I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm seriously a beginner in the world of meats. I can't make a rack of ribs. My burgers normally come off the grill waaaaaay undercooked. There's a reason the meals are simple; it's because I'm simple-minded.
Solidarity, right? Right?? Please tell me I'm not alone in this.
So anyway, I know little to nothing about marinating meat except that my mother-in-law swears by it. And I'll give it to her, the woman can cook a steak. So I thought I would give it a shot. Except I had no idea how to do it. So, I jumped on Pinterest. Pretty quickly I came across this marinade by Jamie Cooks It Up. Any marinade that has a carbonated beverage in it is one I have to try. I altered it pretty significantly, but this was definitely my inspiration. If you want to see the original recipe, head over to her site. She's got some great stuff.
Okay, let's get to it!
Marinade Ingredients:
- 2 cups Coke (I actually used Diet Dr. Pepper, but any dark carbonated beverage should do)
- 1 lime
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 3 chicken breasts
Directions:
Pour the Coke into a bowl. Preferably one that matches your nail polish and gets you in the Mexican mood.
Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the coke. Try to get as much as you can out of it.
Side note: please take a moment to recognize the color compatibility between my nails and my bowl. Total coincidence.
Add the minced garlic.
Sprinkle in the seasoning salt and the paprika.
Toss in the salt, sugar and cumin.
Add the onions.
Mix it all up as best as you can, but realize there's only so much you can do.
Pour the marinade into a large ziploc bag, along with the chicken. Seal and let it marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours. When you're ready to cook it, set it out for 30 minutes to an hour, or until it's room-temperature.
I used my George Foreman grill to cook my chicken breasts. Times will vary. After cooking, let it sit uninterrupted for 5 minutes.
Judah wanted to say hello. He's not much of a sous-chef. Grilling with a baby on your hip isn't easy, but it's where I am in life.
Cut chicken diagonally into strips. Serve in warm tortillas with the toppings of your choice.
That's it! I will say, it was worth the five minutes it took to throw this marinade together. Oh, and three chicken breasts made enough for about ten tacos. ¡Olé!
Love and marinating Mexican,
