TEQUILA
LIME CHICKEN is downright awesome....tangy from the
marinade with creamy southwestern-style dressing, and
topped all off with a melted cheese. You can have this
sit on a bed of crispy corn chips or make it more like
the restaurant with some home made tortilla strips shown
in Marzee's Corner below. Serve this dish up with some
Spanish rice and/or some salsa on the side and you're
in business!

Marinade
1 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup. tequila

4 chicken breast fillets

Mexi-Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons minced tomato
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno slices (nacho slices)
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
dash garlic powder
dash ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar/Monterey jack cheese blend
2 cups crumbled corn chips

Prepare marinade by combining marinade ingredients in a medium
bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl, cover and chill for no more
than 4 hours. Make the mexi-ranch dressing by combining all of
the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well until smooth, then
cover dressing and chill it until needed. When you are ready to
prepare the entree, preheat the oven to high broil. Also,
preheat your barbecue or indoor grill to high heat. When the
grill is hot cook the marinated chicken breasts for 3 to 5
minutes per side, or until they're done. Arrange the cooked
chicken in a baking pan. Spread a layer of mexi-ranch dressing
over each piece of chicken (you'll have plenty left over),
followed by 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese blend. Broil the
chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted.
Spread a bed of 1/2 cup of the tortilla strips or crumbled corn
chips on each of four plates. Slide a chicken breast onto the
chips on each plate and serve with your choice of rice, and pico
de gallo, or salsa.

Yield: 4 Servings

Making fried tortilla strips

Crumbling store-bought tortilla chips is the easy way to
make the bed of crunchy chips that the tequila lime chicken
rests on. But, you can make tortilla strips like those
served at the restaurant by cutting a stack of eight 6-inch
corn tortillas in half. Stack the halves on top of each
other and slice the tortillas into thin strips. Fry the
tortilla strips in 2 cups of oil preheated in a large
skillet for 3-5 minutes or until crispy. Salt lightly and
cool on paper towels to drain.

* Be sure you don't marinate the chicken longer than 4
  hours, or the citric acid in the lime juice may toughen
  the chicken.