Spicy fiesta lime chicken is a delicious Mexican-inspired dish — with just a little spice and lots of zing! Pickled jalapeño peppers provide a bit of both, along with piri-piri seasoning, fresh lime juice, and lime zest. And then there’s the crunchy. Those tortilla chips give this recipe a little bit of crunchy fun in each bite. This is a chicken dish that even the kids will love (as long as they can take the heat!)
Be generous with the lime zest and juice, this is star of the show and what make the dish refreshing and truly flavor rich. To make it extra spicy, add more jalapeño peppers or bring some cayenne pepper to the party. Just a little cayenne pepper powder (like 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) is often plenty. And of course, if you prefer something less spicy, you can omit the jalapeños altogether. Though, you’re giving up a lot of that delicious pickled tang too!
If you don’t have piri-piri seasoning, you can easily make your own using our homemade piri-piri seasoning recipe. It uses typical spice rack staples like oregano, garlic powder, cardamom, and cayenne. So, as long as you have a well-stocked spice rack, you’re good to go.
Spicy Fiesta Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons piri piri seasoning
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14-ounce can
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded strong cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons lime juice approximately the juice of one lime
- 2 teaspoons lime zest approximately the zest of one lime
- 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeño peppers
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking tray or casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the piri piri seasoning over the chicken.
- Pour the chopped tomatoes over the chicken, then sprinkle it evenly with salt an the lime zest.
- Bake the chicken for 22 minutes then remove it from the oven.
- Crumble the tortilla chips while in the bag, then pour the tortilla chip pieces evenly over the chicken.
- Top the chicken and tortilla with cheese, the pickled jalapeño slices, and lime juice. Bake for a further 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve the spicy fiesta lime chicken with rice or salad for a delicious Mexican inspired meal!