Margarita Chicken Quesadilla with Margarita Guacamole
Oh yes, it’s Margarita time!
Yes, I am well aware that it is Monday.
But hey, who the heck said you can’t have a little fun on Monday?
Plus, I already have margarita plans for you guys on friday (hint, it’s not a drink). I went a little Margarita crazy!
Honestly, I do not even know where to start with these.
The margarita chicken or the margarita guacamole?
Or actually, maybe I should start with how the weekend went? Yeah, let’s start there.
The weather was insane this weekend! And I mean insane in a good way.
Sun, sun, sun! Barely a cloud in the sky, it was awesome. The temps even warmed up to the forties and fifties on Sunday, but if you were in the sun it felt more like the sixties. Score!
Now, let’s hope that snow that was going on just four short days ago stays away. Snow in May is a completely normal thing up here in the mountains. Really, one day it is sunny and sixty and the next it’s thirty and snowing. Let’s just think positive thoughts though, sunny, sunny skies!
Wow I really need to stop talking about the weather.
Let’s talk Margarita’s!
Alright, technically I did not make real margaritas, but trust me these quesadillas are the next best thing. No wait, to me they are the best and closest thing I am gonna get to a real margarita. Remember guys, I am only the young age of the nineteen and to be honest I am not into alcohol. Love cooking with it, but straight up? It’s just not my thing.
Yes, yet another reason why I am maybe the weirdest person you have (virtually) ever met.
So these quesadillas? They are so good, so cheesy and so fun.
The marinade for the chicken is basically like mixing up a margarita. Just take away the ice and add some olive oil. Then let that chicken marinate for a least thirty minutes to soak up all that flavor!
Ah huh! Yeah people, it’s five o’ clock somewhere!
My favorite though is the Margarita Guacamole. Obviously.
I have no words for this guacamole. It left everyone at the table speechless. Seriously, it’s just that good. I not only topped the quesadillas with the guacamole, but I put the guacamole in the quesadilla. Yes, in the quesadilla. Just do it, you will not regret it.
Oh and I always put rice in my quesadillas. Always. You gotta have rice. I don’t know why, but it just makes them good. I learned that from my dad. He always put rice in our quesadillas when we were younger and I guess I must have liked them, cause now I cannot make a quesadilla without the rice. I just can’t.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Margarita Chicken Quesadilla with Margarita Guacamole
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: quesadillas
A cocktail twist on a delicious Mexican classic
Ingredients
Margarita Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
- 1/4 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Jalapeño minced (remove the seeds for less heat)
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Margarita Guacamole
- 3 avocados mashed
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes quartered
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1/4 fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 in Jalapeño seeded and diced (I left half of my seeds )
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1-3 tablespoons tequila I used 1
- salt to taste
To Make the Quesadilla
- 8 whole wheat flour tortillas
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 4 ounces pepperjack cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños optional
- olive oil for toasting
Instructions
-
Whisk the tequila, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice and honey in a bowl. Add the garlic, jalapeño, lime zest, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
-
Add chicken to a ziplock bag or baking dish and pour marinade ingredients over top. Marinate (in the fridge) for 2-24 hours, flipping chicken a few times. When you're ready to prepare the quesadillas, preheat the grill to medium high heat and grill the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until cooked through. Allow to cool five minutes and then chop into bit size pieces or shred with a fork. Set aside.
-
While the chicken is cooling make the margarita guacamole. Mash the avocados (I left mine pretty chunky, but go as chunky or smooth as you want) in a medium size bowl. Add the tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime zest, lime juice, orange juice and tequila. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
-
Heat an electric griddle or skillet over medium heat. Add a bit of olive oil.
-
Place 4 tortillas down, covering each with a bit of both cheeses, then evenly distribute the margarita guacamole over top (I saved some of the guacamole for dipping). Then evenly distribute the rice, then add the diced chicken. Add the pickled jalapeños and sprinkle with a little more of both cheeses. Place the tortilla on the griddle or skillet, then cover with the other tortilla. Cook until the bottom is crispy and golden brown, then gently flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden.
-
Cut into fourths and serve with the remaining Margarita Guacamole.
Recipe Notes
Margarita Guacamole slightly adapted from Food Network Mag May 2013 Issue
Maybe this Margarita Monday will be the next big craze!
Oh, wow! This looks fantastic! I should know by now not to plan my menus a week in advance because you always post something I want to try. I will make these tonight after I go to the market for avocados. Did you use white or gold tequila? I have white, but I can purchase gold if that is what you used. Thanks for posting such fabulous recipes!
Ha! Thanks Missy!! I used gold, but honestly I think white would work just fine if that is what you have!! I hope you love these!! The Guac is so good. At least we thought so!! Let me know how they turn out!
This looks great!
Thanks Jen!
This is brilliant. I was in an guacamole challenge contest this past weekend, and for our guac we actually added some of our margaritas 🙂
Ha!! Margaritas and Guac just go together! Wish I could have been there with you guys!!! Thanks for the comment Lori!
