BEST WAY TO MAKE MONTEREY CHICKEN

Monterey Chicken is officially better at home! This Chili's copycat recipe features juicy chicken topped with BBQ sauce, Monterey Jack cheese, and bacon.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon canola or avocado oil
• 1 ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• ⅓ cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese (or a Monterey Jack/Cheddar blend)
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 2 green onion, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready a 9x13" baking dish.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a ziptop bag (or sandwich in between two sheets of wax paper) and pound them out one at a time using a rolling pin or mallet. Begin at the thick end, and continue until the chicken is of even thickness, about a ½" thick.
3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer a work surface. Drizzle the chicken with the oil and season evenly with the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub all over to adhere. Set aside.
4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and bring to temperature. Add the bacon and cook for about 6-8 minutes, turning it halfway through. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Add the chicken to the skillet (taking care not to overcrowd the pan and cooking in batches as needed) and sear for 3 minutes on one, then flip, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the casserole dish.
6. Spoon the BBQ sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with cheese, and crumble the bacon across the top. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes and green onion, if desired, serve, and enjoy!