This Chili’s copycat Monterey Hen recipe brings a restaurant favourite proper house to your kitchen. You’re going to love the mixture of grilled hen, candy barbecue sauce, smoky bacon, and melted cheese, garnished with contemporary tomatoes and chives.
This tacky BBQ Bacon hen is tender, juicy, and flavor-packed! Watch the video tutorial and see how straightforward it’s to make this crowd-pleasing dinner recipe.
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We love one-pan hen dinners like our Pizza Chicken, Chicken Marsala, and naturally, this Monterey Hen. They’re a ‘certain factor’ on the dinner desk and leftovers are uncommon.
Monterey Hen Video
Watch Natasha rework the flavors of grilled hen, zesty barbecue sauce, smoky bacon, and gooey Monterey jack cheese into the last word consolation meals; Monterey Hen.
Monterey Hen Recipe
My husband Vadim’s first job was at Chili’s. Whereas working there, he wore many hats- from busser to prepare dinner, he even served as a coach. Chili’s was additionally the place he took me on our first date – I feel he was ‘flexing’ by taking me to the place he labored, however it’s a candy reminiscence for us.
Certainly one of our favourite dishes on the Chili’s restaurant menu was this Monterey Hen. It’s primarily a grilled hen breast, smothered with BBQ sauce, topped with bacon and melted cheese, and completed with diced tomatoes and inexperienced onions.
I had a lot enjoyable recreating this Chili’s copycat recipe at house for all of you, particularly as a result of they not have this traditional favourite on the menu. I used to be transported again to these candy beginnings. You’ll be able to learn extra about our love story in my new cookbook, Natasha’s Kitchen.
Why You’ll Love Monterey Hen
- Fast and Simple – This recipe is straightforward to organize, making it excellent for busy weeknights. With only a handful of substances, you may have dinner on the desk in half-hour.
- Make-Forward Meal – Must have a very easy dinner with out compromising style or resorting to takeout? You’ll be able to simply prep this hen dinner forward (see )
- Choosy Eater Authorised – Monterey Hen is a crowd-pleaser. It’s a dish that each children and adults enjoy- hen, cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, and contemporary tomatoes— What’s to not love?
Components
This straightforward recipe is a straightforward approach to elevate a primary hen breast in seconds. Layered with easy substances, the mixture of candy, tangy, and smoky flavors in Monterey Hen is reliably scrumptious.
- Boneless skinless hen breasts – you should utilize 2 massive hen breasts and lower them into 4 cutlets or pound out 4 smaller hen breasts.
- Barbecue sauce – search for a candy and thick barbecue sauce.
- Bacon – Applewood smoked bacon was utilized in Chili’s restaurant dish, which provides a savory, smoky taste and crispy texture. You’ll be able to prepare dinner the bacon in a skillet, or make Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon.
- Cheese – we mix shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.
- Tomatoes (diced) -fresh and juicy, they supply a burst of contemporary taste and coloration.
- Inexperienced onions – generously sprinkled on high for garnish and further taste.
Professional Tip:
Use the flat finish of a meat tenderizer to pound the hen into skinny items. When you do not need a mallet, you should utilize something heavy, like a saucepan, or a rolling pin.
The right way to Make Monterey Hen
- Prepare dinner Bacon – Prepare dinner bacon till browned and crisp (on the stovetop, or make both Oven-Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon), so it’s prepared when the hen comes off the grill.
- Prep Hen – Pound the hen between two layers of plastic wrap till it reaches a fair thickness of about 1/2 inch. Season throughout with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Grill Hen – Preheat the grill or massive oiled oven-safe skillet over medium warmth. Add the hen to the preheated grill or skillet and prepare dinner on the primary facet till properly browned or charred, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and brush the cooked facet with barbecue sauce. As soon as the hen approaches an inside temperature of 165°F, flip it once more and brush the second facet with BBQ sauce. As soon as it reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer, take away from warmth. If utilizing a stovetop skillet, you may maintain the hen within the oven-safe skillet, or switch it to a 9×13 casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet.
- Layer and Broil – Brush the highest of the hen once more with barbecue sauce. High with bacon, then sprinkle with cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes till the cheese is melted.
- Garnish and Serve – Serve heat, garnished with diced tomatoes and chives.
Grill or Stovetop?
You’ll be able to both grill the hen or prepare dinner it on the stovetop in a large skillet. The grill will provide you with the smoky flavors and charring that’s nearer to the restaurant-style Monterey Hen, however an oven-safe skillet works simply high quality in a pinch or if the climate shouldn’t be cooperating.
What to Serve With Monterey Hen
It doesn’t matter what you serve this with, the Monterey Hen is the star of the present so you may pair it with easy sides equivalent to:
Make-Forward
- Prep-Forward: Coat the cooked hen breasts with BBQ sauce, prepare dinner the bacon, shred the cheese, and chop the tomatoes and inexperienced onions the evening earlier than. Assemble this Monterey Hen dish and pop it within the oven to broil if you end up able to serve.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Refrigerate cooled hen in an hermetic container. In response to USDA guidelines, cooked hen could be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Retailer cooked and cooled hen in a freezer-safe container. We suggest ready so as to add cheese and tomatoes till you might be able to reheat and serve.
- To Reheat: Thaw fully within the fridge, then place in an oven-safe dish. Bake lined with foil at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or till heated by way of. Garnish as instructed.
When you missed out on Chili’s Monterey Hen throughout its menu run, I hope you’ll do this irresistible copycat recipe and uncover why it captured our hearts. It’s really easy to make and is extremely flavorful.
Extra Restaurant Copycat Recipes
It’s at all times a deal with to recreate restaurant-quality meals, particularly when you might make them even higher at house, for a fraction of the price. We’ve compiled a number of our favourite copycat recipes so that you can strive:
Monterey Hen Recipe (VIDEO)
This Chili’s copycat Monterey Hen recipe brings the grilled hen, tangy BBQ, smoky bacon, and gooey cheese restaurant favourite house to your kitchen.
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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Prepare dinner bacon till browned and crisp (both on the stovetop, or make both Oven-Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon), so it’s prepared when the hen comes off the grill.
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Pound the hen between two layers of plastic wrap till it reaches a fair thickness of about 1/2 inch. Season throughout with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
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Preheat the grill or a big oiled oven-safe skillet over medium warmth. Add the hen to the preheated grill or skillet and prepare dinner on the primary facet till properly browned or charred (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and brush the cooked facet with barbecue sauce. As soon as the hen approaches an inside temperature of 165°F, flip it once more and brush the second facet with BBQ sauce. As soon as it reaches 165°F on a thermometer, take away from warmth. If utilizing a stovetop skillet, you may maintain the hen within the oven-safe skillet, or switch it to a 9×13 casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet.
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Brush the highest of the hen once more with barbecue sauce. High with bacon, then sprinkle with cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes till the cheese is melted.
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Serve heat, garnished with diced tomatoes and chives.
*I used about 1 3/4 lbs of boneless, skinless hen breasts to make this recipe. You possibly can additionally use 2 massive hen breasts and lower them in half lengthwise for a complete of 4 cutlets.
521kcal Energy17g Carbs37g Protein33g Fats
Diet Details
Monterey Hen Recipe (VIDEO)
Quantity per Serving
% Every day Worth*
* P.c Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
