Outback Alice Springs Chicken
Alice Springs chicken is the dish for people who go to a steakhouse and do not want steak. A seasoned, grilled chicken breast is brushed with honey mustard, then piled with sautéed mushrooms, crispy bacon and a thick layer of melted Monterey Jack and cheddar. It is rich, sweet, salty and very satisfying, and at home it comes together in one oven-safe skillet.
Honey mustard does two jobs
Mix one batch of honey mustard and divide it. Half becomes the marinade; the other half is kept clean for brushing on before the toppings go on and for serving at the table. Never reuse the marinade that touched the raw chicken.
A mix of Dijon and yellow mustard gives the right balance of sharpness and sweetness. Thirty minutes of marinating is enough to flavor the surface; up to 4 hours is fine. Longer, and the vinegar in the mustard starts to change the texture of the meat.
Thin, even chicken
Thick chicken breasts dry out at the edges before the center is cooked. Slice large breasts in half horizontally, or pound them to an even 3/4 inch (2 cm). They sear in a few minutes and finish cooking under the cheese.
Bacon first, then everything else
Cook the bacon in the skillet you will use for the chicken and keep the fat. The mushrooms brown in it, and the chicken sears in what is left, so every layer picks up bacon flavor. Use a 12-inch cast iron or other oven-safe skillet; otherwise, transfer the seared chicken to a baking dish before topping.
The chicken is done at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Check under the cheese with an instant-read thermometer.
On the side
Outback serves it with fries or a baked potato and steamed vegetables. A green salad, mashed potatoes or garlic green beans all work, and the extra honey mustard is good for dipping everything.
More chicken dinners are in our meat and poultry recipes.
Craving more steakhouse classics? The rest are among our restaurant recipes.
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Outback Alice Springs Chicken
Ingredients
Honey mustard
- 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup (60 g) yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb / 700 g) halved horizontally into 4 cutlets
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Toppings
- 6 slices bacon
- 8 oz (225 g) white or cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup (4 oz) Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup (4 oz) cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together the honey mustard ingredients. Pour half into a bowl or zip-top bag, add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours. Keep the other half covered for topping and serving.
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
- Add the butter and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Season lightly with salt and transfer to a plate.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat off the excess. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and season both sides of the chicken.
- Add a little oil to the skillet if it looks dry. Sear the chicken over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned.
- Brush the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the reserved honey mustard. Top with the mushrooms, bacon and both cheeses.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Sprinkle with parsley and serve with the remaining honey mustard.
Notes
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