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a white plate of sliced fiesta lime chicken, spanish rice, a lime wedge and a small bowl of pico de gallo.
5 from 2 votes

Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken

This easy copycat recipe for Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken is simple to make at home with marinated grilled chicken topped with tangy ranch dressing and melted cheese.
Author Diana
Servings 4 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mexi-ranch Dressing:

  • ½ cup (120 ml) ranch dressing
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice

Toppings:

  • 1 cup (112 g) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup tortilla strips
  • Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish

Optional Side Dishes

Instructions

  • In a bowl or a ziptop bag, mix together the lime juice, honey, minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and smoked paprika to make the marinade.
  • Add the chicken to the marinade, and mix until it’s well coated. Seal the bag or cover the bowl, place in the fridge and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • In a small bowl, mix the ranch dressing, taco seasoning, and lime juice to make the Mexi-ranch dressing. Set aside.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat then clean and oil the grill grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place on the grill, and cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C with an Instant read thermometer.
  • Add the grilled chicken to a baking sheet. Spread the Mexi-ranch dressing over the chicken and top each breast with shredded Cheddar cheese.
  • Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • To serve, add the Fiesta Lime Chicken on a bed of the tortilla strips and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with Spanish rice and house-made pico de gallo on the side.

Notes

  • Instead of chicken breasts, feel free to substitute with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders.
  • Prep ahead: You can prepare the marinade and mexi-ranch dressing up to a day ahead of time. Just store them in airtight containers in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
  • Use a clean grill. Before grilling the chicken, be sure that your grill grates are clean and brushed with oil. This will prevent the meat from sticking.
  • Instead of grilling outdoors, you can cook the chicken on a grill pan on your stovetop! You could also bake chicken breasts or cook them in the air fryer before adding the toppings and broiling them.

Nutrition

Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1245mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/fiesta-lime-chicken/