Margarita-Braised Chicken Thighs
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Margarita-braised chicken thighs go from a paprika-dusted sear into a boozy braise of tequila, orange juice, lime, and sweet dried tropical fruit. Juicy, citrusy, and built on forgiving boneless thighs.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
38 minEverything you love about a margarita, tequila, lime, and a hit of citrus, reworked into a saucy braise for chicken. Boneless chicken thighs are the smart pick here, since they stay juicy and forgiving through both the browning and the bake where lean breasts would dry out.
The flavor is built in layers. You dredge the thighs in flour spiked with paprika and garlic powder, which gives them a savory crust and quietly thickens the sauce later. Brown them just to color, then build the sauce in that same pan, scraping up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. That fond is pure concentrated flavor, so don’t leave it behind.
Plumping the dried tropical fruit with orange juice and tequila in the microwave wakes everything up before it hits the pan. Then it all bakes together with lime slices on top until the chicken is tender and the sauce reduces into something bright and a little boozy.
Chef Tips
- Brown the thighs only until golden; they finish in the oven, so don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of sear.
- Scrape every bit of fond off the skillet when you deglaze; that’s where the deepest flavor lives.
- The alcohol cooks off in the oven, leaving tequila’s mellow agave note without the raw bite.
Variations
- Swap dried mango, pineapple, or apricot for the tropical fruit mix.
- Use bone-in thighs for richer flavor; just add a few minutes to the bake.
- Skip the tequila and use extra orange juice with a squeeze of lime for a family-friendly version.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃) F.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a small baking dish . Sprinkle chicken with salt; dredge chicken in flour mixture.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer chicken to an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Add onion to skillet; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan, and sauté 1 minute.
Combine fruit, juice, and tequila in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave at high 2 minutes.
Pour fruit mixture into pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute. Pour onion mixture over chicken; top with lime slices.
Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.
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