One of my favorite dishes at Applebee’s is their Fiesta Lime Chicken and this recipe includes all the flavor without all the calories! Try this homemade and healthy version of a restaurant favorite.
Healthy Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe (Applebee’s Copycat)
Keep reading for the recipe.
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Going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do – but let’s be honest . . . the food available at restaurants is not always the healthiest.
I love finding restaurant recipes and making them a little more healthy.
This Fiesta Lime Chicken is one of my favorites because it tastes like it came from a restaurant; everyone who tries it always asks me for the recipe.
I personally feel that it tastes even better homemade.
The Secret is in the Marinade
When it comes to making this chicken super flavorful, you want to start by marinating your chicken for at least a few hours.
For the recipe, 1 hour of marinade time is the minimum, but I would recommend upwards of 7-8 hours if possible.
This marinade starts with a simple teriyaki sauce, but then you add in lime juice, garlic, salt, ground ginger, and liquid smoke.
I get a lot of questions about liquid smoke – this is a key ingredient to getting the flavor just right. While you can make this recipe without it, I highly recommend trying it.
How to Make the Dressing
The dressing is also incredibly full of flavor.
The base of the dressing is a light mayonnaise. Instead of using only mayo, we are going to also include equal parts low-fat sour cream.
If you wanted, you could sub out both the mayo and the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt.
The seasonings are what make this dressing – Cajun seasoning, parsley, Tabasco sauce, dill weed, and cumin. I love to use seasonings to give my food flavor and still keep them healthy.
Can you re-use the marinade?
Once you have placed raw chicken in the marinade, do not reuse it unless you boil it first to destroy any harmful bacteria. To be on the safe side, I usually discard marinade once I have used it.
How to Cook this Without a Grill
No grill? No problem! This recipe is actually written to be made in your broiler. The temperature inside your oven’s broiler is 500-550 degrees F.
You will want to be sure that the broiler is completed pre-heated before putting your chicken inside. I usually let my oven pre-heat for 5-10 minutes before putting my chicken inside.
“Grill” the chicken in your broiler for 3-5 minutes per side (the time will vary depending on the size of the chicken breast).
Make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F to ensure that it’s fully cooked.
If you need more healthy dinner ideas just like this one, be sure to check out my 4 Week 1500-Calorie Meal Plan – I also include healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.
This healthy meal plan makes weight-loss easy because it’s all planned out for you (including a weekly shopping list). Get your copy today by clicking here: 4 Week 1500 Calorie Healthy Meal Plan
Looking for more healthy recipes? Check out these:
Oven Roasted Fajita Vegetables
Egg White Fajita Omelette
Slow Cooker Skinny Enchiladas
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce
- ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup lime juice
- ½ cup lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup light mayo
- ¼ cup light mayo
- ¼ cup fat free sour cream
- ¼ cup fat free sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chunky salsa
- 2 tablespoons chunky salsa
- 1 tablespoon skim milk
- 1 tablespoon skim milk
- 1 teaspoon cajun spice
- 1 teaspoon cajun spice
- ¼ teaspoon parsley
- ¼ teaspoon parsley
- ¼ teaspoon tabasco sauce
- ¼ teaspoon tabasco sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ⅛ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
- Whisk together the water, teriyaki sauce, lime juice, garlic, liquid smoke, salt, and ground ginger in a bowl. Add the chicken breasts and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour (and up to 8 hours . . . I recommend as long as possible- it makes the chicken taste amazing!).
- To prepare the dressing, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator until needed.
- Preheat the broiler. Grill the marinated chicken in the broiler for 3-5 minutes a side, until cooked through. Throw away the marinade.
- Brush the grilled chicken with the prepared dressing, sprinkle with cheese, and broil again until the cheese has melted (about 1 minute).
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe source: Just A Pinch
Make it happen,
Jared