Copycat Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

Overhead photo of a plate of Applebee's Copycat Fiesta Lime Chicken.

Copycat Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

This Fiesta Lime Chicken is a delicious copycat recipe to everyone's favorite dish at Applebee's that takes just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time! An awesome weeknight meal that's packed full of flavor!

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: applebees fiesta chicken

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Marinating Time: 4

Total Time: 4 30

Servings: people

Calories: 260kcal

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

½ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon cumin

Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
4 Colby Jack Cheese slices

Fiesta Ranch

¼ cup ranch dressing
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped

Pico de Gallo

3 Roma tomato chopped
½ red onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the chicken broth, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cumin to a large ziploc bag. Close and mix together.
½ cup chicken broth, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoon cumin
Add the chicken to the marinade and marinate for 4 hours.
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
While the chicken marinates, prepare the ranch dressing by whisking together the ranch, sour cream, hot sauce, lime juice, and cilantro in a bowl. Chill until ready to use.
¼ cup ranch dressing, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
Then prepare the pico de gallo by finely dicing the tomatoes and red onion and tossing with lime juice, salt, black pepper, and minced cilantro and jalapeno. Cover and set aside.
3 Roma tomato, ½ red onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 jalapeno
Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Use a meat mallet to pound chicken to an even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat an oven safe pan over high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side.
Add a dollop of ranch atop each chicken breast. Place a slice of Colby Jack cheese over the chicken and remove pan from the stovetop and transfer to the oven on the center rack. Bake for 10 minutes.
4 Colby Jack Cheese slices
Top with pico before serving.

NOTES

Storage Instructions: Once leftover fiesta lime chicken has cooled, you can transfer them into an airtight container. Afterward, store the leftovers in the refrigerator to eat within 3 to 4 days.
Is This A Recipe That I Can Make Ahead Of Time To Make Dinner Time Quicker? This fiesta lime chicken recipe can definitely be prepped ahead of time! To marinate the chicken while you're at work or overnight, reduce the lime juice in the marinade from 3 tablespoons down to 2 tablespoons. The reduction in the lime juice will protect the texture of the chicken as it marinates for longer than 4 hours. You can also make and store the fiesta ranch and Pico de Gallo ahead of time. That way, when you're ready to make dinner, all the recipe components are ready!
Can I Grill This Fiesta Lime Chicken Instead Of Baking It In The Oven? Yes, you can cook this chicken on the grill instead! To do so, first heat up the grill. Then cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Afterward, check to make sure the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F. If it isn't, then continue cooking chicken until it reaches it. Once the chicken is of temperature, top each breast with a dollop of fiesta ranch. Then cover it with a slice of cheese, close the grill cover, and continue to grill the fiesta lime chicken until the cheese has melted.
What Other Types Of Cheese Can I Use On The Chicken Breasts? If you're not a fan of Colby jack cheese, you can swap it out for cheddar, Monterey jack, or whatever your favorite cheese is. I find that sliced cheese works best, but you can also use shredded if you'd like.

NUTRITION