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Monterey chicken is a Chili’s copycat recipe with barbecue sauce, monterey jack cheese, fresh tomatoes and applewood smoked bacon. The combination is outrageously good paired with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Smoky, sweet and altogether delicious.
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I love when a bunch of simple ingredients can be brought easily and quickly together to make an impressive meal. I happen to think this is better than any chicken you can get dining at a restaurant chain! That’s just me.
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I’m a big fan of home-cooking where you control the quality of the ingredients and can change things how you see fit to suit your own personal preferences. As for me? I like extra cheese and bacon.
I never ate this at Chili’s so if you give it a try let me know how close I am to the original. Or how not close. . .
Monterey chicken
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- coarse salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 + 1/3 cups shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 3 - 4 slices cooked applewood smoked bacon
Instructions
- An hour or two before cooking pound out the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap using a meat mallet or a skillet to an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper and place in a large bowl - cover with barbecue sauce and marinate in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the chicken until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 - 175 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, turn on the broiler and sprinkle the cheese over the chicken. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted about 2 minutes - checking on it every 30 seconds.
- To serve garnish the chicken with the tomatoes and bacon (you can crumble it or leave it in big pieces).
Nutrition