Ingredients
- Lime wedge and tajin for rim
- 1-2 jalapeño coins
- 1¾ ounces silver tequila
- 1¼ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ ounce agave nectar
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the rocks glass with the lime wedge.
- With the tajin on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the tajin to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle jalapeño coins and splash of tequila.
- Add ice, remaining tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with lime wedge.
Variations and Substitutions
Much like its parent cocktail, the skinny margarita, there is no standard or set recipe for the spicy skinny margarita. This means there are a sizable amount of options for innovations and swaps when you shake up this spicy cocktail.
- Consider making a jalapeño simple syrup, using just a quarter-ounce.
- Infuse tequila with jalapeños for a spicy touch and no added sugar or calories.
- Skip the agave nectar and orange juice and use orange liqueur instead.
- Use only a single jalapeño coin for a slightly spicy skinny margarita. Increase it to four or five, carefully, for a truly spicy experience.
- A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a level of brightness to the cocktail without any sweetness.
Garnishes
While a jalapeño coin is a common spicy skinny margarita garnish, as it easily identifies this drink as spicy, there are plenty of other options.
- Skip the tajin rim or only use a small portion of the rim. A salt rim can be used instead, but skip the sugar rim altogether in a skinny spicy margarita.
- Use chili powder and paprika separately or in combination instead of tajin for the rim.
- Add a lime wedge, wheel, or slice for an extra touch of sour citrus.
- A lemon wedge, wheel, or slice adds a bright garnish touch, not only visually but flavor and scent as well.
- Using an orange, similar to a lemon as mentioned, adds a juicier, sweeter detail without any added sugar or calories.
- A citrus peel of any type, primarily when expressed over the drink or along the rim, adds more flavor and doubles as a garnish.
- Dehydrated citrus wheels offer an added visual experience without altering the flavor of the cocktail.
About the Spicy Skinny Margarita
Born of necessity due to Prohibition and the accessibility of tequila across the border in Mexico over 100 years ago, the classic margarita has steadily changed to suit just about any flavor or variation. Over the years, as the skinny margarita caught on, the spicy skinny margarita quickly followed. It's simple single ingredient addition leaving the skinny part of the cocktail untouched, and the fresh jalapeño adds a punch of flavor with little effort.
Today, spicy tequila exists but can affect whether the margarita maintains its lower-calorie status. These can sometimes have added sugars or ingredients that bump it out of the skinny category. But with a few modifications, dropping the orange juice and agave and shaking up just jalapeño tequila and lime juice, you can make a two-ingredient skinny spicy margarita.
Slim and Spicy
The skinny spicy margarita packs an unfathomable amount of flavor for such a small number of ingredients and the added benefit of minimal sugar and calories. When you're in search of heat but don't want added calories, the spicy skinny margarita boldly delivers.
