Margarita Chicken

[Alien BBQ]

Margarita Chicken

Living in New Mexico every day is reason for a party. Margarita chicken is a family favorite and is quick and easy to do.

The dry ingredients:
2 parts Lime Pepper mix
1 part Chipotle
1 part Roasted garlic with Bell Peppers mix

The wet injection mix:
2 parts Olive oil
2 parts Sweetened Lime Juice
1 part Tequila



Mix the wet ingredients together and inject into all parts of the chicken.



Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and dredge the chicken on both sides with the dry mix. Place the chicken in a preheated smoker @ 225 degrees. Cook till an internal temperature of 180 degrees is reached.


(Photo shows chicken LT., and Mexican pork RT.)

Let chicken rest for 20-30 minutes after pulling form the smoker.
Chicken will have a semi-crisp skin and should not be burnt.



Inside of the chicken will be slightly pink (from the smoke) and be very moist and flavorful.


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[bigabyte]

This looks like a hit! I've gotta try this sometime, margaritas are popular 'round here!
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[JamesB]

Sounds (and looks) good! I'm thinking I might just give that one a try!

Since, I won't have time to fire up the smoker this week, how do ya think it would fair on the grill? How about with a whole chicken in beer can mode?

Thanks for the idear...

James.

[weldonBBQ]

Thanks for the recipe and photos. That looks SOOOO good, I've got to give it a try!

Weldon
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[Alien BBQ]

Should beer can up good. If you throw it on the grill, you might want to use a little mustard to make things stick.
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[JamesB]

Will give it a try soonish... I've got everything here for the recipe 'cept the Roasted garlic with Bell Peppers mix... Will be on the look out for it next time I'm at the grocery peddlers place...

James.

[JamesB]

Hey Alien! finally got to give this thing a try with beer butt chicken... Could not find the Roasted garlic with Bell Peppers mix, but did find McCormick's garlic pepper with Bell Peppers...

Injected and rubbed up 4 birds, Let them settle in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the injection to migrate through the meat and put them on the WSM (no water pan). Did it a bit differently than you suggested tho, as I ran the temps up to about 300° - 325°... Used Royal Oak and a few pecan chunks... Came out GREAT! Great flavor and crispy skin too boot...

Wanted to take a pic, but they didn't last long enough for me to grab the camera...

We will be doing this again... and again! Thanks for the recipe!

James.

[Kneuby]

this might be the recipe I use for my first time using my new ECM. That looks so good.

[sprky]

Alien this looked and sounded so well I just had too try it out, besides it gives me an excise to make margaritas . I made my list of things I was going to need. I set off at 8:30 am today headed to Wal-Mart to get the items. I searched high and low for the dry ingredients and couldn’t find them anywhere, so I bought what I could get. Off too the next grocery store in hopes they had them, no such luck, same at the other 2 stores in town. Came back home and searched the net for them, found them at Sam’s club, which of course I have no membership. So I decided that I would have to improvise. I pulled up Tone’s web site and checked out the ingredients that were in them. I went to the closest store and browsed their spices, and picked up what I considered was close. I settled on the following; Kroger salt free Zesty blend Lemon pepper, Kroger Zesty blend Southwest chipotle, Private selection Garlic and pepper seasoning, and Kroger chopped onions. I made the rub by using the following;
2 parts lemon pepper,
1 part chopped onion
1 part southwest chipotle
1 part garlic and pepper
½ part white sugar
I injected 2 of the chickens using the injection as stated. The other 2 I injected substituting canola oil for the olive oil and margarita mix for the limejuice.
Too see if there was going to be a difference and which we liked better, if there was.
I had the birds injected and rubbed by 3 and let them sit in fridge to marinate for a bit. fired the grill up around 5:30 and got it too temp, which is around 275 on the grate, with cherry wood smoke. Put the birds on around 6. At 8:30 they were a nice dark golden brown and at 160 in the breast, I figure they will be ready too come off around 9:30. My smoke is rolling good using a small cast iron skillet with cherry chips ¾ covered with foil on the cooking grate over the burner that is on. I tried using a foil pouch, which didn’t produce the smoke like this is, I may be on too something here. I will post how they turned out, if there was a difference and which we liked better. BTW I made a ½ gal pitcher of margaritas before injecting, which I’m finishing the last of as I post this . Guess id better go make another.
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[sprky]

Here are the results of my margarita chickens.
The birds came off the grill at 9:45 I wrapped them in foil and put them in the cooler to rest. They sat in the cooler till 10:30 when the wife got home. I pulled one of each of the birds not telling anyone which was which so I could get a blind taste test. After everyone had eaten some of each, I asked if there was a difference. Everyone said that the first bird was a bit sweeter. It was the one injected with the margarita mix, with canola. I asked if there was any thing else that was different. No one could tell that there was any other difference. Both birds were very juicy with great flavor, but when we were all done the one injected with the mix was totally gone. Everyone preferred the sweeter. I have been instructed to make these again, using the mix. So my conclusion is that there is no difference in flavor between the two oils, and that using margarita mix makes for a sweeter bird.
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[Alien BBQ]

That sounds great. There is a taste difference between lime pepper and lemon though.
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[sprky]

[awilly1]

Wow. That's all I can say. I did my version of this chicken this weekend for my first barbequeing experience and it was great. I say my version because as others have said it was hard to find the rub ingredients, so I improvised with some lemon pepper and some roasted garlic and herb and I put in a little store bought rub just cause I had no clue on what to use to replace the chipotle. Turned out awesome. Thanks Alien.

[BoilermakerFan]

[Junk Yard Dog]

Hey, what about the Mexican pork? That looks good too. Did a search but didn't find anything.

Recipe?

[Alien BBQ]

[Junk Yard Dog]

Thanks Alien,

I've printed it out and will try it. BTW, we used to go through Roswell on our way to muzzleloading deer hunting in Lincoln Nat'l Forest. I am quite familiar with the liquor store one block west, on Hwy 380, from the main intersection.

[freytes2004]

You tha man Alien that is some good eatin
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[ZCarmen]

Wow i love cooking chicken but i never did that!
That looks just delicious!
I will try it for sure
Thanks for posting!!

[PlaneSmoke]

Same here, that looks awesome! I'll be trying it! Thanks Alien!

Beam me up, Scotty
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