicken and gives it a knock-out flavor you simply can't get anywhere else - well, that is until now.

And, as far as making it goes, this recipe could not get any easier! Once we get into the process, you'll see that this is one of the easiest grilled chicken recipes you can make. Just 4 simple steps are all you need to follow to make it.

Now even though this recipe is delicious on its own, I think it's even better with some sides. I usually serve it with these twice baked mashed potatoes or red skin mashed potatoes, and then some veggies like these honey glazed candied carrots or crack green beans.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for the grilled chicken:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts- for the main portion of this dish.
• Non-alcoholic margarita mix- for the unique sweet flavor.
• Salt and pepper- for more flavor.
• Garlic powder- to add some savory flavor and balance out the sweetness.

And for the homemade pico de gallo:

• Tomato and onion- the classic pico base ingredients.
• Lime juice- for some fresh citrus flavor
• Salt
• Chopped cilantro- for that necessary herb flavor.
• Jalapeno- to add a slight spice.

Now, if you're looking to add anything extra, you can top your chicken with fried tortilla strips or shredded cheese. I sometimes like to add both to the tops of our chicken breasts when we make this recipe.

By the way, if you want to try another variation of margarita grilled chicken, check out my Olive Garden margherita grilled chicken recipe. It's super easy to make and just as delicious as this one.

How To Make Homemade Margarita Mix

Making your own margarita mix is really easy. Plus, making it from scratch allows you to have the final say in what ingredients you use and how sweet you want your margarita mix to be.

To make it, simply combine 1 cup of water with ½ cup of sugar. Heat the water enough the melt the sugar, then add 1 cup of fresh lime juice. If you don't want it to be as sweet, add less sugar. And if you want more citrus flavor to the mix, add some lemon juice as well.

How To Make Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Take out a large Ziplock bag and add the chicken breasts to it along with the marg mix. Then, give the bag a couple of shakes to coat the chicken in the mix. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to marinate.

Step 2: Make the pico. Wile the chicken is marinating, you can make the pico de Gallo. Start by adding the tomatoes, onion, lime juice, salt, chopped cilantro, and jalapenos to a medium bowl. Then, mix everything together until it combines, and set it aside so the flavors can infuse into one another. 

Step 3: Cook the chicken. Now, once the chicken is done marinating, preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken breasts from the bag and season both sides of it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill the chicken for about 8-9 minutes per side. If you have a meat thermometer, you're looking for the chicken to have an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 4: Serve. Give the pico a good stir, then serve the grilled chicken with the pico de gallo on the side or on top. And for an elevated flavor, you can dip it in this Alabama white sauce. Enjoy!

How I Recommend Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I love storing the chicken with the pico on top to make it extra flavorful. But, if you want the pico to last longer, you can store it in an airtight container for up to a week.

To keep the leftovers longer, store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

My favorite way to reheat the chicken is to put it in a baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake it at 350°F for about 10 minutes. You can also microwave the chicken in 30-second increments till warm for a quick method, but I think it makes the chicken rubbery.

More Copycat Recipes To Try

• Chili's southwest chicken soup
• Olive Garden chicken alfredo
• Olive Garden chicken scampi
• Applebees quesadilla burger
• Cheesecake Factory truffle honey chicken
• Outback potato soup
• Alice Springs chicken

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 servings

Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken Recipe

Print

This Chili's margarita grilled chicken recipe is loaded with unbeatable flavor. When you combine zesty margarita mix with tender grilled chicken and homemade pico de gallo, you'll have a killer Chili's copycat recipe that's indistinguishable from the restaurant! 

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes

Total Time 46 minutes

Ingredients

Grilled chicken:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup non-alcoholic margarita mix
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. black pepper

Pico de gallo:

• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp. onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• ½ 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 or up to 2 hours to marinade.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pico de gallo by tossing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. 
3. Once the chicken is ready, preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high heat.
4. Remove the 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.
6. Remove from the grill and serve with pico de gallo on the side or on top of the chicken.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 piece of chicken
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 8.5gSaturated Fat: 2.3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 976mgCarbohydrates: 26.8gFiber: 0.8gSugar: 5.6gProtein: 33.4g