Tequila Lime Chicken {Applebee's Copycat}

Name: Tequila Lime Chicken {Applebee's Copycat}
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 chicken breast cutlets (or 2 chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise); 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp tequila; 2 tbsp lime juice; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp lime zest; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup shredded tex mex cheese; 1 cup dry white rice; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 tsp butter; 1 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp salt; Pico de gallo or salsa; Chopped cilantro; Jalapeno slices; Tortilla strips; Lime wedges; Sliced avocado

This Tequila Lime Chicken is inspired by Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken. It's a tasty Tex Mex dinner idea that’s great for meal prep!

Ingredients and substitutions

Chicken cutlets – cut two chicken breasts in half lengthwise or use boneless chicken thighs with the skin on.
Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado or canola oil.
Tequila – if you don’t have any tequila, you can swap it out for water or lime juice.
Lime juice – freshly squeezed lime is best, but bottled lime juice will work in a pinch.
Chili powder – use a combination of paprika, cumin and cayenne instead.
Cumin – coriander is the best substitute for cumin.
Salt – to taste.
Lime zest – add a bit more lime juice if you don’t have any lime zest.
Garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic. Jarred minced garlic will also work.
Shredded Tex Mex cheese – swap out for a shredded cheese blend of your choice or leave the cheese out altogether.

Mexican rice

White rice – you can try using another variety of rice but it won’t have the same flavour.
Chicken broth – vegetable broth would be the best substitute here.
Butter – olive oil or your favourite butter substitute can also be used.
Chili powder – use a combination of paprika, cumin and cayenne instead.
Onion powder – finely minced onion would also work.
Cumin – coriander is the best substitute for cumin.
Salt – to taste.

Toppings

Pico de gallo or salsa – fresh, store-bought or jarred varieties would all be delicious.
Cilantro – if you’re not a fan of cilantro, leave this out altogether.
Jalapeno slices – sliced serrano peppers would add more spice. If you’re not a fan of spice, top with some bell pepper.
Tortilla strips – use your favourite store-bought brand or make your own.
Lime wedges – lemon wedges would also work.
Sliced avocado – guacamole would be delicious here too.

Tequila Lime Chicken in glass meal prep containers

How to make tequila lime chicken

Mix together the tequila lime marinade.
Marinate then bake the chicken.
Make the Mexican rice.
Prep all your toppings.
Add on the cheese and bake the chicken for another 8-10 minutes.
Top with your favourite toppings and serve!

Tequila Lime Chicken on a plate with Tex-Mex rice

Tequila lime chicken toppings

The toppings for this recipe are fairly versatile and you don't have to use exactly what I used. I almost always have a tub of fresh salsa or pico de gallo in the fridge because I usually have leftover chicken on hand and I like to be able to have healthy tacos on a whim.

I guess you could say I eat a lot of Mexican-inspired dishes at home, and that's because they're so healthy while still remaining really flavourful. Having delicious salsas, hot sauces, tortilla strips and hot peppers at home can really help you spice up a dish like this tequila lime chicken in a flash.

That said, you can get creative with the toppings for this dish and also include the following ideas:

Cilantro
Avocado
Corn
Red onion
Hot sauce
Sour cream

close up of fiesta lime chicken plated with Spanish rice

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fiesta lime chicken and tequila lime chicken the same?

The two dishes are similar, but not entirely the same. With Applebee’s Fiesta Lime Chicken, the chicken is grilled. For this Tequila Lime Chicken recipe, I baked the chicken – this usually tends to be much easier when it comes to meal prep and you don't have to go outside to get the perfect chicken!

What does this dish taste like?

The tequila lime juice marinade gives such amazing flavour to the chicken – it almost reminds me of a spicy margarita flavour! That being said, if you want to leave out the tequila, you can substitute it for equal amounts of water or lime juice.

What type of chicken should you use?

This easy dinner recipe features chicken breasts flavoured with a tequila and lime chicken marinade. Some of the recipes floating around the Internet call for boneless chicken thighs, with the skin left on. Part of the appeal of using skin-on thighs is the nicely browned, crispy skin.

Tequila Lime Chicken on a white plate with Mexican rice

Storing and reheating

This recipe is amazing for weekly meal prep. If you store it in airtight containers, it’ll last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, so you can make a big batch on the weekend and use it for your lunches or dinners. Make sure to store the toppings separately so everything stays nice and fresh.

When you’re ready to enjoy your chicken, you can reheat it in the microwave for a couple minutes before adding on your fresh toppings or heat it up in the oven, which will give you the best results. Transfer everything to a casserole dish, cover it with aluminum foil and cook for 25-30 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. Easy-peasy!

Can you freeze tequila lime chicken?

Yes, it's a very freezer-friendly dish! This tequila lime chicken will last in the fridge for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze this recipe, make sure that it's completely cool before placing it into airtight glass containers. Otherwise, you're risking the chance of condensation forming inside the container. That can cause freezer burn to form, which is not a tasty result.

Make sure to use fresh salsa, tortilla strips and jalapeños – I would also recommend freezing without the cheese on top or adding more cheese when reheating. Defrost it in the fridge overnight then follow the reheating instructions above.

Fiesta Lime Chicken in 4 meal prep containers

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Meal prep tools for this recipe

Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this Tequila Lime Chicken into your weekly lunches.
I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.

Tequila Lime Chicken {Applebee’s Copycat}