Chili’s Presidente Margarita is truly a special drink made with anejo tequila, brandy, orange liqueur, and sour mix. This tasty cocktail is perfect for any fun occasion.
Make Chili’s Presidente Margarita at Home
Chili’s makes one of the best margaritas ever. You don’t have to decide who is going to be the designated driver. Now everyone can drink when you make your favorite cocktails at home.
Chili’s Bar and Grill serves up a wide range of popular American comfort foods and Southwest favorites, but the list of Chili’s drink recipes go beyond just the ordinary. Chili’s is one chain that prides itself on serving up some of the best Margaritas around. But perhaps the most loved of Chili’s Margarita recipes is the Presidente. Chili’s Presidente Margarita is a premium cocktail that uses only top-shelf ingredients to re-imagine the idea of what a great Margarita can be by creating a smooth drink with a lot of kick. You will definitely want to sip this one slow to savor it.
The Ingredients of Chili’s Presidente Margarita
Suaza Commemorativo
Although most Margaritas are made with a blanco tequila, meaning a clear and unaged tequila, the Presidente Margarita requires one that is much older. Suaza Commemorativo rests for years in oak casks to smooth the rough edges common in younger tequila and develop a distinctive taste. If you are unable to find this premium spirit, you use any añejo tequila.
Presidente Brandy
Presidente Brandy is the spirit that not only lends its name to the cocktail but also makes it truly special. Presidente Brandy is the best-selling liquor in Mexico, and for a good reason, it is impressive stuff. Smooth, with just a bit of bite, it pairs surprisingly well with an older tequila. But Presidente Brandy does come at a premium price. Therefore, you may wish to substitute a less expensive brand like E&J.
Patron Citronge Orange
Patron Citronge Orange takes the place of ordinary Triple Sec in this Margarita recipe. Distilled in Mexico, this pure and 100 percent natural orange-flavored liqueur has a wonderfully bold flavor that can stand out in this cocktail. If you cannot find Patron Citronge Orange, you can use Cointreau or Triple Sec in its place.
Something This Good Deserves a Fair Shake
Chili’s takes great care in crafting extraordinary cocktails, even going as far as advertising that they give each one of their Presidente Margaritas 25 shakes by hand. Whether 25 is the optimum number of shakes is still open to debate, the need for some serious shaking is not. Shaking not only mixes and cools the cocktail, but it slightly dilutes it while incorporating air that helps to bring out the complex flavors of the drink.
Tips for Making and Serving Chili’s Presidente Margarita
- Use a Margarita glass. Sure, you can use any type of glass you want to serve this cocktail, but this premium drink deserves a proper Margarita glass. Not only does the stem allow you to hold the glass without warming it, but the extra-wide rim also allows for plenty of salt.
- Rim the glass with salt. Sometimes salt on the rim is overkill, but not for this recipe. Use a lime wedge to moisten the glass’s edge and then dip it onto a plate full of Margarita salt.
- Make your own Margarita salt. Combine the zest of one lime and half of an orange with two tablespoons of kosher salt. Use a rolling pin to crush together.
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Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Anejo tequila, Suaza Commemorativo recommended
- Presidente brandy or your favorite brandy
- Orange liqueur (Patron Citronge, Cointreau, or triple sec)
- Sour Mix
- Lime
- Margarita salt
How to Make Chili’s Presidente Margarita
- Cut the lime into wedges.
- Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a margarita glass.
- Dip wet glass rim into margarita salt.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, brandy, orange liquor, and sour mix.
- Add ice to the shaker.
- Shake until blended.
- Strain and pour over the ice in the margarita glass.
Love Chili’s? Try these copycat recipes!
- Chili’s Chicken Tenders
- Chilis Hamburgers
- Chili’s Queso
- Margarita Chicken
- Monterey Chicken
- Original Chili Recipe
- Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
- Southwest Soup Recipe
Popular Cocktail Recipes
For more great drinks try The Bartender’s Companion: A Complete Drink Recipe Guide by Robert Plotkin.
Check out more of my copycat restaurant recipes and the best cocktail recipes here on CopyKat!
Chili’s Presidente Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 ounce Sauza Commemorativo Anejo Tequila
- 1/2 ounce Presidente Brandy
- 1/2 ounce Patron Citronge
- 3 ounces sour mix
- splash lime juice
Instructions
- Cut lime into wedges.
- Rim glass with 1 wedge of lime.
- Dip wet margarita glass rim into margarita salt.
- In a boston shaker add tequila, brandy, orange liquor, fill with ice.
- Shake. Pour over fresh ice in the salt rimmed margarita glass.
Equipment
Nutrition
A fellow viewer graciously submitted this recipe!
Laurie Large
Can you tell me what mango flavoring the use to make the mango el presidents..
Stephanie Manley
Thank you, for the suggestion, I haven’t done my homework on the mango el presidente
Joan L.
This sounds great. Under the ingredients you have Cointreau listed. Going further down in the description of the different ingredients you have Patron Citronge Orange. Grand Marnier is also a higher end orange liqueur that could replace either of those. Also, you list sour mix under the ingredients but, in the directions you do not state when you add it. I am guessing to the cocktail shaker along with the other ingredients????
Stephanie Manley
Yes, everything goes into the shaker, let me add this.
Stephanie Manley
I stated in the instructions to add the orange liquor to the shaker. I will change it to Patron Citronge Orange to be clear, you can add the substitute if you need to.
Cheri
You go into great detail for all the steps and ingredients except the 3 oz. of sour mix. What is in it? Can it be made at home if so what is the recipe? If not what is your recommended brand?
Stephanie Manley
I usually use Master of Mixes for most cocktails when I make them. Because I think this would represent a normal every day bar. When making cocktails for friends on a cocktail night, I will make it from scratch. When I make it from scratch I combine 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup lime juice, 1 cup water, and 1 cup demerara sugar. You need to store this in the fridge, the shelf life on this is about a week.