Your old spring break favorite is good for a lot more than shots.

"Tequila and lime are natural complements -- and not just out of a shot glass," explains Colleen Rush, our food expert and author of The Mere Mortal's Guide to Fine Dining. Don't believe her? Try out these yummy tequila recipes.

Pineapples with Tequila-lime Glaze

Recipe courtesy of Colleen Rush

Ingredients
4 Tbl. tequila
4 Tbl. fresh lime juice
2-3 Tbl. sugar (or brown sugar)
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced into rings

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stir first three ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay pineapple rings on baking sheet and brush with tequila-lime glaze. Bake in oven, basting the rings every 10 or 15 minutes, until pineapple is caramelized and tender, about 50 minutes.

Chicken with Tequila-lime Marinade

Recipe courtesy of Colleen Rush

Ingredients
1 cup fresh (not bottled!) lime juice
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbl. seeded, chopped jalapenos
1 Tbl. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
6-8 boneless chicken breast halves

Directions
Mix all ingredients except chicken in a bowl or zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken and coat with marinade. Marinate in bowl or bag for 2 to 3 hours in refrigerator. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Margarita Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of duchess281

Ingredients
9 oz. margarita mix (such as Mrs. T's or Bacardi)
3 oz. tequila
3/4 oz. Grand Marnier
White cake mix (boxed mix without pudding)
3 egg whites
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 Tbl. lime zest
1 recipe Lime Buttercream Icing (recipe follows)

Note: All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Directions

Mix together the margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a large glass or spouted bowl. Set aside 1 1/4 cups of margarita mix. Pour the remainder over ice and enjoy the mini-rita while you're preparing the muffin pan. Either use a nonstick baking spray to coat the muffin pan or use cupcake wrappers.

In a stand mixer, add the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, lime zest, and 1 1/4 cup of the margarita mix. Blend on low for about 30 seconds and then increase to medium speed for 2 minutes (the batter will still be a bit lumpy).

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan (fill the cups somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 full) and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and cool 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a wire rack.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the icing and ice the cupcakes.

Lime Buttercream Icing

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3 cups + 3 Tbl. confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. lime juice
Green food coloring (a small amount of the gel/paste won't throw off the consistency of the icing)

Directions
Add the butter, confectioners' sugar, salt, lime juice, and a bit of the food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to medium-high until the icing is fluffy. Add additional food coloring to darken the icing, if desired. Add the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a 2D tip or use an offset spatula to ice the cupcakes.

Tequila-lime Steak Fajitas

Recipe courtesy of MrsWindyCity


Ingredients

8 to 10 oz. flank steak
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. tequila
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1/2 lime   
Salt and pepper

Directions
Combine all ingredients and marinate for an hour or longer. Grill steak along with your favorite veggies. Roll into a tortilla with your favorite toppings.

Poloma

Recipe courtesy of Miles, online editor

Ingredients
1 part tequila
1 part Squirt
Ice

Directions
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

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-- The Nest Editors

See More: Bar & Cocktails