OK, I know my posting schedule has grown a bit wonky lately, but I've been trying to keep My Sweet Husband from climbing the walls and chewing his fingernails to nubs--I'll tell you all about that some day soon.
At any rate, I do have a recipe for you--with photos--of a dish I made a week or so ago. It's based on Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken, formerly known as Tequila Lime Chicken. I never found out why they changed the name, and I worked for Applebee's at the time of the change. But, I was just a waitress and bartender; they didn't consult me about marketing decisions very often. MSH calls it "That Cheesy Chicken" which totally confuses me because the overwhelming flavor in this dish is not cheese, it's salsa, and I make a couple of other cheesy chicken dishes that have much more cheese than this one.
Here's what you'll need for 2 servings, but it's easy to increase for more:
2 chicken breast - or whatever cut you prefer
1 lime, cut in half and reserve 2 slices
1/2 cup sour cream or ranch dressing
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded cheese, I usually use cheddar, but I had this Mexican Melting Cheese on hand
Spanish, Mexican, or Yellow rice
1 can corn, drained (I don't use this because MSH can't eat corn)
Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips (optional)--We had chips & salsa as an appetizer that day, so I didn't bother with this, but I usually do for an additional texture.
Here's what you do with it all:
1. Start cooking the rice according to the instructions on the package.
2. Squeeze limes over chicken breasts. It helps if you poke holes in the chicken to increase the absorption of the lime juice. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. If you want it really limey, you can marinate this overnight.
3. Mix salsa and sour cream or ranch dressing.
4. Brown chicken in a skillet. You don't have to cook them all the way because we're going to stick them in the oven soon.
5. Transfer chicken to an oven-safe dish. Top with reserved lime slices.
6. Cover chicken with salsa mixture.
7. Bake at about 350 for 20 minutes or until chicken is done and no longer pink in the center.
8. Top with cheese and return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
9. If you're using corn, mix it with the rice and let it heat up while the cheese melts.
10. Serve chicken beside or over rice. If your rice is on the side, that's the perfect excuse to spoon the sauce over it. Top chicken and rice with tortilla strips.
Here's what it looks like when I make it.
Here's what I made while I waited for the chicken to bake, because "I like pina coladas" and it was about 150 degrees in my kitchen. I swear the kitchen is the hottest room in our home.
Make this, eat it, and enjoy, but be prepared for your family or significant other or cats or your own tummy to ask you to make That Cheesy Chicken at least once a week!
By request from my sweet SIL Amanda, I will be posting a review for a dish I made Friday evening next.
1 comment:
Hi, I've made this recipe twice now and it's delicious! I didn't marinate it very long in the lime juice because both times it was a last minute decision. Serve it with black beans...a must! Thanks for the recipe.
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