This is a favorite in our household and a regular on the menu. It is, of course, one of the special dishes at Applebee’s. I made a modified version tonight and thought I would share the recipe since it is soooooo delicious and it’s super simple to make.
Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken
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2-4 cloves minced garlic
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2 limes - juice of
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1/3 cup soy sauce
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3 tbsp packed brown sugar
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1 tsp liquid smoke
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1 tsp onion salt
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1/2 tsp black pepper
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2 oz tequila
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4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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1/2 cup sour cream
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2 tbsp mayo
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4 tbsp spicy, chunky salsa
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1 tsp cajun spice
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2 dashes dillweed
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2 dashes cumin
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shredded colby jack cheese
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crumbled tortilla chips (or tortilla strips - sometimes found in salad/produce section near croutons)
Mix together garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, liquid smoke, onion salt, pepper, and tequila in a large plastic zipper bag. Place chicken in bag. Marinate at least one hour - note: If you plan to marinate overnight, do not add the soy sauce until 1-2 hours before you plan to cook the chicken.
Mix together sour cream, mayo, salsa, cajun spice, dill and cumin. Cover and refridgerate until needed.
Grill marinated chicken breasts until done. Place cooked chicken on a foil-lined cookie sheet or broiler pan. Spread prepared sauce over each breast and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Serve on a bed of trotilla strips with extra sauce on the side.
- My alternate directions when grilling is not an option: Pour all of the marinade and the chicken into a stoneware casserole dish and bake at 375° F until chicken is cooked through - be sure to flip your chicken over halfway through. When chicken is totally done, spread the sauce on top of the chicken in the dish, cover with cheese and continue to bake 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve on tortilla strips.
I wish I had taken a picture of our dinner tonight but the delicious Applebee’s picture will have to do. I also make the sauce every now and then and serve it alongside any chicken that we’re having. It tastes GREAT with roasted potatoes, too! 
I have been looking for years for the tortilla strips and one of the local grocery stores started carrying the Fresh Gourmet “Crunchy Toppings” kind. They don’t always have the plain kind in stock, so I buy 2-3 bags whenever they do.
