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This Alice Springs Chicken Recipe is a copycat of the Outback Steakhouse favorite and always gets rave reviews. Just layer, bake, and wait for the applause!
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Alice Springs Chicken is one of my hero dinners because everyone gets so excited when I make it! What's not to like?
Juicy chicken, topped with crispy bacon, and lots of gooey melted cheese, sits on a pile of mushrooms. A finger-licking good honey mustard sauce is drizzled over the top with more on the side for dipping.
It brings the same joy as the beloved Lily's Chicken from Bonefish Grill, with its luscious lemon butter sauce, or the smoky BBQ flavor of Chili's Monterey Chicken.
Don't worry! We've eliminated the guesswork of how they do it at the restaurant so you can savor the challenge and the delicious results.
If you've enjoyed this mouthwatering chicken entree at Outback Steakhouse, then you know what all the fuss is about. If not, you're in for a treat!
You'll love this easy dinner recipe because:
- It's a budget-friendly alternative to dining out.
- It takes minutes to prepare, and you can sit back and relax while it bakes in the oven.
- You can make it healthier and lower-carb by following our tips below.
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Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make Alice Springs Chicken at home:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts - Cut large breasts in half to keep baking time to a minimum.
- Mushrooms - Slice fresh button or baby Bella mushrooms.
- Bacon - Cook bacon in the microwave and then crumble or cut into smaller pieces. See the section below.
- Variation: Use turkey bacon or cut down the amount of bacon to reduce the calories and fat in this recipe.
- Monterey Jack cheese - Shred or use slices. Colby Jack or cheddar cheese can be used instead.
- Seasoning salt is a blend of seasoning and spices often used in savory dishes. If you don't have it, generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Honey mustard sauce is a critical component of the recipe. Don't buy a bottle in the condiment section of the store. Make our homemade version below!
How to Cook Bacon in the Microwave
If you're trying to get dinner on the table quickly, use this process for cooking bacon in the microwave. Place 4 bacon strips on a microwave-safe plate lined with 2-3 paper towels, and cover with a few more paper towels. Cook on high for about 3 minutes and for short 30-second bursts after that.
Bacon doesn't need to be super crispy at this point since it will cook some more in the oven.
Honey Mustard Sauce
Here's what you'll need to make a honey mustard sauce that can be used in this recipe and for other purposes as well:
You'll find plenty of bottles of honey mustard at the store. But this fresh, homemade one is top-rated.
It is a carefully blended ratio of the following:
- Mayonnaise (¾ cup)
- Honey (¼ cup)
- Dijon mustard (2 Tablespoons)
I've played around with the proportions many times. This is the winning combination.
Combine ingredients in a small bowl using beaters or whisking well by hand. A portion of the sauce is reserved for drizzling and dipping at serving time.
Make it healthier: Adjust the amount of sauce used to reduce calories. You can also experiment with various honey alternatives, like monk fruit honey.
Directions with Pictures
Here is how to make this easy recipe for Alice Springs Chicken:
- Layer mushrooms on the bottom of a baking dish. It will seem like overkill. But they shrink up, and you will want more mushrooms when everything is said and done. Place chicken breasts in a single layer on top of the mushrooms and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
- It is not necessary to sear chicken before baking it. However, taking this step will make the standalone chicken more flavorful!
- I'll let you in on a secret. If you love mushrooms, add more, as in twice as much if you want!
- You do not need to saute the mushrooms. Liquid is released from mushrooms as they cook. It will mix with the sauce and be left behind when you lift the chicken out of the baking dish. However, taking this step will reduce the amount of liquid in the pan and is a step many people like to take.
- Place pieces of bacon on top of the chicken and drizzle honey mustard sauce over everything.
- Keep a quarter to a third of the sauce to serve on the side.
- Important: Reserved sauce should never touch raw chicken!
- Sprinkle lots of Monterey Jack cheese over the top.
- Of course, you can use less cheese and lower the calorie count.
- Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F. Use an instant-read thermometer so you can cook it perfectly.
- If the cheese begins to brown before the chicken is finished, loosely tent it with aluminum foil. Cheese can also be added halfway through the cooking time.
Note: Some Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken recipes marinate chicken in the honey mustard marinade before cooking it. We just don't find it necessary to take this step. The chicken is smothered with sauce and cheese and is always juicy and tender.
Top Tips
Want to take this delicious chicken recipe to the next level?
- Sauté the mushrooms before adding them to the baking dish. Add a tablespoon or butter or olive oil to a large skillet and cook the sliced mushrooms for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat to release some of their liquid.
- Sear the chicken for one or two minutes on each side in the same pan used for the sautéed mushrooms.
What to Serve with Alice Springs Chicken
Any of these side dishes will round out this dinner: Caesar salad, steak fries, mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, or green beans. Add a sprig of fresh parsley for a finishing touch.
And, in the style of Outback Steakhouse, don't forget a Bloomin' Onion appetizer, like this one from Gimme Some Oven.
FAQ
It's named after the third-largest town in Northern Australia. Outback Steakhouse is famous for Aussie-style dishes, so it makes sense.
Storage, Reheating, Make-Ahead
- Refrigerator. Store leftover Alice Springs Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Drizzle leftover honey mustard sauce over the top. Cover and warm in the oven on low heat (325°F) or in the microwave at 50% power.
- Make-Ahead. Prep the honey mustard sauce and bacon ahead of time to save time at the dinner hour.
More Copycat Chicken Recipes
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Copycat Alice Springs Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
Alice Springs Chicken
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 16 ounces chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
- 1 Honey Mustard Sauce recipe below
- 4 slices bacon cooked
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Honey Mustard Sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
Alice Springs Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Layer mushrooms in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Add chicken and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
- Top with bacon and about ¾ of the honey mustard sauce. Reserve about ¼ of the sauce to serve on the side (the reserved sauce should never touch raw chicken.)
- Sprinkle cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F..
Honey Mustard Sauce
- Use beaters to mix mayonnaise, honey and Dijon mustard until well-combined.
Notes
- Sauté the mushrooms before adding them to the baking dish. Add a tablespoon or butter or olive oil to a large skillet and cook the sliced mushrooms for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat to release some of their liquid.
- Sear the chicken for one or two minutes on each side in the same pan used for the sautéed mushrooms.
- Refrigerator. Store leftover Alice Springs Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Drizzle leftover honey mustard sauce over the top. Cover and warm in the oven on low heat (325°F) or in the microwave at 50% power.
- Make-Ahead. Prep the honey mustard sauce and bacon ahead of time to save time at the dinner hour.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on 6/13/13 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.
Jannet says
I love this kind of flavors, mustard with honey❣️tks!
Debbie Shaffer G says
This sounds delicious, will try this weekend.
Jennifer McBeth says
This was so good! I used baby portabella mushrooms, I think the regular white button mushrooms might get mushy- cut thick. I would add more mushrooms (but we had enough, because my husband doesn't like them). Turkey bacon was perfect (that is what I had). Served it with roasted broccoli (olive oil) seasoned with lemon juice, zest and hot pepper. Loved it- thank you!
Marjory Pilley says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Sounds like a delicious meal.
Pam says
I made this and it very tasty, only change I would make is to cook the mushrooms first.
Carrie says
Made this last night for dinner with steak fries. Very easy. Did not change anything except saved honey mustard to spoon on top. Delicious and will be baking again. Would be good with pork chops too.