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Monterey Chicken is a flavorful, family-favorite easy chicken recipe made with juicy chicken breasts topped with barbecue sauce, melted cheese, crispy bacon, and fresh diced tomatoes. It’s hearty, satisfying, and easy to make any night of the week for family dinner.
Easy Monterey Chicken Recipe (Chili’s Monterey Chicken)
You are going to love the taste, texture, and flavor combination of this Chili’s copycat recipe for Monterey Chicken. Perfectly seasoned tender chicken breasts are topped with tangy bbq sauce, melted cheese, smoky bacon, green onions, and fresh tomatoes.
The texture of the crispy bacon pairs perfectly with the smoky flavors of the sweet barbecue sauce and gooey melted cheese. It’s an easy recipe that the entire family will gobble up.
The chicken first gets browned in a skillet pan, topped with the toppings, and the finishes baking in the oven. I love this two baking method because browning the chicken first locks in all the flavor and gives a nice exterior crisp. And of course, in the oven the cheese will melt and the chicken will finish baking to a safe internal temperature for eating.
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts : You will need 3 chicken breasts for this chicken Monterey recipe. Each breast will get get cut in half, lengthwise, so the recipe ends up yielding 6 pieces.
- Olive Oil : This is to brown the chicken. Browning the chicken in oil locks in the flavor, seasonings, and keeps the chicken juicy and tender.
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- Barbecue Sauce : Use your favorite BBQ sauce – anything works like sweet, smokey, brown sugar, honey, spicy, chipotle, etc.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese : Use mild cheddar, medium cheddar, or sharp cheddar cheese. Monterey Jack cheese is another great substitute or Colby Jack cheese works well too.
- Bacon
- Green Onions
- Roma Tomatoes
How To Make The Best Monterey Chicken (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise like a hamburger bun, so you end up with 6 thinner pieces of chicken.
In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoning.
Heat oil in a large skillet pan, over medium heat, then add the seasoned chicken breast pieces. Cook until both sides are golden brown; about 3-4 minutes per side. Depending on how large your skillet pan is, you may have to do this in batches (add more olive oil as needed).
Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 baking dish, or something larger that will fit all the chicken breast pieces.
Spread the BBQ sauce over the chicken, then top with the shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled cooked bacon.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Garnish with sliced green onions and sliced Roma tomatoes. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 to 4 days. To reheat, bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. You can also use an air fryer to reheat in order to keep the bacon crispy, or heat up leftovers in the microwave.
Substitutions & Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts : Alternatively, you could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Open them up and spread them out when cooking in the skillet and placing them in the baking dish; this way, you have the surface area to hold the cheese and toppings.
- Olive Oil : Any neutral-flavored oil works well here such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, light tasting olive oil, or even canola oil.
- Barbecue Sauce : There are so many flavors, varieties, and brands to choose from so pick your favorite, and one that you love the taste of. My family really likes the Kinder brand and Sweet Baby Rays brand.
- Cheddar Cheese : Options include mild, medium, or sharp cheddar, pepper jack for spice, or Monterey Jack cheese. For the best creamy and smooth melt, buy an 8 ounce block of cheese and shred it yourself using a cheese grater.
- Bacon : Cook the bacon your preferred method until crispy, and then chop it up into small pieces. I love using the Kirkland Signature microwave bacon from Costco because it crisps up so perfectly in the microwave. Fresh bacon is best, but in a pinch you can use real bacon bits.
- Tomatoes : Any tomato can be used here such as Roma tomatoes, cherry or grape tomatoes (just halve them), or you could even use fresh pico de gallo for a different flavor profile.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Add Spicy Heat To Monterey Chicken?
Yes, if you want a spicy dish then use shredded Pepper Jack cheese and/or a spicy BBQ sauce. You can also add some sliced or diced fresh jalapeños; either add them with the cheese so they bake in the oven, or add them on top with the the other toppings to keep them crisp and fresh. You can also add red pepper flakes in with the seasoning mixture or red cayenne pepper.
Do I Have To Cut The Chicken In Half, Or Can I Leave Them Whole?
I definitely recommend cutting the chicken and not skipping this important step. The reason for cutting the chicken in half is that it helps it cook faster and more evenly. Another benefit of cutting them lengthwise is that it allows you to have more sauce and toppings in each bite, instead of just mostly a thick piece of chicken.
How Thin Should The Chicken Slices Be?
You want your slices to be about 1/2-inch thick, which is why cutting them in half works well because it makes them about this size. If they still seem thick, consider using the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the thickest part to 1/2-inch.
Can I Use An Oven Safe Skillet And Only Use The One Pan?
Yes, if you want to use an oven-safe skillet pan, you can cook them inside the skillet, top the chicken with the toppings, and then put the same pan into the oven for baking.
What To Serve With Monterey Chicken
More Chicken Breast Dinner Recipes
- Easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Sheet Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken (Cilantro-Lime Marinade)
- Pickle Chicken
- Pepperoni Pizza Chicken Bake (EASY Dinner Recipe)
- Sheet Pan Citrus Herb Chicken and Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken With Vegetables (One-Pan Dinner)
- Cornflake Chicken
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
- Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Monterey Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 slices bacon cooked & crumbled
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 roma tomatoes seeded & diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise like a hamburger bun, so you end up with 6 thinner pieces of chicken.3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoning.1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat oil in a large skillet pan, over medium heat, then add the seasoned chicken breast pieces. Cook until both sides are golden brown; about 3-4 minutes per side.*Depending on how large your skillet pan is, you may have to do this in batches (add more olive oil as needed).1 tablespoon olive oil
- Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Spread the BBQ sauce over the chicken, then top with the shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled cooked bacon.1 cup barbecue sauce, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 6 slices bacon
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sliced Roma tomatoes. Enjoy!4 green onions, 2 roma tomatoes
Notes
- Chicken Breasts : Alternatively, you could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Open them up and spread them out when cooking in the skillet and placing them in the baking dish; this way, you have the surface area to hold the cheese and toppings. It’s important to cut the chicken breast in half, lengthwise like a hamburger bun, before proceeding in the recipe. The thinner slices cook more evenly and there is more surface space for the toppings.
- Olive Oil : Any neutral-flavored oil works well here such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, light tasting olive oil, or even canola oil.
- Barbecue Sauce : There are so many flavors, varieties, and brands to choose from so pick your favorite, and one that you love the taste of. My family really likes the Kinder brand and Sweet Baby Rays brand.
- Cheddar Cheese : Options include mild, medium, or sharp cheddar, pepper jack for spice, or Monterey Jack cheese. For the best creamy and smooth melt, buy an 8 ounce block of cheese and shred it yourself using a cheese grater.
- Bacon : Cook the bacon your preferred method until crispy, and then chop it up into small pieces. I love using the Kirkland Signature microwave bacon from Costco because it crisps up so perfectly in the microwave. Fresh bacon is best, but in a pinch you can use real bacon bits.
- Tomatoes : Any tomato can be used here such as Roma tomatoes, cherry or grape tomatoes (just halve them), or you could even use fresh pico de gallo for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
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