Alice Springs Chicken

chicken on a plate with a side of broccoli and dipping sauce

Alice Springs chicken is a delectable dish featuring juicy chicken breasts marinated in a flavorful honey mustard sauce, topped with mushrooms, bacon, and melted cheddar jack cheese.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Marinade Time30

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Alice Springs Chicken Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 963kcal

Ingredients

½ cup prepared Dijon mustard, your favorite brand
½ cup pure honey
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 medium-sized chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1½ tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
4 strips smoked bacon, cooked and halved
2 cups cheddar jack cheese, freshly shredded
2 teaspoons parsley, fresh chopped

Instructions

Add the Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Reserve ½ cup of the marinade to be used as a dipping sauce. Cover the reserved sauce and chill in the refrigerator.
Add 2 of the chicken breasts to a gallon-size ziplock bag. You can also use a baking dish or even a Tupperware container, but the ziplock bag you can throw away for easier cleanup. Pour ½ of the marinade over the bottom 2 chicken breasts. Place the remaining 2 chicken breasts on top of the bottom chicken breasts. Pour the remaining marinade over the top 2 chicken breasts. Seal the ziplock bag, but be sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible before fully sealing the bag. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
About 10 minutes before you are ready to cook the marinated chicken, preheat the oven to 375°F. You can either use an ovenproof 10 to 12-inch skillet (cast iron is a great choice) or a 9x13 (or 13x9) baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet (again, I chose to cook in a nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add the sliced mushrooms. Stir often to ensure the mushrooms cook evenly. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through. They will darken in color and release quite a bit of liquid. Remove the pan from the heat. You can transfer the cooked mushrooms from the pan to a small heat-safe bowl or leave them in the pan.
Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator. You will need to have a baking dish or large plate ready to transfer the chicken breast for seasoning. Gently shake any excess marinade off, and discard the used marinade. Sprinkle the marinated chicken breast with the kosher salt and pepper.
Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, cook the chicken breast for 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.
Crisscross 2 of the halves of bacon per chicken breast.
Evenly divide and layer the cooked mushrooms over the bacon layer.
Pile ½ cup of the cheddar jack shredded cheese on top of the mushroom layer. Place the ovenproof skillet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165°F. Top with the fresh chopped parsley. You can serve the reserved marinade as a dipping sauce on the side. Serve while hot.

Notes

Use freshly shredded cheese as it melts much better than pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded cheese usually contains a preservative that prevents it from melting well.
You can use the cast iron skillet to cook the mushrooms, or you can use a 10-inch nonstick skillet. I chose the nonstick skillet to cook the mushrooms and only the mushrooms.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your chicken as the suggested baking time approaches.

Nutrition