Tequila Chicken Skewers

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo! Ole! What did you guys do? Most of my friends went to bars or were recovering from the Kentucky Derby. Me…well, I worked from 9-noon, but my afternoon appointment was canceled so I had the rest of the day off. As soon as I was able to leave, I literally sprinted to my car and raced home to relax. Since it was lunch time, I threw together a sandwich and ate while I did an early prep for dinner.

Americans consume a lot of tequila on Cinco de Mayo. It’s a fact. I personally don’t drink the stuff, but when my brother was fresh out of college, he loved it. Since we still have a bottle or two stashed in the back of the pantry from when he lived at home, I figured I could use it to make a tequila based marinade. So I dug out that “ancient” bottle, dusted it off, and mixed it with sugar, spice, and everything nice (aka mustard).

The tangy mustard pairs very nicely with the spiciness of the booze. To balance it out, I added in a healthy dose of sugar. But to keep it from being too sweet, garlic and lime juice get mixed in. Finally, since it’s been a while since I made skewers/kabobs, I pre-sliced the chicken into strips. So basically you end up getting a savory/sweet/tangy/zesty/juicy piece of tender chicken that’s already cut up for you. It’s literally winner winner chicken dinner! My parents loved it.

Big flavor without a huge amount of effort…sounds like a win win to me. :)

1/4 cup tequila

2 tablespoons mustard

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2-3 dashes hot sauce (optional)

4 chicken breasts

Whisk together all of the ingredients.