Outback Alice Springs Chicken (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the honey mustard marinade
01 -
½ cup Dijon mustard (the good stuff, not the yellow squeeze bottle kind)
02 -
½ cup honey (local if you've got it!)
03 -
¼ cup mayo (full-fat works best here)
04 -
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (gives it that perfect zing)
→ For the chicken
05 -
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
06 -
2 tablespoons butter
07 -
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
08 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
09 -
4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and roughly chopped
10 -
2 cups Colby Jack cheese, freshly shredded (pre-shredded works in a pinch)
11 -
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, but adds a nice pop of color)
12 -
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
# Instructions:
01 -
In a bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard, honey, mayo, and lemon juice until smooth. This sauce is like liquid gold! Set aside about ¼ cup in a small container and pop it in the fridge - we'll use this for dipping later.
02 -
Grab a large zip-top bag and add your chicken breasts. Pour in the remaining honey mustard mixture, seal the bag, and give it a good squish to make sure every inch of chicken gets coated. Toss it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is even better if you've got the time - trust me, it's worth the wait!
03 -
When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400°F. Grab a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron is perfect for this) and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once it's foaming, toss in your sliced mushrooms and let them do their thing until they're golden and a bit caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate - we'll need them in a bit.
04 -
In the same skillet (no need to wash it - those mushroom bits add flavor!), heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Take your marinated chicken out of the bag, letting excess marinade drip off, and lay the breasts in the hot pan. Let them sizzle undisturbed for about 5 minutes until you've got a gorgeous golden crust, then flip and cook another 5 minutes on the other side.
05 -
Here comes the fun part! Scatter your sautéed mushrooms evenly over the chicken breasts, sprinkle on your crispy bacon pieces, and cover the whole thing with a generous blanket of shredded Colby Jack. It might seem like a lot of cheese, but there's no such thing as too much, right?
06 -
Cover your skillet (with a lid or foil if it doesn't have an oven-safe lid) and transfer it to the preheated oven. Let it bake until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F internal temp) and the cheese is bubbly and melted, about 10-15 minutes depending on how thick your chicken breasts are.
07 -
Pull that skillet out of the oven (careful, it's hot!) and let it rest for a minute or two. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if you're feeling fancy, and add a crack of black pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Plate it up with that reserved honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping. Get ready for the 'mmmmms' around the table!
# Notes:
01 -
This copycat Outback Steakhouse recipe tastes even better than the restaurant version because it's made with love in your own kitchen!
02 -
The honey mustard sauce does double duty as both marinade and dipping sauce, making this recipe extra efficient.
03 -
If you're short on time, you can use pre-cooked bacon bits, but freshly cooked and chopped bacon adds so much more flavor.
04 -
This dish pairs perfectly with a side of fries, steamed veggies, or a simple green salad to balance out the richness.