Name: Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Lime Butter
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp chili powder; 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon; 1 Tbsp brown sugar; 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; 3 Tbsp olive oil; 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar; 3½ lbs bone-in chicken parts ((I used chicken quarters)); ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; ½ cup butter (, melted); 1 jalapeno (,seeds and ribs removed and minced); 3 cloves garlic (,minced); 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice; zest of 1 lime; 1/4 tsp pepper

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This Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Lime Butter is perfectly seasoned and crispy, with a tangy, spicy butter drizzle that will make this your new favorite barbecue dish!

You guys. This chicken. I’m not even sure I can put into words just how good it is. But, that’s sort of why you’re here, right?? I’ve always been more prone to buying the pre-seasoned chicken quarters at the grocery store if we felt like grilling those, but then I realized how easy – and delicious – it is to just season them myself.

The combination of southwestern flavors in the rub is outstanding. And yes, there is cocoa powder in that mix. And yes, I know that sounds weird to some. But trust me. It’s perfection. And that jalapeno lime butter. The chicken is delicious on its own, but after you drizzle that butter on – it’s slap yo’ mama, good.

What ingredients do you need to make Southwestern Grilled Chicken?

Chili powder
Ground cinnamon
Brown sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Chicken Quarters (or other bone-in chicken pieces)

How do you make Southwestern Grilled Chicken?

Full Printable Recipe Below!

1.) Mix the chili powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl until well blended.
2.) Use a basting brush to spread the mixture over the tops of the chicken pieces.
3.) Preheat your grill over medium heat, and cook the chicken for about 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping about half-way through.

To make the Jalapeno Lime Butter:

Combine cilantro, butter, jalapeno, lime juice and zest in a small bowl. Spoon (generously) over the chicken before serving.

And then, my friends, you devour. You pick those little chicken quarters apart and get every last morsel of deliciousness. And add it the menu again. Trust me, you will want to.

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Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Lime Butter

This Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Lime Butter is perfectly seasoned and crispy, with a tangy, spicy butter drizzle that will make this your new favorite barbecue dish!

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Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, BBQ, Tex-Mex

Keyword: Grilled Chicken, Southwestern

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: servings

Calories: 938kcal

Author: Jaida

Ingredients

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3½ lbs bone-in chicken parts (I used chicken quarters)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup butter , melted
1 jalapeno ,seeds and ribs removed and minced
3 cloves garlic ,minced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

Mix the chili powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl until well blended.
Use a basting brush to spread the mixture over the tops of the chicken pieces.
Preheat your grill (or grill pan) over medium heat, and cook the chicken for about 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping about half-way through.
When the chicken is done, combine the cilantro, butter, jalapeno, lime juice and zest, and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon over the chicken before serving.

Notes

**Note: I have made this on the grill and in a grill pan. If you use a grill pan and the side with the paste on it needs to be watched closely as the paste mixture will burn if left too long. Cook longer on the bottom side than the top to avoid burning and/or move to a 350 degree oven to finish cooking. It took me about 45 minutes total between the grill pan and oven to cook the chicken through.