This Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken is the perfect copycat recipe topped with shredded cheese, fresh salsa and all the fixings.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breasts – you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for a juicier cut of meat, but it will increase the calorie count.
- Olive oil – or any other neutral cooking oil like avocado, grapeseed or canola oil.
- Taco seasoning – use a pre-made blend or make your own using chili powder, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Salsa – I prefer using the fresh kind you find in the pre-made foods section of the grocery store but you could also use the jarred variety.
- Corn – fresh, frozen or canned corn would all work here.
- Black beans – swap out for another bean of your choice like chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans or lentils.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – use your favourite shredded cheese blend like Tex-Mex, mozzarella or Monterey Jack.
- Plum tomato – regular tomatoes or any other kind of tomatoes would be good in this recipe.
- Cilantro – leave this out altogether if you don’t like cilantro.
- Avocado – use guacamole or leave this out altogether.
How to make margarita chicken
Step 1: Season and bake the chicken.
Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, taco seasoning and salt, and bake in the oven.
Step 2: Add the toppings.
Top the chicken with salsa, corn, black beans and cheese, and bake until the cheese is melted.
Step 3: Serve and enjoy!
Top the cooked chicken with diced tomatoes and cilantro, then serve and enjoy!
What to serve with margarita chicken
I like to serve my margarita chicken with some sliced avocado, fresh salsa and some frozen potato wedges. If you're looking for more side dish ideas, here are some options:
- Corn on the cob (grilled or in the Instant Pot)
- Cilantro lime rice – you could even turn the chicken into burrito bowls!
- Heirloom tomato salad
- Sweet potato fries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make margarita grilled chicken either in the oven on a sheet pan or on the grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then cook the chicken for about 8-10 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
This recipe uses a spice rub instead of a marinade. Just rub the chicken with olive oil, taco seasoning and salt, then bake it right away. You can rub the spice rub on ahead of time or even the night before, then cook the chicken the next day.
While some margarita chicken recipes include tequila or margarita mix, this version is completely alcohol-free.
You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, but you'll need to cook the chicken thighs for longer, likely around 20 minutes.
Nope! There's no need to cover the chicken in foil while it's baking in the oven.
Storing and reheating
You can store any leftover margarita grilled chicken in the fridge for up to 5 days. I suggest that you store the fresh toppings (tomatoes, cilantro and avocado) separately so that you can just reheat the chicken with the cheese, corn and black beans on top – since the tomatoes and avocado won’t reheat well.
Reheat the chicken in the microwave for 2 minutes or so. Make sure to sprinkle some water over top of the chicken before reheating so it doesn't dry out; from there, you can add on the fresh toppings before digging in.
Freezing this recipe
This margarita grilled chicken Chili’s recipe is definitely freezer-friendly. Freeze the chicken (minus the fresh toppings) for up to 3 months in an airtight glass container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Defrost it in the fridge overnight, then reheat as normal.
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More Chili's copycat recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into your weekly lunches.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Copycat Chili's Margarita Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup salsa (I used the fresh kind, not the jarred kind but you could use either)
- 1/2 cup Corn
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 plum tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Optional side dish: frozen potato wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, taco seasoning and salt. Bake in the oven 15 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven, then top with salsa, corn, black beans and cheese. Bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Remove chicken from oven and top with diced tomatoes and cilantro. Add sliced avocado and lime on the side. I served frozen potato wedges with my chicken as a side dish but that's optional; you could also do sweet potato fries, a side salad, sauteed spinach or more. The choice is up to you!
Comments & Reviews
Lisa Rizor says
This is my “no time to cook dinner” go to recipe. I keep most of the ingredients on hand. It’s fantastic.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy it’s become a go-to quick meal for you!
Kelli says
Better than Chili’s!
June says
Thanks for your post. The recipes look great.
My question is can parsley be substituted for cilantro in your recipes?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes it definitely can! Thanks for the kind words June 🙂