Monterey Chicken is one of my family’s favorite meals! This juicy chicken dish topped with bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and chiles can’t be beat!
This Monterey Chicken recipe is the ultimate “loaded” chicken dish. Very few chicken dishes can compete with this level of deliciousness. Even fewer get my family excited about the prospect of yet another chicken dinner.
Really, anytime you can add bacon and cheese to your meal you’re bound to win over some hearts. My kids absolutely love this meal. So much so that they don’t even mind when I pair it with the cauliflower recipes they may be otherwise inclined to protest!
MONTEREY CHICKEN
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Flavorful Monterey Chicken is already such an easy recipe, but you can make it even easier if you have a cast-iron skillet handy. Making a Monterey Chicken skillet is the exact same process, minus the need to transfer the chicken breasts to a baking sheet. In the world of home cooking, one less dish is always a win
WHAT IS MONTEREY CHICKEN?
Monterey chicken is a super moist and flavorful chicken dish that your whole family will love! Think of it as the “loaded baked potato” of chicken dinners! Topped with bacon, cheese, and a flavorful mix of tomatoes and chilis, this dish is definitely the star of any plate.
Another great thing about this meal is the leftovers! This chicken is so juicy that it still tastes great the next day! Trying using leftovers to make a Monterey Chicken sandwich!
MONTEREY CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts- This recipe calls for 4 pieces of chicken, pounded flat.
Barbecue Sauce- There are a lot of BBQ sauce variations out there so feel free to pick your favorite!
Bacon- You’ll need to cook the bacon to a crisp and crumble it in advance.
Shredded Cheese- I usually use a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. You can buy a blend pre-shredded or grate it yourself for added freshness and flavor.
Diced Tomatoes- You will need one 14 oz can of any brand of drained and diced tomatoes.
Green Chilis- Green chilis can be found in a 4 oz can already diced and ready to go!
Green Onions- Fresh green onions can be sliced up and added to taste based on your preferences.
HOW TO MAKE MONTEREY CHICKEN
- First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil, and set it aside. (You can also use a baking dish in place of a baking sheet.)
- Now pound the chicken breasts flat and season them with salt and pepper.
- In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken breasts until they are no longer pink. It should take about 5 minutes per side, just be careful not to overcook them.
- Next, remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on the lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the drained tomatoes and chilis.
- Top each chicken breast with 1/4 of each ingredient in your lineup. Start with the barbecue sauce and then the cheese, tomatoes and chilis, green onions, and bacon.
- Finally, bake the chicken breasts in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve warm and enjoy!
I love serving with dinner with a green salad, broccoli cheddar mashed potatoes, or even an easy pasta salad.
TRY THESE OTHER CHICKEN DINNER RECIPES
- Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken
- Creamy Chipotle Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Orange Chicken
- More DINNER recipes…
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS MONTEREY CHICKEN RECIPE
Large Non-Stick Skillet: I love how this skillet easily fits 4 full-sized chicken breasts!
Baking Sheet: It’s so important that I have a really nice set of baking sheets because they get used so often!
Cast Iron Skillet: Though it is not a necessity, a cast iron skillet will turn this recipe into a one-pan meal.
*This post originally posted on 07/09/2013.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup barbeque sauce
- ¼ cup bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup Cheddar and Monetery Jack cheese shredded
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained
- 4 ounces canned green chiles
- Green onions sliced
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to flatten out to 1/2-inch thick. This will make sure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Pour the olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until no longer pink, flipping once, about 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet lined with foil or a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish.
- Combine the tomatoes and chiles in a medium bowl.
- Top each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of the tomatoes/chile mixture, 1 tablespoon of bacon pieces, and some green onions.
- Bake until the cheese is melted, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Nutrition
PEGGY says
WILL MAKE THIS DISH. SOUNDS GREAT.
Tonya Pitts says
Thanks for the link back! I love this recipe!