Nutrition: 356 Calories | 7.6g Net Carbs | 35g Protein
Flavorful marinated chicken topped with Mexi-Ranch and gooey melted cheese. Enjoy an Applebee’s favorite at home with this easy fiesta lime chicken recipe.
It can be so much fun to go out to a restaurant. My whole family loves it because they can pick out exactly what they want, and I love it because I don’t have to clean the dishes. Of course, it’s also a great opportunity to try new foods and explore different flavors. I really like Applebee’s because it’s a great family-friendly restaurant, and no one minds if my kids are noisy. Applebee’s fiesta lime chicken is scrumptious and you can easily recreate the flavors at home.
When I set out to recreate the fiesta chicken, I started with a recipe my whole family loves. I just used the lime and herb marinated chicken recipe and switched up some of the ingredients. You can switch out the herbs for some fiesta inspired flavors, and you have a whole new meal. It’s a great way to make something new from a recipe you already know and love.
Best Method for Marinating Chicken
The best way to really infuse a chicken with lots of flavor is to marinate it. And the easiest way to create a marinade is to mix everything together in a zip-top bag (and it makes fewer dishes, too).
First, combine ground coriander, chili powder, oregano, and salt with fresh lime juice and zest, canola (or vegetable) oil, honey, and fresh crushed garlic in your zip-top bag. Second, hold onto the top of the resealable bag in one hand and mix the ingredients together by squishing the bottom of the bag with your other hand. Once the marinade is mixed together, add the chicken to the bag. Squeeze out all the air and seal it tight. Then, move the chicken around inside the bag to make sure it’s all covered in marinade. Place the bag of marinating chicken on a plate in the refrigerator (in case it leaks) for 4 hours or overnight. You can also freeze the chicken with the marinade for easy meal prep.
Make Your Own Mexi-Ranch
On top of the tangy marinated chicken, you’ll put a layer of creamy Mexi-Ranch. You can buy something similar at the store, but it’s also easy to make at home. Start with a base of ranch dressing: milk, mayonnaise, greek yogurt, and ranch dressing mix. Add the fiesta flavors with salsa and homemade taco seasoning (chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, and cumin). Mix everything together and let it sit for 30 minutes or more. You can make it when you’re marinating the chicken and keep it in the refrigerator until it’s time to cook, or you can make it right before you start cooking so the flavors have time to meld together.
Easy Cauliflower Spanish Rice
At, Applebee’s, they serve the fiesta lime chicken on top of tortilla strips with Spanish rice on the side. To lighten up your meal and reduce the carbs, you can skip the tortilla strips and make some cauliflower Spanish rice. In a sauté pan, combine riced cauliflower, canned southwest style tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salsa. Mix together and let it simmer until all the liquid is gone. It takes about 15 minutes on medium-high heat.
Cauliflower rice is so versatile. You can flavor it in lots of ways. If you like this Spanish rice version, you should check out these other recipes too: Lemon Dill Cauliflower Rice, Seasoned Cauliflower Sushi Rice, Coconut Ginger Cauliflower Rice, and Chicken Florentine with Cauliflower Rice.
Grill Your Fiesta Lime Chicken
While the cauliflower Spanish rice in simmering, grill the marinated chicken. Use an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan, and grill the chicken over medium heat. Grill one side for about 4-5 minutes and then turn it over. After another 3-4 minutes, when the chicken is almost cooked through, spread your Mexi-Ranch over each chicken breast. Next, sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through. Then move the chicken to a plate and let it rest for a few minutes. Finally, serve your homemade Applebee’s fiesta lime chicken with the cauliflower Spanish rice and pico de gallo.
Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe with Cauliflower Spanish Rice
Flavorful marinated chicken topped with Mexi-Ranch and gooey melted cheese. Enjoy an Applebee’s favorite at home with this easy fiesta lime chicken recipe.
Total Time: 4 Hours 25 Minutes
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Inactive Time: 4 Hours
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1/2 tsp Ground Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Limes, Juice and Zest
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1/2 Cup Canola Oil
- 1/2 Cup Mexi-Ranch (Ingredients Below)
- 6 Tbsp Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
- 4 Tbsp Pico de Gallo
Mexi-Ranch
- 1/4 Cup Salsa
- 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
- 1/3 Cup Milk
- 2 Tbsp Ranch Powder
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/4 tsp Each: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Ground Coriander, and Ground Cumin
Cauliflower Spanish Rice
- 4 Cups Cauliflower Rice
- 1 Can (14.5 oz) Southwest Style Tomatoes
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Salsa
- 2 tsp Salt
Directions
- In a zip-top bag, combine 1/2 teaspoon each of ground coriander and chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, lime juice and zest, crushed garlic, honey, and canola oil. Mix the ingredients together in the bag until they are combined. Add the chicken. Squeeze all the air out and seal the bag. Move the chicken around in the bag to make sure it’s covered in marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight. You can also freeze the chicken in the marinade.
- Mix together all the Mexi-Ranch ingredients with a whisk and set aside.
- Pre-heat your grill pan or outdoor grill.
- While the grill is heating up, start cooking the cauliflower Spanish rice. In a sauté pan, combine the cauliflower rice, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/4 cup salsa, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix everything together and sauté, stirring occasionally until all the liquid is gone, about 15 minutes.
- Once the grill is pre-heated, grill the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side until it’s cooked through. Flip the chicken and when it’s almost cooked through and top each chicken breast with Mexi-Ranch and shredded cheese. Once the cheese has melted, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest. Serve the fiesta lime chicken with the cauliflower Spanish Rice and top with Pico de Gallo. Enjoy!
Nutrition:
Yield: 4 Servings, Serving Size: 1 Chicken Breast (4 oz) and 1 Cup Cauliflower Rice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 356, Total Fat: 19.5g, Saturated Fat: 4.8g, Cholesterol: 97.6mg, Sodium: 1462.3mg, Carbohydrates: 9.9g, Fiber: 2.3g, Sugars: 6.5g, Protein: 35g
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