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Fiesta Lime Chicken

A tangy and cheesy chicken recipe featuring lime, honey, and taco seasoning, perfect for easy weeknight dinners or casual gatherings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 servings
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1.25 pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), cut into four pieces
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or neutral oil like canola) can substitute with other neutral oils
  • 2.5 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes), divided ensure freshness
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (store-bought or homemade) reduce to 1 tbsp for milder flavor
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.75 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 4 slices Colby Jack cheese (or Monterey Jack) adds nice meltiness

For the Sauce

  • 0.25 cup ranch dressing
  • 0.25 cup mild salsa option to swap for medium/hot salsa
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro plus extra for serving

For Serving

  • tortilla chips for serving
  • pico de gallo (store-bought or homemade) for serving
  • Mexican rice (optional, for serving)

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Cut each chicken breast into four equal pieces. Place a piece of plastic wrap over them and gently pound to about 1-inch thickness.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together avocado oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, soy sauce (or tamari), honey, taco seasoning, Worcestershire, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  • Add chicken to the marinade, coat well and refrigerate to marinate for 30-60 minutes.

Cooking

  • When ready, let excess marinade drip off, arrange chicken in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • While chicken bakes, whisk together ranch dressing, salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro, the remaining ½ tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt to make the salsa-ranch sauce.
  • Remove chicken from the oven, brush with salsa-ranch sauce, then top with slices of cheese and return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until melted.

Serving

  • Serve over crushed tortilla chips, topping with extra salsa-ranch, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
  • Optionally add a side of Mexican rice.

Notes

Best served immediately. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Keyword chicken recipe, Copycat Recipe, easy weeknight dinner, Fiesta Lime Chicken, taco seasoning