"Fiesta" Lime Chicken

Okay, so just before we moved we went to Applebee's with Steve's parents. Steve's mom got the Fiesta Lime Chicken and said she wished she knew how they made it. I made it my duty to try to find a recipe that copied it.... unfortunately it has been a while since I actually had that dish at Applebee's, so I'm not sure whether this actually tastes anything like it or not! But, it is good none-the-less. Worth trying.

I did think it had a strange combination of ingredients before I made it... I mean, it says "fiesta" in the name, then it's got teriyaki sauce in it! I dunno, maybe mexicans use more teriyaki than I am aware of : ) Or maybe it's an asian/mexican fiesta! Fun for all! Either way.... the dish was pretty tasty. Don't be scared by the long list of ingredients. It is very simple to make. And I actually already had all of these ingredients on hand except the teriyaki sauce and the liquid smoke.

What is liquid smoke? Well, I'm glad you asked. It does sound a bit strange to anyone who's never heard of it. In fact one time my dad (I think it was my dad) was at Walmart and he asked one of the employees (a teenager no doubt) whether they had any liquid smoke. And the kid is like, "...ummm.... Liquid smoke? You mean like beer?" hahaha..... Oh boy.... Anyway, no... liquid smoke is not beer just incase you were wondering. It is, in fact, just what the name says..... smoke in liquid form! What they do is create smoke with some water and wood chips or something then they gather the condensation that is infused with the smoke. (Okay, so that is the very simplified version, but who cares). And there you have it! Liquid smoke. So, you get the smoke flavor without the unhealthy carcinogens! (and without having to do the work of smoking). I found my liquid smoke near the barbeque sauces and marinades and what-not.... It probably depends what store you're at. You can probably ask an employee at the store. Then again.... they might take you to the beer isle....

Okay, enough about the smoke... lets get to the chicken.

Ingredients

Marinade:

about 1 cup water

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons minced tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced jalapeno peppers

1 teaspoon minced onion

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 dash black pepper

1 dash garlic powder

Additional Ingredients

1 cup shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend

More limes to squeeze over the top.

Directions

1 Combine marinade ingredients then chicken in a medium bowl and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours.

2 Combinine dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, cover, and chill until needed.

3 Grill the marinated chicken breasts for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

4 Arrange the cooked chicken in a baking pan, spoon some of the prepared dressing over the top , and sprinkle with cheese.

5 Broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted.

6 Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and serve!

You could serve this with spanish rice and some pico de gallo or salsa.... some tortilla chips..... home made guacamole.... mmm... My plan was to top it with pico de gallo (fresh chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime), but unfortunately only one of my tomatoes was alive today.... the rest were covered in mold!!!

Note to self: it is much more humid in Ohio.... especially with no AC yet....... so, must find a better way to store my tomatoes......