Demo Kitchen Recipes : Grilled Margarita Chicken

The long and leisurely days of summer are winding down, but we are still in full grilling mode here at the Demo Kitchen. That means we are still drinking refreshing white wines, crisp lagers and mixing up Tequila based cocktails to beat the heat. In fact, All Things Agave, Binny’s two-day celebration of Tequila and Mezcal is right around the corner on August 24 and 25, 2022 from 6-8 pm at Binny’s Lincoln Park. We are calling it a tasting extravaganza and that is exactly what it is. The first night features 25 tables, loaded down with fine Tequila, followed on the 25th by the 20 tables of our most exciting picks from the Midwest’s biggest, most meticulously curated selection of fine Mezcal. From blanco to extra añejo, weber blue to tobalá, crisp vegetal and citrusy to rich and oaky, clean to smokey, artesanal to ancestral, we pack it all into this thrilling two-day event. Join us for one or join us for both. Tickets are $10 a day or $15 if you bundle both sessions. There will, of course, be food at both sessions but the Demo Kitchen didn’t want to miss all the fun, so here is a smokey grilled chicken recipe with all the flavors of a spicy margarita, served with a delicious seasonal salsa of fresh sweet corn and black beans. We top it all off with a cooling avocado crema that provides a wonderful balance to the subtle jalapeño heat. You will want to serve this with a margarita, paloma or even a Tequila sunrise made with the excellent and reasonably priced Teremana Reposado for a fantastic hand in glove pairing. For wine, a well-priced, citrus driven and herb accented sauvignon blanc like the 2021 High Valley from Lake County, California will make for a perfect pairing, while Dovetail Vienna Style Lager is the way to go when it comes to a refreshing lager with enough malt backbone and herbal noble hop character to stand up to bold flavors. Don’t miss your chance to find new favorites at All Things Agave, whether for cooking, mixing or sipping and don’t let summer slip away without trying this fresh, flavor packed dish. Salud! Serves 6