A use for extra tequila

Last winter, a friend gave me a bottle of mezcal. (Mezcal is similar to tequila, but has a smokier flavor and the worm in the bottle.) Since I don't make very good margaritas and don't drink much of it anymore, the bottle and its tiny sombrero seemed destined to sit in my cabinet indefinitely. Then I thought, chicken gets marinated in lime juice, there's lime juice in margaritas, so why not combine them? This is such a favorite recipe, half the bottle's gone already! I've used lemon juice instead of lime and it still tastes great.

• two chicken breasts
• large splash of olive oil (2-4 tbs)
• same amount of lime juice (2-4 tbs)
• grated lime rind (0.5-1 tsp)(opt)
• a shot of mezcal or tequila (and maybe another one for the cook!) (1-1.5 tbs)
• spices (whatever you have: cayenne pepper, dried japalenos, aleppo, chipotle, chili powder, red peppers, etc...)

You'll need a baking dish large enough to accomodate the chicken and the sauce, a lid or foil for the dish, a small sauce pan, and a sealable plastic bag for marinating the chicken.

• Combine the olive oil, lime juice, tequila, and spices (as desired, I recommend at least some paprika for color, and about a tsp of cayenne, a little chili powder, a good shake of dried japalenos and aleppo peppers if you're feeling bold) in the bag, add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes (more if you can). Putting the bag in a bowl will keep the marinade around the chicken a little better, as will flipping it over partway through.
• Heat the oven to 350F. Put the chicken in the baking dish and the marinade in the saucepan and bring the marinade to a boil. Make sure it boils for at least a full minute.
• Spoon or brush some of the marinade onto the chicken, cover and bake until it's cooked through, 15-25 minutes. Flip the chicken over halfway through and spoon/brush a little more marinade on it.
• Serve with the extra sauce in a bowl. This goes very well with rice.