Michelada Chicken

By Ali Slagle

Published July 8, 2022

Michelada Chicken
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Frances Boswell.
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(2,178)
Comments
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This spicy, tangy chicken is flavored with — you guessed it — ingredients that make a michelada. This recipe combines beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce and lime for a marinade that results in surprisingly tender meat and a sizzled crust, as well as a sauce that, for obvious reasons, is good enough to drink. Eat the chicken with tortillas, rice and beans or a creamy slaw. The marinade also works well on steak. (For grilling instructions, see Tip.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1(12-ounce) can or bottle of Mexican lager, such as Tecate or Modelo
  • 3tablespoons Worcestershire or soy sauce
  • 2 to 3teaspoons hot sauce, depending on heat preference
  • 1lime, zested and juiced
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1½pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

316 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 903 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, stir together the beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lime zest and juice and salt. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Pat the chicken dry. If thickness varies greatly, pound to an even thickness. Add chicken to the marinade in the large bowl and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 3 hours. (Bring to room temperature before cooking.)

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Wipe off excess marinade from the chicken with your hand or a paper towel. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until the chicken is browned and releases easily from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate or platter to rest.

  4. Step 4

    Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully pour in the reserved marinade and boil, scraping up browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn to coat. Eat the chicken drizzled with sauce.

Tip
  • To grill, heat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grates. Wipe off excess marinade from the chicken, then grill over direct heat until the chicken is well browned on one side and easily releases from the grates, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 2 to 5 minutes. (For a gas grill, close the lid between flips.) Set on a plate or platter to rest. On the stove or grill, boil the marinade in a skillet, then pour over the chicken.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,178 user ratings
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Comments

KatieC

Easy and quick. I used Modelo and a full tablespoon of hot sauce but it could have used more heat. Used skinless, boneless thin sliced breasts and marinated about 3 hours. I cooked on a gas grill, about 4 minutes each side. Reduced the saved sauce but also added a squeeze of honey to the reduction. It coated the breasts beautifully. Served with grilled corn on the cob. Delicious.

Gian

For those of us with no access to an outdoor grill, I made this with bone-in/skin-on thighs in the oven, on a sheet pan. Excellent. Threw a few sweet potatoes in there too.

Rachel

We are vegetarians in my house, so I made this with tofu “steaks.” Cut the block of tofu into 2 inch slabs, pressed between two dish towels with a cast iron skillet on top to really squeeze that water out. Then threw the steaks in the cast iron skillet and seared on both sides for about 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat. Then poured the sauce over, let it warm up and presto! Vegan meal in under 30 minutes.

Akaden

Delicous and easy recipe! Added to my favorites. I added 4 tbsp of siracha and still could've used more heat. I would try a spicer hot sauce for my personal taste. We ate this with leftover rice

Gabe R

Did not get anywhere close to the color of the picture nor a ton of heat, even though I used extra hot sauce which I know has red dye (Taco Bell fire sauce). The flavor was almost there, but the sauce didn’t thicken even after 5 minutes and a sprinkle of flour. Will make again for the flavor and ease, but disappointed the first time out - needs some tweaking

Finn

Instructions for how thick the chicken should be would be helpful. My chicken breasts were equal in size so I didn’t pound them but they took three times as long to cook because they were round. I wish I’d known what thickness is needed.

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