Monterey Chicken {Chili's Copycat recipe}

Cheese. Chicken. Bacon. Barbecue Sauce. You know it's gonna be good.  Unfortunately, I took the pics when I was in a huge rush to get the kids out the door to volleyball practice, and the lighting was terrible, soooo....don't judge the recipe by the picture! This blob of cheesiness was pretty darn tasty (and see The Recipe Critic for a much better picture). This used to be a popular sandwich at Chili's Restaurant, (and may still be, haven't been in a while!) and contains some of my favorite things. I served mine on a plate with sides, but plan on trying it on a nice toasty bun one day soon.  Either way, it's delish.

Monterey Chicken
source - The Recipe Critic
my changes in italics

Marinade:
3 T. Honey

3 T. reduced sodium Soy Sauce
3 T. Worchestershire Sauce
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. sea salt

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

Topping:
8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese
8 slices bacon (I used pre-cooked)
8 T. barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's)

* Marinate the chicken in a mixture of honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and salt for at least an hour (but can be marinated overnight.)
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour a little of the marinade in the bottom of a large baking pan and place chicken on top. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for about 30 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and juices run clear. (Cook time will depend on the size of your chicken breasts).
* While chicken is cooking, fry up the bacon and set aside - or use pre-cooked bacon as I did.
* After chicken is cooked through, spread with barbecue sauce, top with bacon and cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly.

Now, I have a little cheat for you - I had pre-cooked chicken breasts from the freezer (thawed), so I placed the cooked chicken in the marinade for a couple of hours (or could be done in the morning before work), then placed my chicken on a baking sheet, covered with barbecue sauce and baked until it was warmed throughout. Then I topped with my pre-cooked bacon and cheese stuck it under the broiler until the cheese was nice and melt-y. It took 15-20 mins at the most (start to finish).  The pre-cooked chicken absorbed the marinade well, and it was a time saver since we had to be out the door pretty quickly for the kids' practices.  We had baked potatoes (cooked in the microwave in steamer bags) and a salad as quick and easy sides.

This recipe is a keeper!

I am linking this recipe up at (Monday) The Tumbleweed Contessa, Holly's Stamping Addiction, The Dedicated House, Homemaker on a Dime, Skip to my Lou, Making the World Cuter, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, This Gal Cooks, Watch Out, Martha!, My Favorite Finds, Beyer Beware (Tuesday) Naptime Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, 33 Shades of Green, Blessed with Grace, Love in the Kitchen, Memories By the Mile,Inside BruCrew Life (Wednesday) Fluster Buster, Semi Homemade Mom, Adorned from Above, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ginger Snap Crafts, Hungry Little Girl, Naptime is My Time, Bloom Designs, Cherished Handmade Treasures  (Thursday) Project Inspire ,Joyful Homemaking, Designed Decor, Taste and Tell,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage, The Mandatory Mooch,  The Busy Bee's, (Friday) Not Your Ordinary Recipes,  Simple Living and Eating, Just Us Four, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo, Diana Rambles, The Better Baker,Craftionary, Mummy Deals, One Artsy Mama, The Best Blog Recipes, One Creative Mommy, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Close to Home (Saturday) Sassy Little Lady,  Lemons for Lulu,  Or So She Says..., Six Sisters' Stuff (Sunday) Mommy's Sweet Confessions