No better way to spend a birthday 🎂 then poolside with family and friends and I was lucky enough to have that, this weekend! I wanted to plan something special since we were entertaining and as I was searching Pinterest for inspiration and I came across a taco bar.

Voilà, the evening was masterminded featuring Jackie’s Margaritas with a Mexican Black Bean and Corn 🌽 Salad (perfect side for your summer BBQs) and a taco bar with all the fixings, including my favorite marinated Chili Lime Grilled Chicken.

For the Taco Bar, I included:

• Sliced soy lime grilled chicken thighs, see my recipe below – Chicken tacos are a crowd-pleaser, easy to marinade and even easier to grill to perfection
• Cheese – I included two types for variety; sharp cheddar and cotija cheese
• Shredded iceberg lettuce – I’m not usually a fan of iceberg because I think it lacks flavor, but for a taco bar, you need it 👍
• Sliced jalapenos – You need heat on a taco bar 😉
• Slice black olives – I love the pop of color they provide on a tray, plus black olives are great on a taco
• Sliced green onions – Another perfect topping for tacos
• Chopped tomatoes 🍅 – Of course you need tomatoes on a taco bar
• Cilantro – One of my absolute favorite herbs and soooo delicious on tacos
• Lime wedges 🍈 – There’s nothing better than fresh lime on a taco
• Sour cream – That cooling agent for the heat
• Sriracha lime cream – Because it’s delicious and a great condiment for tacos! You can find this recipe on my Taco Tuesday post.

• Guacamole – Because I make incredible guacamole and it works well on taco or as dip for the corn chips, see my recipe below!

It was such a fabulous evening of great company and tremendous food, finished with a fire by the pool and a great spread of cheesecakes, one of my favorites 😋

Soy Lime Marinade

Ingredients & Instructions

• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• Zest from 1 lime
• Lime juice from 2 1/2 limes
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1TBS of chili garlic sauce
• 2TBS of olive oil
• Combine the marinade ingredients into a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Place chicken thighs in a plastic bag or meat safe mixing bowl and add the marinade. Mix until well combined.
• I suggest marinating overnight, if not two nights.
• Grill to perfection and serve warm, cheers 🍻

Jackie’s Guacamole

This is a crowd-pleaser, trust me. It’s heavy on the cilantro and so delicious 😋

Ingredients & Instructions

• 2 ripe avocados, slice and pits removed
• 1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 of a red onion, chopped finely
• 1 plum tomato, remove seeds and chopped finely
• Zest from 1 lime
• Juice from 1 lime
• Combine all ingredients together and smash together.
• Taste and finish with salt and pepper, as desired
• Add a pit or two if you plan to make ahead. Note: The lime juice should prevent the avocado from turning brown.
• Enjoy on tacos or as a dip with corn chips, cheers!