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Grilled chicken breast topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon bits and pico de gallo on a white dinner plate with a fork set on plate and a yellow glass set to the top right.

Monterey Chicken Recipe

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4.60 from 5 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 4 servings
Category Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Lauren Grant

Description

This easy Monterey Chicken tastes just like Chili's with a sweet marinated chicken smothered with bacon, cheese, and pico de gallo. It's the perfect weeknight meal that is prepped in just 10 minutes and can be made either on the grill or in a skillet on the stove.

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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
  • 2 large tomatoes (such as Big Beef or Better Boy), seeded and diced about 1 cup
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeño
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 4 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese

Instructions

  • Whisk together ¼ cup Dijon, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add 4 chicken breasts, toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 2 large diced tomatoes, ½ cup red onion, 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño, 2 tablespoons minced cilantro, ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic and 2 tablespoons lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
  • Cook 4 strips diced bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a bowl to cool. Reserve drippings. Once cool, combine cooked bacon with 1 cup pepper Jack.
  • Preheat a grill to medium for 10 minutes, or heat a grill pan over medium. Brush grill grates or pan with bacon drippings (careful of any flare ups if cooking on grill). Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and place on grill or pan. Cook, covered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165ºF, 5 minutes per side.
    Discard remaining marinade.
  • Top chicken with bacon-cheese mixture, cover, and cook until cheese is melted, 1 minute more.
  • Serve chicken with pico de gallo.

Equipment

Grill or grill pan

Notes

I originally developed this recipe for Cuisine at Home Magazine. 
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes or in a 300ºF oven until warmed through.
You can also freeze this chicken for up to 2 months by wrapping in plastic wrap. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature on the counter for a couple of hours.
Pound the chicken! Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten until 1/2-inch thick. This will tenderize the chicken and ensure even cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken breastCalories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 8.5gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gSugar: 6g
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