Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe (Applebee's Copycat)
Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken is a surprisingly easy recipe to make at home! Learn how to make this copycat dish with chicken breasts and a salsa ranch sauce that is baked in the oven to cheesy perfection.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice from 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 slices Colby Jack cheese
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ cup mild salsa
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro plus more for serving
Optional Toppings:
- Tortilla chips
- Pico de gallo
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut chicken into four equal pieces. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until 1-inch thick.1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
- Whisk together avocado oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, soy sauce, honey, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, making sure it is well immersed, and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Flip and continue marinating for 15-45 more minutes.2 tablespoons avocado oil, 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Once chicken has marinated, let excess marinade drip off and place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, being careful to leave a little space between each piece. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Whisk together the ranch dressing, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, the remaining ½ tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush each piece with 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce. Then, top each with 1 slice of cheese. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.2 ½ tablespoons lime juice, ¼ cup ranch dressing, ¼ cup mild salsa, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, 4 slices Colby Jack cheese
- Serve Fiesta Lime Chicken over crushed tortilla chips with any leftover salsa ranch, pico de gallo, cilantro and Mexican rice.Tortilla chips, Pico de gallo
Video
Notes
- Nutrition. information is calculated without tortilla chips, pico de gallo, or additional cilantro.
- Salsa. Use a medium or spicy salsa for the Mexican ranch to give it some heat.
- Grilling Instructions. Add chicken to a medium-heat grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Add sauce and cheese slices and cook until cheese is melted.
- Prep-ahead. Cut and tenderize the chicken, mix up the marinade, and make the Mexican ranch. Keep separately in the fridge for up to 2 days until you're ready to cook.
- Storage. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, keep in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, but just know the ranch sauce may change texture slightly. To reheat, return to a 350°F oven, or microwave until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 1807mg | Potassium: 1095mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1436IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 2mg
