Marinate the chicken:

Place the chicken parts in a large bowl or baking dish. Season with the dried spices, salt, and pepper. Massage lightly into each piece with your clean hands.

Squeeze lime juice over the chicken. Add the tequila. Cover–or not, I never do–and refrigerate.

Take the chicken out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking time. If you kitchen is blazingly hot, take it out 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C

If the chicken isn’t already there, place it in a baking pan that will hold the pieces in one layer.  Tip any marinade from bowl to baking dish. Add about two tablespoons oil to the baking dish.

Bake the chicken for about an hour; test it for doneness at about 40 minutes. To test for doneness, pierce chicken at bone with knife, skewer, or fork. The juices should run clear. Meat should not be pink.

Serve with lettuce, tomato, lime wedges, and sliced avocado. Tortillas, beans, rice, and corn also pair well with Mexicanish chicken.

For a quick pepper sauce:

blister red, green, and/or jalapeno peppers under a broiler or atop a burner. Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel and seed, then toss into the processor with a garlic clove. Puree. Season with salt, pepper, lime juice, and perhaps a dash of cayenne.

For tomato salsa:

Roast your tomatoes–or not–and puree them in the same processor, which you need not wash. Add salt pepper, garlic, and some minced onion. Lime is optional, but I like it.

For homemade tortilla chips:

Preheat oven to 450F/230C

Slice store bought corn or flour tortillas into strips. Lay in single layer on heavy baking sheets. Salt and oil generously. A dusting of paprika or cayenne is also nice. Bake 10-20 minutes.

Notes: I’ve made Mexicanish Chicken using chicken thighs and a mix of legs, wings, and thighs. The dish can be made with boneless, skinless chicken, but the cooking time will decrease. Check for doneness after thirty minutes.

You can make this dish spicy or not; I’ve made this chicken using cayenne pepper and ancho chile powder (not at the same time). Cayenne powder packs a wallop and will appeal to those who enjoy crying into their dinners. (This includes me.) Ancho chile powder is deeper, with less immediate heat.

Leftovers will keep, refrigerated, 3-4 days. Freeze, well-wrapped, up to two months.