5.0 from 231 votes
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.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 591 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Mexican
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 lices 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve Fiesta Lime Chicken over crushed tortilla chips with any leftover salsa ranch, pico de gallo, cilantro and Mexican rice.
Cup of Yum
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 Information
Calories
591kcal
(30%)
Carbohydrates
12g
(4%)
Protein
62g
(124%)
Fat
32g
(49%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
8g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
199mg
(66%)
Sodium
1807mg
(75%)
Potassium
1095mg
(31%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
1436IU
(29%)
Vitamin C
11mg
(12%)
Calcium
231mg
(23%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 591
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 591kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 62g | 124% |
| Fat | 32g | 49% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 199mg | 66% |
| Sodium | 1807mg | 75% |
| Potassium | 1095mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 1436IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 231mg | 23% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.