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    Home » Recipes » Chicken and Poultry

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    UPDATED Oct 14, 2019 · PUBLISHED Jun 17, 2015 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Baked Monterey Chicken Pin

    This Chili's Copycat Monterey Chicken recipe takes minutes to prep. Then, sit back and relax while the chicken smothered with barbecue sauce, bacon, tomatoes and cheese bakes to perfection.

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    This is one of my hero dishes. 🙂 (Alice Springs Chicken is my other one!)

    It's a copycat of Chili's Monterey Chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken is coated with barbecue sauce, topped with bacon and, of course, Monterey Jack cheese. Fresh tomatoes and green onions finish this beauty.

    When I announce that we're having Monterey Chicken for dinner, I get a hugs, smiles, thank you's...I'm elevated to hero status...at least until it's time to do dishes. It's a nice feeling. Everyone needs a few of these recipes in their life.

    You're going to love this recipe because:

    • It takes minutes to prepare and then it's all hands-off cook time. Perfect for entertaining.
    • You can make it ahead of time and then just pull it out of the refrigerator and bake it. (Also perfect for entertaining or busy nights.)
    • It tastes just like Chili's recipe by the same name, but you can enjoy it in the comfort of your home, any time you want!

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    My other "specialty" dish, as the family calls it, is Alice Springs Chicken. Even though the flavors are very different in each recipe, the easy preparation and unique flavor combinations make them feel like close cousins. If you feel like eating out, but don’t feel like dining out and you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen either, these recipes have your back!

    Monterey Chicken Tips and Tricks

    1. Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a baking dish and spread your favorite barbecue sauce over the top of each piece of chicken. Use a low-sugar version to keep the dish low-carb.

    2. Top the chicken with a sprinkling of traditional bacon or turkey bacon. Use large pieces of bacon or crumbled pieces. I find smaller pieces are easier when cutting the finished chicken dish.

    Bacon

    For the easy prep version, cook bacon in the microwave oven. Place several sheets of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Place slices of bacon on top of the paper towels and cover the bacon with several more paper towels. Cook bacon for about 3 minutes and then crumble by hand or with cooking shears.

    3. Layer chopped tomatoes on top of the bacon. Plum or roma tomatoes are easy to work with. If using diced tomatoes that are canned, drain them first. Putting tomatoes under the cheese ensures tomato goodness in almost every bite!

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    4. Top the chicken off with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and bake!

    If this is the first time you've tried Monterey Chicken, you'll wonder why you've never tried it before. If you've had it before, then you may wonder why you have never tried this at home!

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    Monterey Chicken Recipe

    Chili's Copycat Monterey Chicken recipe takes minutes to prep. Then, sit back and relax while the chicken smothered with BBQ sauce, bacon, tomatoes and cheese bakes to perfection.
    4.72 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 464kcal
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Ingredients

    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 cup barbecue sauce
    • 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (traditional or turkey bacon)
    • 4 plum tomatoes diced
    • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
    • ½ cup green onion sliced thin (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Place chicken in a baking dish and cover with barbecue sauce.
    • Top with bacon, tomatoes and cheese, reserving a little of each for garnish if desired.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F and chicken is cooked through.
    • Garnish with green onions and other toppings if using.

    Notes

    To keep this South Beach Diet Phase 1 and low-carb friendly, use turkey bacon, low-sugar BBQ sauce and low-fat cheese.
    Grab 5 Low-Carb Saucesand get more easy, healthy recipes! JOIN HERE

    Nutrition

    Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1167mg | Potassium: 831mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 12.6mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

    Other Copycat Recipes you might enjoy:

    • Panera Macaroni and Cheese by Shugary Sweets
    • Bonefish Grill Lightened-Up Bang Bang Chicken or Shrimp
    • Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce by CopyKat Recipes
    • Silver Palate's Chicken Marbella

     

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Easy Skillet French Onion Chicken
    • Herb Crusted Turkey Tenderloins
    • Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    • Easy Leftover Chicken Cakes
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Paula - bell'alimento

      June 17, 2015 at 3:00 pm

      I think I've found my new hero dish too ; )

      Reply
    2. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes

      June 17, 2015 at 7:13 pm

      I love this chicken at chili's!! So excited to make it at home!

