This Baked Monterey Chicken Recipe is so flavorful, with a combination of juicy baked chicken breasts, fresh tomatoes, Monterey Jack cheese, sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and crispy smoky bacon.
4chicken breastsboneless & skinless, about 1.5-2 lb
1teaspoondried parsley
¾teaspoonsalt
¾teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonpaprika
¼teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoononion powder
Monterey Chicken
¼cupbarbecue sauce
1½cupsshredded cheeseMonterey Jack is fitting but any will do!
½cupdiced fresh tomatoes
2slicesbaconchopped and cooked until crispy
2green onionssliced
Instructions
Seasoned Chicken
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound the thick end with a rolling pin or meat mallet to flatten slightly. This will ensure the chicken cooks more evenly.
Combine seasoning: parsley, salt, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, and onion powder. Sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts and place in the prepared dish.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Monterey Chicken
Remove chicken from the oven (it won't be done -- that's okay). Brush with barbecue sauce and top with cheese.
Return to the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes to let the cheese melt and until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer.
Top with tomatoes, crispy bacon, and green onions before serving.
Video
Notes
Storage:
Refrigerating: you can refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days. I recommend reheating, covering, in the oven at 250 degrees F until warmed through.
Freezing: you can easily prep this recipe ahead and freeze it. I recommend freezing it after it is baked, then thawing completely in the refrigerator before reheating it according to the instructions above. Keep in mind that the tomatoes will soften considerably if frozen.