Margarita Chicken with Tabbouleh ($10.00 or Less Meal)

This is my favorite time of year….grilling season! This chicken dish is so easy….it marinates overnight which allows for all the margarita flavors to really infuse the chicken with great flavors and it’s juicy. The tabbouleh is made with healthy bulgur wheat and lots of fresh veggies and herbs. You can buy parsley at the grocery store of course but why not buy a plant and just snip off whatever you need. The chicken cost me $6.15 and the tabbouleh came in at $3.45 for a total of $9.60 for a family of four. If you don’t have a grill, you could cook the chicken in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken breast is.

*I bought my chicken when it was on sale for 99 cents a lb. You could use other pieces of the chicken and adjust your cooking time, again, depending on the thickness and size.

MARGARITA CHICKEN –

Prep Time: 10 minutes plus overnight marinade
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4 for approx $5.10

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup tequila
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus the zest of half of a lime (about 3 limes)
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, plus the zest of half of the orange (about 1 orange)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons fresh jalapeno, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 jalapeno, depending on size)
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, chopped (about 2-3 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• 4 boneless chicken breast with skin on

Directions:

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, cilantro and orange and lime zest in a large bowl or large zipper bag. Add the chicken breast and refrigerate overnight.

Heat grill and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove chicken breast from marinade (*don’t toss the marinade) and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Grill skin-side for about 5 minutes until browned. Turn the chicken and cook for 10-15 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from grill, cover tightly and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.

*You can boil the marinade and serve over the chicken….it really adds flavor. Bring to a full boil in a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes….

TABBOULEH –

Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour for bulgur wheat to soak

Serves: 4 for approx $3.63

I used less parsley than traditional tabbouleh recipes call for so you can always add more if that’s your preference. I actually made this twice in one week and the second time I added cilantro to it (because our cilantro in the garden is growing like crazy) and it added a nice twist to the flavor. I like to make this a couple of hours before serving so the flavors intensify a bit but you can serve it immediately after making and it still tastes great….this is healthy and refreshing! *I used parsley and mint (and cilantro) from my garden but based the prices on what the grocery stores were selling them for that week.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat (find it in the rice aisle usually)
• 1/8  cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (1/4 to 1/2 bunch)
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper to season

Directions:

Put the bulgur wheat in a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over it. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about an hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber and tomatoes to the tabbouleh. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.