Description
Fiesta Lime Chicken is a vibrant and flavorful baked chicken dish marinated in a zesty lime and taco seasoning blend, then topped with a creamy ranch and salsa sauce and melted Colby Jack cheese. Perfect for a festive weeknight dinner, this dish is served over crunchy tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo and cilantro for a delicious, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice (from 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt (divided)
Topping Sauce
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ cup mild salsa
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (plus more for serving)
- ½ tablespoon lime juice (remaining from above)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (remaining from above)
Other
- 4 slices Colby Jack cheese
- Tortilla chips (for serving)
- Pico de gallo (for serving)
- Mexican rice (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the chicken.
- Prep chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into four equal pieces. Place the pieces between plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them until they are about 1 inch thick. This ensures even cooking.
- Season chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together avocado oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, soy sauce, honey, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the chicken pieces and immerse them well in the marinade. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then flip the chicken and marinate for an additional 15 to 45 minutes.
- Bake chicken: Remove chicken from marinade and let any excess drip off. Place the chicken pieces in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with space between each piece. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Finish chicken: While the chicken is baking, combine ranch dressing, salsa, sour cream, finely chopped cilantro, remaining ½ tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl to make the topping sauce. Remove the chicken from the oven, brush each piece with 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce, and top each piece with a slice of Colby Jack cheese. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Serve: Serve the Fiesta Lime Chicken over crushed tortilla chips and garnish with any leftover salsa ranch sauce, fresh pico de gallo, extra cilantro, and Mexican rice if desired for a colorful and flavorful meal.
Notes
- Marinating for longer than 30 minutes will enhance the flavor even more, but avoid marinating over 2 hours to maintain texture.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Adjust taco seasoning to your spice preference for a milder or spicier dish.
- Serve with Mexican rice or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Fiesta Lime Chicken, baked chicken, Mexican chicken recipe, lime chicken, taco seasoning chicken, creamy chicken topping
