Cheesy Grilled Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe for Two

A cheesy, saucy grilled chicken recipe for two! This Fiesta Lime Chicken tastes best with marinated chicken breast, a homemade creamy salsa sauce, and plenty of cheese and crunchy tortilla chips.

Yes, this is kind of like a copycat version of the Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken. I actually worked at an Applebee’s in Lawrence, Kansas during my first couple of years in college, and I have no shame in admitting that I was 10000% addicted to some of their food (the original yellow queso with beef was my one true addiction).  A lot of their menu items have changed (RIP yellow queso), but the fiesta lime chicken has not.  You can’t mess with a fan favorite, right? This is my take on the Fiesta Lime Chicken recipe, but I think it may be even better than the original. 🙂

Either way, this is a great recipe that is super easy, and it really is one of our new favorite recipes! It is a small batch recipe that makes two servings, but you are welcome to multiply it as needed.

The chicken needs to marinate for at least an hour before grilling it, so it does take a little planning. Ideally, the chicken should marinate from 1 – 4 hours.

If that time frame doesn’t work for you, there’s an alternate solution. It can marinate for up to eight hours, so you could toss the chicken in the marinade in the morning and let it marinate while you’re working during the day. That way it’s ready just in time for dinner, and the entire recipe can come together in just 30 minutes in the evening.

I don’t like to push the marinating process longer than the eight hour mark because the citrus (lime juice) in the marinade will eventually start to break down the chicken, which transforms it into a mushy texture.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 2 Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs (about 12 oz.)
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp. Honey
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Lime Zest
• 1 tbsp. fresh Lime Juice
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire (or low sodium Soy Sauce)
• pinch of Salt + Pepper

For the Tex-Mex Sauce:

• 1 tbsp. Sour Cream
• 1 tbsp. Mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. Salsa, your favorite
• Spice Blend:
  • 1/4 tsp. each: Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Mexican Oregano
  • 1/8 tsp. Cayenne (optional: omit for a less spicy version)
• 1/2 tsp. Lime Zest
• 1 tbsp. fresh Lime Juice

For Serving:

• 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
• 1/2 cup Crushed Tortilla Chips

This recipe is a perfect example of a flavor-building recipe. Marinating the chicken not only gives it flavor, but the marinade also tenderizes the chicken and helps it retain moisture after it is grilled. Because the marinade has citrus juice (lime juice) in it, I don’t recommend letting the chicken marinate for longer than eight hours. An ideal time frame for marinating this chicken is one hour to four hours.

Do I have to Marinate the Chicken?

Yes. To get the best flavor and texture in the chicken, marinating it first is a must. I promise I wouldn’t include it if I didn’t think it was necessary! If you are really pressed for time, you can skip it – but the results won’t be the same, so don’t come for me. lol.

Tips for making Fiesta Lime Chicken

1. If you have a thick chicken breast, cut it in half to create two thinner halves. Sometimes we can only find gigantic chicken breasts (like larger than 8 oz.) that really shouldn’t be consumed by one person. When this happens, I cut the chicken in half lengthwise, parallel to the cutting board.  You’re creating two thinner chicken breasts that will cook through much faster this way, and it’s a lot closer to the serving size for one person.
2. Don’t skimp on the marinating time.  The flavors in this marinade are absolutely delicious, and contribute in a big way to the flavor in the finished fiesta lime chicken.  I highly recommend letting the chicken marinate for 1 – 4 hours. If you need to make the marinade in the morning before work and you’re gone/busy all day, you can push the marinating time to eight hours if necessary.
3. Use a shredded cheese blend. A Mexican cheese blend is a great combination of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero, and Quesadilla cheeses that all contribute to flavor and a super melty texture. If you want to substitute the cheese and just use one type, I recommend Monterey Jack (flavorful and a great melting cheese), Pepper Jack (the same as Monterey Jack, but with a kick of heat), or Cheddar (mild, medium or sharp cheddar would work!)
4. Top the cheesy baked chicken with fresh pico de gallo.  This recipe for fresh pico de gallo is a FAVORITE in our house! It’s so easy, so fresh, and adds so much flavor to this meal!  The pico de gallo recipe makes two cups, so I recommend using about 1/4 – 1/3 cup on each chicken breast, then saving the rest of the pico to use throughout the week. (Like in this Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap).
5. Add some crunch! Yes, this chicken is super delicious on its own, but it gets even better when you add some crunchy texture to it!  Crumble a few tortilla chips underneath each chicken breast, and it takes the entire recipe to a new level.

How to Make Fiesta Lime Chicken

Step 1: If using one large chicken breast, cut it in half lengthwise (parallel to the cutting board) to create two thinner chicken breasts.

Step 2: Whisk marinade ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.  Place chicken in the bowl, nestling it into the bowl so the marinade covers as much of it as possible, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate for one to four hours, but up to eight hours. (You can do this in a large zip top bag, too.)

Step 3: Combine all of the ingredients (sour cream, mayonnaise, salsa, seasonings, lime zest, and lime juice) in a small bowl and whisk until totally combined and creamy. Taste and season with a pinch of salt if needed, then cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least one hour before serving.

Step 4: Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling. Grill the marinated chicken breasts until cooked through and the internal temperature registers 165 F.

Step 5: Transfer the grilled chicken to a small rimmed baking sheet (leaving a little space in between them), and divide the sauce over each chicken breast. Top with the shredded cheese, and place under a high broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 6: Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips or crispy tortilla strips over the top of the chicken.  Garnish with chopped green onion, pico de gallo, chopped cherry tomatoes, cilantro, or your favorite toppings! (You can also serve the chicken on top of tortilla chips if you like!)

If you make this Fiesta Lime Chicken and love it, I would love it if you left a rating and comment below! And if you have questions about any of the ingredients or the process, feel free to shoot me an email so I can get back to you ASAP. Tag me on Instagram if you post it, too!

xx Sara