Applebee Fiesta Lime Chicken could be a shockingly simple recipe to create at domestic! Learn how to create this copycat dish with chicken breasts and a salsa farm sauce that’s prepared within the broiler to tacky flawlessness. Serve over tortilla strips, with pico de gallo, and a side of Mexican rice for one of the leading family suppers.
Copycat Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken
Applebee’s was our go-to spot when we visited the neighboring town growing up.
Their Fiesta Lime Chicken!
- Juicy and tender chicken breasts were coated in a creamy and tangy sauce and topped with cheesy goodness.
- It was then served on a bed of crunchy tortilla strips with a side of Mexican rice — you honestly couldn’t get any better than that! (Unless you ordered their Walnut Blondie for dessert — does anyone else remember that?)
- Reminiscing on this dish last week gave me the inkling to try making it at home. It couldn’t be that difficult, right?
- And it wasn’t! After creating a simple marinade for the chicken, baking it in the oven (it’s SO much easier than grilling!), and topping it with some Mexican salsa ranch, the BEST homemade Fiesta Lime Chicken recipe was born.
- Speaking of homemade… since you’re in charge of the ingredients, you can also make this dish healthier with a few simple swaps! (I’ll go over those in more detail below.)
Ingredients
- Chicken. You need boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into equal portions. It’s best if you tenderize them with a meat mallet and make them about 1 inch thick.
- Marinade. This is similar to what you use when making chicken fajitas. The simple marinade is made from lime juice, soy sauce, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and honey.
- Mexican ranch. The delicious and creamy sauce that gets drizzled on top of the chicken—and it’s SO easy! It is made from ranch dressing, mild or medium salsa, sour cream, lime juice, and freshly chopped cilantro.
- Cheese. Sliced cheese is the easiest to put on chicken, but you can use shredded. Cheddar, Colby-Jack, or Monterey Jack are all great options.
- Tortilla strips. If you are not on a low-carb diet, these are a MUST. You can use either strips or regular chips. They give a wonderful crunch to the tender chicken.
- Bottom of Form
How to Make Fiesta Lime Chicken
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Prepare the Chicken
Cut chicken into four 5- to 6-ounce portions. Tenderize the pieces with a meat mallet until they are 1 inch thick.
2. Marinate the Chicken
Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. Do not keep overnight as the acidity from the lime juice will make the chicken have a mealy texture.
3. Bake Chicken in Oven
Place the chicken in a 13×9-inch baking dish in a single layer with a little space between each one. Be sure to let any excess marinade drip off before adding it to the dish.
Bake chicken in a preheated 350°F for 20-25 minutes. You want the internal temperature to reach just shy of 160°F.
4. Add Salsa Ranch and Cheese
While the chicken is cooking, stir together the salsa, ranch, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro in a medium-sized bowl. This can be made up to 2 days in advance if needed.
Once the chicken is cooked, cover each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of sauce and 1 slice of cheese.
Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.
5. Serving
Serve over tortilla strips with additional sauce, lime wedges, pico de gallo, and cilantro. And don’t forget the Instant Pot Mexican Rice or Authentic Mexican Rice—a perfect pairing!
Leave out the tortilla strips and serve over cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
FAQs
Can I grill this instead of baking?
Yes! Add the chicken to a medium-heat grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Add the sauce and cheese slices and cook until the cheese is melted.
What kind of sauce is used on Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken?
Mexican salsa ranch is what covers the chicken breasts. Easily make your own by mixing salsa, ranch dressing, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro.
Is Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken healthy?
The cheese and ranch cause this recipe to be relatively high in fat. However, you can make it low-carb if you skip the tortilla chips and a side of rice.
Recipe Tips
- Pound it out. Take the time to tenderize the chicken.
- Similar sizes. Make sure to cut the chicken breasts into the same size so they cook up evenly.
- Make it spicy. Use a medium or spicy salsa for the Mexican ranch to give it some heat.
- Better when homemade. Mix up your taco seasoning for the most flavor.
- Serve with strips. The crunchy texture and salty bite complement the juicy chicken breasts perfectly.
What to Serve with Fiesta Lime Chicken
Serve this fiesta lime chicken with any of these delicious Mexican side dish recipes.
Recipe!
Fiesta Lime Chicken
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- pot
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 ibs chicken breasts cut into 4 portions
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp oy sauce
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 oz Colby Jack cheese slices
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tbsp salt
Salsa Ranch
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup salsa mild or medium
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare Chicken Breasts: Cut chicken into four 5-6 ounce portions. Tenderize with a meat mallet until they are 1-inch thick.1 ¼ – 1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts
- Marinade Chicken: Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, honey, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.2 Tbsp. lime juice,1 Tbsp. soy sauce,2 Tbsp. taco seasoning,1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce,2 Tbsp. oil,1 Tbsp. honey,½ tsp. salt
- Bake in Oven: Once the chicken has marinaded, place it in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish in a single layer with a little space between each one. Be sure to let any excess marinade drip off before adding it to the dish. Bake chicken at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
- Salsa Ranch and Cheese: While the chicken is cooking, whisk the Salsa Ranch ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add 1-2 tablespoons of sauce per breast and then place 1 slice of cheese on each. Return to oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.¼ cup ranch dressing,¼ cup salsa,2 Tbsp. sour cream,1 tsp. lime juice,1 Tbsp. cilantro,4 oz. Colby Jack cheese slices
- Serve Fiesta Lime Chicken over tortilla chips with additional sauce, lime wedges, pico de gallo, cilantro, and a side of Mexican Rice. Enjoy!Tortilla Chips,Pico de Gallo,Cilantro
Notes
Notes
- To Grill: 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.
- Nutrition information is calculated without tortilla strips, pico de gallo, or additional cilantro.
- Pound it out. Take the time to tenderize the chicken.
- Similar sizes. Make sure to cut the chicken breasts into the same size so they cook up evenly.
- Make it spicy. Use a medium or spicy salsa for the Mexican ranch to give it some heat.
- Better when homemade. Mix up your own taco seasoning for the most flavor.
- Serve with strips. The crunchy texture and salty bite complement the juicy chicken breasts perfectly.