This copycat chicken always brings the flavor.
Growing up, Applebee’s was our go-to spot whenever we headed to the neighboring town. I’ll never forget the first time I tried my mom’s favorite dish—Fiesta Lime Chicken. One bite, and I was hooked.
Juicy chicken breasts smothered in salsa-packed ranch and melted Colby Jack cheese, served over crispy tortilla strips with a side of Mexican rice—seriously, could it get any better?
(Well, maybe if you finished with their Walnut Blondie for dessert—anyone else remember that gem?)
Last week, I got a craving and figured I’d try my hand at recreating it at home. Turns out, it’s easier than you’d think!
With a simple chicken marinade, a quick bake in the oven, and that magical Mexican salsa ranch, this dish is as close to the original as you can get. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!
2 Things That Will Take This Over the Top
- Marinating is essential for tender, flavor-infused chicken. If you have the time, let it marinate overnight for the best results!
- It may seem optional, but remember to grab a bag of tortilla chips and some pico de gallo– they make this dish taste just like it does at the restaurant!
Gave this recipe a try yesterday and my family enjoyed it. Really had me thinking I was eating the fiesta lime chicken from Applebees! Thank you for sharing. My daughter already wants me to make it more.
– Alicia
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- 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.
- Chicken. You need boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into equal portions. It’s best if you tenderize with a meat mallet and make them about 1-inch thick.
- Marinade. This is similar to what you use when making steak fajitas or 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.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep and cook the chicken.
Cut the chicken into four 5–6 ounce pieces and pound to about 1-inch thick. Whisk together the marinade, add the chicken, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes (don’t go longer than 24 hours or the lime juice can make it mushy).
Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish, letting excess marinade drip off. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches just under 160°F.
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.
Serve it up.
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
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 cheese is melted.
Mexican salsa ranch is what covers the chicken breasts. Easily make your own by mixing salsa, ranch dressing, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro.
Let it cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Yes! Reheat gently in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or microwave in short bursts. Pro Tip: Add a splash of water or cover loosely to keep the chicken from drying out.
What to serve with it?
Serve this dish with any of these delicious Mexican side dish recipes.
Top it off with Lime Crema, Easy Guacamole Recipe, or Roasted Tomato Salsa.
Serve Mexican Street Corn Salad, Coconut Milk Cilantro Lime Rice, or Cilantro Lime Rice on the side.
And don’t miss out on Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup or Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
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Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe (Applebee’s Copycat)
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice from 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 slices Colby Jack cheese
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ cup mild salsa
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
Optional Toppings:
- Tortilla chips
- Pico de gallo
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut chicken into four equal pieces. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until 1-inch thick.1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
- Whisk together avocado oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, soy sauce, honey, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, making sure it is well immersed, and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Flip and continue marinating for 15-45 more minutes.2 tablespoons avocado oil, 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Once chicken has marinated, let excess marinade drip off and place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, being careful to leave a little space between each piece. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Whisk together the ranch dressing, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, the remaining ½ tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush each piece with 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce. Then, top each with 1 slice of cheese. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.4 slices Colby Jack cheese, ¼ cup ranch dressing, ¼ cup mild salsa, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Serve Fiesta Lime Chicken over crushed tortilla chips with any leftover salsa ranch, pico de gallo, cilantro and Mexican rice.Tortilla chips, Pico de gallo
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Video
Notes
- Nutrition. information is calculated without tortilla chips, pico de gallo, or additional cilantro.
- Salsa. Use a medium or spicy salsa for the Mexican ranch to give it some heat.
- Grilling Instructions. 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.
- Prep-ahead. Cut and tenderize the chicken, mix up the marinade, and make the Mexican ranch. Keep separately in the fridge for up to 2 days until you’re ready to cook.
- Storage. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, keep in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, but just know the ranch sauce may change texture slightly. To reheat, return to a 350°F oven, or microwave until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chicken Recipes
Keep these easy chicken recipes ready for when you need a good dinner the whole family will love.
I love applebees fiesta Lime chicken so looking forward to trying your recipe
I love it too, Pamela! Let me know what you think when you make it!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!!!
It truly is just like Apple Bees, if not better!!!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dianne! It really is so much like the restaurant. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This was awesome!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!