Do you have a summer cocktail that brings a smile to your face when you think of long steamy evenings sitting on the patio? I must admit I have a small love of tequila. Specifically, Patron. Obviously, I have not had a beloved margarita in , ooohhh, about nine months. No biggy, I am not a raging booze hound. However, I have had a hankering for a sip on the deck this summer. I do love a strong Dirty Rita every now and then. Dirty Rita? Well, that’s easy. Tequila, lime juice, pinch of sugar, olive juice, and a couple green olives. Very, very dirty. Love that salt fix.
I decided to translate this into grilling night so that I could enjoy the flavor, sans liquor. what better way to jazz up our chicken and avocados?
Dirty Rita Grilled Chicken with Avocado
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup natural margarita mixer
1/4 cup green olive juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ripe avocados
Green olives to garnish
Fist off, use “natural” margarita mixer. By that, I just mean real sugar and lime, not corn syrup and yellow #5. Trust me. There are plenty of good brands to be found at Whole Foods, Byerley’s, and even Target.
Place fully thawed chicken breasts in a glass bowl. Mix your margarita mix and olive juice, and set aside two tablespoons. Pour the larger amount of margarita mix and olive juice over the chicken. It should just barely be covered. Let it marinate for 6-24 hours.
Preheat your grill. Grill on medium high heat for about six minutes on each side or until lightly charred. Ten to twelve minutes total.
Set aside on plate and allow internal heat to finish the job. Leave it alone!
After the chicken has set for about 10 minutes, you can slice it up against the grain. Drizzle your remaining margarita and olive liquid over the sliced chicken. Slice up your avocados and place them with your chicken. Garnish with green olives if you like.
The flavor infused during the marinating is subtle and slightly tangy. I suppose you could prepare a larger amount of marinade and reduce it on the stove for a stronger flavor, but that would risk covering the taste of chicken completely. We don’t want to mask the taste of quality ingredients, just enhance them!
Not only is this dish simple, it is South Beach and Paleo friendly for those on diet restrictions.
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