      Reply
    3. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

      June 17, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      Oh wow this looks incredible!

      Reply
    4. The Food Hunter

      June 18, 2015 at 11:13 am

      always looking for new chicken recipes.

      Reply
    5. Erin @ Texanerin Baking

      June 19, 2015 at 6:18 am

      Oooh! I saw this on Pinterest the other day and was intrigued. It sounds awesome! I'm all for Chili's copycat recipes. 🙂

      Reply
    6. Martha @ A Family Feast

      June 19, 2015 at 7:46 am

      I just found dinner! 🙂 We have all of the ingredients to make this TONIGHT!

      Reply
    7. Cookin Canuck

      June 20, 2015 at 12:52 pm

      I can see why your family gets excited when you make this dish. I've never tried this at Chili's, but definitely want to try it at home!

      Reply
    8. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet

      July 08, 2015 at 11:40 pm

      Simple and delish! And I'll gladly devour anything with bacon! 🙂

      Reply
    9. Megan Keno {Country Cleaver}

      July 09, 2015 at 1:22 am

      Well don't mind if I do!

      Reply
    10. Christina @ Christina's Cucina

      July 09, 2015 at 11:10 pm

      I've never had this before, but I do love bacon! Who doesn't, right?

      Reply
    11. [email protected]

      July 10, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Bacon!!!! This looks great.

      Reply
    12. Steph @ Steph in Thyme

      July 10, 2015 at 8:17 pm

      Perfect meal for a summer dinner on the back patio!

      Reply
    13. Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence

      July 11, 2015 at 6:03 pm

      I pretty much love everything with bacon, including THIS :)!!

      Reply
    14. Cynthia/What A Girl Eats

      July 11, 2015 at 7:29 pm

      Wow I love all the flavors going on here! Mouth watering!

      Reply
    15. Ginny McMeans

      July 13, 2015 at 1:53 am

      I love the use of barbecue sauce to your topping. Sounds wonderful!

      Reply
    16. Anita

      July 13, 2015 at 2:20 am

      What a great easy dish! love the colors and flavors!

      Reply
    17. Whitni @ A Cookie & A Kiss

      October 14, 2015 at 7:11 pm

      This looks so yummy! And super easy AND healthy! A must!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        October 18, 2015 at 12:19 pm

        Thanks Whitni!

        Reply
    18. Lizzie

      September 01, 2017 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      This sounds like such an easy, flavoursome dish! Great tips for keeping it simple too, though I'd never cook bacon in the microwave! It looks similar to hunters' chicken.

      Reply
    19. Elaine @ Dishes Delish

      September 01, 2017 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      Yummy. This looks so delicious! I can't wait to make this for my hubby and the hero! Great recipe!

      Reply
    20. Tina Dawson | Love is in my Tummy

      September 01, 2017 at 10:53 am

      5 stars
      OMG you have me drooling here! This is better than pizza, if I may say so!

      Reply
    21. Amy @ The Cook Report

      September 01, 2017 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      What an amazing looking combination! You really can't beat chicken, bacon and cheese

      Reply
    22. Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze

      September 01, 2017 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      I've never had Chili's version but I love how easy you make it look!

      Reply
    23. Jen

      February 11, 2019 at 8:36 pm

      3 stars
      I actually made this tonight, it was easy to throw together for a busy weeknight meal. I used canned diced tomatoes with green chilies (drained) as that's what I had on hand. Didn't have green onions, didn't miss them. There was alot of liquid when it was done, it was just meh for me.

      Reply
      • Marjory

        February 12, 2019 at 8:01 am

        Thanks for your feedback. You have to be a fan of BBQ flavor for this one. If you have extra sauce, then spoon it over the top!

        Reply

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