Make Applebees Fiesta Lime Chicken at home! The most delicious marinated chicken topped with a creamy sauce, melted cheese and served with rice!A RESTAURANT COPYCAT RECIPEI used to go to Applebees quite a bit, especially when my husband and I were first dating back in the day. Even though I dont hit up our Applebees as much as we used to, this is still one of my favorite things to get when we do go. The recipe may feel intimidating when you first see the ingredient list below, but it really is pretty simple to throw together. Its just a bunch of layers of flavor (and total worth it!)FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:Can I bake this in the oven instead? Yes. You can bake the chicken at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the juices run clear. What can I change in this chicken dish? Its your kitchen, change what you want. Leave out what you dont want. Just want to remind you that I created this as a copycat recipe to be as close to the original one from Applebees as I could. If you make changes to it, dont expect it to still taste like the original one. What to serve with this? I served it with the Mexican rice I mentioned in the ingredient list. You can just grab a box from the store, or make some Homemade 3-ingredient Mexican Rice. If youd like to make another option, try a slice or two of Mexican Cornbread. Can I use homemade pico de gallo? Sure. Heres a quick recipe if you need one. 4 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced (seeds removed if too juicy) medium red onion, finely diced(optional) 12 jalapeos, seeded and finely chopped (leave seeds if you like more heat) cup fresh cilantro, choppedJuice of 1 limeInstructionsIn a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeos, and cilantro.Squeeze the lime juice over the mixture.Toss everything together until well combined.Taste and adjust with more lime or add salt if needed.For best flavor, let the pico de gallo sit for 1520 minutes before serving so the flavors meld. How to store leftovers? You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can keep leftovers longer by freezing for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)mayonnaise hate mayo? Try more sour cream or you could sub with Greek yogurt, but this may change the overall flavor. salsa use your favorite brand. You can even make your own Homemade Salsa.sour creamchopped cilantrofresh squeezed lime juice for this recipe (and in my opinion, just about any recipe with lime juice) you have to stick to the fresh lime juice. I cant get behind the plastic lime bottles of acid that claim to be lime juice. Theres just no flavor there to me. For the best results, grab those limes and squeeze them when ready to make this chicken.cumingarlic mincedteriyaki saucehoneytaco seasoning grab a packet of your favorite or some scoops of your favorite Homemade Taco Seasoning.chicken breasts if you dont want to cut the chicken breasts, you can just buy the ones that are already cut for you to help save on time. Additionally, you could use chicken thighs as they tend to be cheaper than chicken breasts. If choosing thick chicken breasts, really be sure you cut them thin so they cook properly.shredded Colby Jack cheeseMexican rice I discussed more above in the FAQ section, but you can use store bought, or make your own. tortilla strips The crunchy tortilla strips can be found usually in the salad aisle of the grocery store in bags. pico de gallo you can grab some from the store or make a homemade quick version that I shared above in the Frequently Asked Questions section.HOW TO MAKE APPLEBEES FIESTA LIME CHICKEN:To a bowl, add the sauce ingredients. Mix until combined. Refrigerate for at least one hour (this really helps the flavors to come together and it will thicken slightly as well.)To a bowl, add 2 Tablespoons oil, lime juice, minced garlic, teriyaki sauce, honey, and taco seasoning. Mix until combined.Coat the chicken in the marinade.Marinate for up to 1 hour, but overnight is great as well.Heat a skillet over low to medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Saute each side of the chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes or until the juices run clear and you have an internal temperature of 165 F.Coat the chicken with the sauce.Top the chicken with the cheese.Turn off the heat. Add the lid until the cheese is fully melted.Serve the chicken with the Mexican rice, tortilla strips, and pico de gallo.CRAVING MORE RECIPES?Applebees Oriental Chicken SaladCilantro Lime Chicken Chicken FajitasGrilled Honey Lime Chicken SkewersFiesta Pinwheels3 Ingredient Mexican RiceBaked Chicken Skewers PrintApplebees Fiesta Lime ChickenAll the fun, bright flavors of Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken, but made in the comfort of your own kitchen.Course Dinner, Lunch, Main CourseCuisine AmericanPrep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 10 minutes minutesInactive Time 1 hour hourTotal Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutesServings 4Calories 1337kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredientsSauce Ingredients cup mayonnaise cup salsa cup sour cream1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice teaspoon cumin teaspoon saltChicken Ingredients3 Tablespoons oil (divided use)2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice3 garlic cloves, minced2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce1 Tablespoon honey2 Tablespoons taco seasoning4 medium (or 2 large chicken breasts, have to make thinner) (see notes below)1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheeseTo serve:4 cups Mexican rice2 cups tortilla strips1 cup pico de galloInstructionsTo a bowl, add cup mayonnaise, cup salsa, cup sour cream, 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro, Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice, teaspoon cumin and teaspoon salt. Mix until combined. Refrigerate for at least one hour (this really helps the flavors to come together and it will thicken slightly as well.) To a bowl, add 2 Tablespoons oil,2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce, 1 Tablespoon honey and 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning. Mix until combined. Coat the chicken breasts in the marinade. Cover and marinate for up to 1 hour, but overnight is great as well. Heat a skillet over low to medium heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Saute each side of the chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes or until the juices run clear and you have an internal temperature of 165 F. Coat the chicken with the sauce. Top the chicken with the cheese. Turn off the heat. Add the lid until the cheese is fully melted. Serve the chicken with the Mexican rice, tortilla strips, and pico de gallo. NotesPlease refer to my FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.You want relatively thin chicken breasts for this. If yours are on the thicker side, youll want to slice each one into two breasts. You can also purchase thin cut chicken breasts or just use chicken breasts that are on the thinner side. You could use thicker chicken breasts but they will just take longer to cook. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F degrees.NutritionCalories: 1337kcal | Carbohydrates: 155g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 46g | Sodium: 3444mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 19g