These sound so amazingly good and just look at all ooey gooey melted cheese!
Thanks Kevin! That means a lot coming from the ooey gooey grilled cheese master! LOL!
Holy Guacamole.. Love how you added the Margarita to Mexican food. I can get down with this.
Ha! Thanks Erika!
Those are some beautiful quesadillas! Love the sound of the guacamole, yummmyyy!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thank you!
AND quesadillas it is! dinner is served
YES!! Thanks Carrian!
This is fabulous. I could eat that guac with a spoon!
Oh I know!! the Guac is SO good! Thanks Cassie!
Teighan these look awesome! I could eat them right now and its only 9:30am… I’m a huge fan of guacamole and love the idea of adding a little tequila to it to knock it up a notch. Great recipe! 🙂
Thanks Krista!! The Tequila really does add some amazing flavor, plus it is so fun!
Love the flavors happening in the quesadillas! They look amazing 🙂
Thank you, Liz
And….I’m officially coming over in 5! HOLY EPIC FLAVOR!!
Ha!! Sounds good! Hey its just down the road, right?
The flavor combination is brilliant!
Thank you, Sherri!
Margarita Monday is RIGHT!! GUURRLLLL you know the way to my heart – with limey, boozy, carby things. Obviously.
Obviously!! LOL!! Looks like we were thinking the same thing today!
Oh man, I’m just about to go to lunch and this is the only thing I want!
Hehe!! Thanks Chung-Ah!!
I love guacamole. I love tequila. I love margaritas. I am pretty sure that I am meant to make and eat a lot of that margarita guacamole :).
HA! YES! You totally are!
Thanks Hannah!
This looks amazingly delish, Tieghan! I’m pretty sure I’m not going to buy a bottle of Tequila though, so I’ll have to find a sub for that ingredient… I know… it changes everything. But I know my limits 🙂
That is ok! I would use some juice (orange, pineapple, apple,something exotic, maybe mango) to replace the tequila! Hope you love this!
Thanks June!
That chicken marinade sounds amazing! Well done!
Thank you, Amy!
holy guacamole – that looks like a MUST MAKE for cinco de mayo. I cannot wait to eat this
Thanks Heather! Hope you love it!
Lol! Margaritas are just fine any day of the week. 😉 It’s only 11am and your pictures are making me hungry for these quesadillas!
I so agree!! Thanks Tina!! Oh and 11am is a perfect time for a little margarita quesadilla break!
Sounds perfect for Cinco de Mayo!
Oh it is!! Ha! Thanks Jeni!
Good morning! I found your post at Lil’ Luna’s link party! I love this recipe and it definitely looks like a recipe I will have to try! Thanks so much for the idea! I would love for you to come by my party and link up as well! http://home-styled.blogspot.com/2013/04/link-party-show-your-style-sunday-5.html
Thanks!
love this, thanks for linking up to Marvelous Mondays ~ Paula
Thanks Paula!!
Wow…that is some combination! No,you are not weird. I am significantly older than you and I still cook with alcohol all of the time, but do not drink it. Oh wait, maybe that makes me weird too 🙂 You never cease to amaze me with what you come up with!!!
Ha! Thank you so much Lisa!
Yummmmmmm
I would love for you to link up to my TGIF Link Party! Who knows, you just might be featured next week!
http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-peek-into-my-paradise-tgif-link-party.html
Cathy
Thanks Cathy!
This looks like it is going to be my lunch tomorrow!
Ya! Hope you love this!!
Mmmm these looks so good! Hubby LOVES guac, next time I make him some I’ll have to try out this recipe! And the marinade looks delicious, too. Visiting from the Pinterest Power Party and pinning!
Thank you Meredith! Hope you guys love this!
Thanks for sharing this at the Pinterest Power Party – we’re featuring this on tomorrow’s party! Hope you’ll come by and link up again – and grab a featured button too!
Happy Tuesday!
Danielle
SewMuchCrafting.com
Yay!! Thanks so much for the feature!
These are simply excellent!Very flavorful. Thank you for the recipe:)
YAy!! I am so glad you liked them! That makes me smile from ear to ear! Thanks again for reading and trying my recipes!
Just found your site and love sooooo many of your recipes. I am looking forward to “playing” with them. Thanks so much!!!:)
Yay! This makes me so happy! Hope you love them! Thank you, Cyndi!
I wonder if i can do this in the crockpot….. might try tonight!
Hmmm.. I bet you could! Let me know how it turns out and thanks in advance for making these. Hope you love them!
Tieghan, I know I am wayy late to the Margarita Monday party, but I just had to stop by and say that we LOVED this guacamole! We won’t stop adding tequila to our guacamole any time soon! Thanks for such a fun recipe 🙂
So happy you loved it! THANKS!
Looks delish!!! What brand of tortillas did you use?
Hey Lani I prefer Old El Paso or Mission!
It was very good. Best marinade yet for tequila chicken, even if you don’t make this recipe! I did not add the rice…. filling, empty carbs. Othwise delish.
Hi Deb! I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you so much!