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Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe

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4.3 from 47 reviews

Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken is a flavorful and vibrant dish featuring thinly sliced marinated chicken grilled to perfection, topped with a zesty Mexi-Ranch sauce and melted cheese, and served over a crisp romaine salad with crunchy tortilla strips and fresh garnishes. This recipe combines smoky, tangy, and spicy notes to create a deliciously satisfying meal perfect for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade and Main Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken fillets
  • 1 cup water
  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon liquid mesquite smoke
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Mexi-Ranch Sauce

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons buttermilk (or 2 Tablespoons regular milk)
  • 2 Tablespoons minced tomato (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon dried minced onion
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Dash ground black pepper

Toppings and Garnishes

  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend
  • 3 cups crumbled tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips
  • 2 Romaine hearts, trimmed and chopped
  • Diced tomato or pico de gallo
  • Sliced avocados
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Prepare and Marinate Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into really thin cuts for fast, even cooking. Combine the sliced chicken with water, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, liquid mesquite smoke, salt, and ground ginger in a large zip-top bag. Seal and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for several hours to develop deep flavors.
  2. Make Mexi-Ranch Sauce: While the chicken marinates, mix Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, minced tomato (optional), white vinegar, dried minced onion, hot sauce, salt, dried dill weed, paprika, cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Chill the sauce for at least an hour to meld the flavors before serving.
  3. Preheat Grilling and Broiling Equipment: Get your oven broiler ready and preheat your BBQ grill or stove-top grill pan to medium-high heat. The recipe requires both grilling and broiling steps for best results.
  4. Grill the Chicken: Grill the marinated chicken fillets, turning once, until thoroughly cooked through, about 10-12 minutes depending on thickness and grill temperature.
  5. Broil with Cheese: Transfer the grilled chicken to a baking sheet. Spread approximately one tablespoon of the chilled Mexi-Ranch sauce on each piece of chicken, then sprinkle a few pinches of shredded cheddar/monterey jack blend on top. Broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to brown lightly in spots.
  6. Rest and Slice Chicken: Allow the chicken to rest about 5 minutes after broiling to retain juices, then slice into strips or bite-sized pieces for serving.
  7. Toss Salad Greens: Mix the chopped romaine hearts with about ½ cup of Mexi-Ranch sauce until evenly coated for a creamy, tangy salad base.
  8. Assemble the Fiesta Salad: Arrange the dressed romaine on plates, top with sliced chicken, crumbled tortilla chips or strips, diced tomato or pico de gallo, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Add extra Mexi-Ranch sauce to taste if desired, then serve immediately.

Notes

  • Marinating the chicken longer in the refrigerator will enhance flavor and tenderness.
  • The Mexi-Ranch sauce benefits from chilling for at least an hour to develop a more intense taste.
  • For a milder spicy flavor, reduce or omit the cayenne and hot sauce in the sauce.
  • If you don’t have a grill, use a grill pan on your stovetop as a convenient alternative.
  • Broiling the chicken with cheese adds a delightful melty topping and a slightly crispy finish.
  • To make the dish gluten-free, ensure tortilla chips are gluten-free certified.
  • Use Greek yogurt for a lower-fat sauce option instead of mayonnaise.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/applebees-fiesta-lime-chicken-recipe/