Quench your thirst with this vibrant and refreshing homemade strawberry lemonade, directly inspired by Chili's classic restaurant beverage.
To make the simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely. This will yield approximately 1.5 cups of simple syrup.
To make the strawberry puree: In a separate small saucepan, combine the hulled and quartered strawberries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the strawberries have softened and broken down. Mash them with a fork or potato masher. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Strain the strawberry puree: Press the cooled strawberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, using the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. This should yield about 1/2 cup of concentrated strawberry syrup.
Assemble the lemonade: In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, the strained strawberry syrup, and 1 to 1.5 cups of the cooled simple syrup (adjust this amount based on your preferred sweetness). Add 3-4 cups of cold water.
Stir well to combine all ingredients. Taste the strawberry lemonade and adjust the sweetness (add more simple syrup) or tartness (add more water or a tiny bit more lemon juice, if needed).
Serve: Fill glasses with ice. Pour the homemade Chili's-Style Strawberry Lemonade over the ice. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and whole strawberries, if desired, before serving.