BBQ Bacon Chicken

This is a baked chicken with BBQ sauce, bacon and cheese, kind of a copycat recipe for the Chili’s cheesy Monterey chicken. This is my recipe for a healthier version of a Monterey chicken, with some added onions for a vegetable. I like to think of it as a BBQ chicken pizza, minus the pizza? Basically, combine seasoned chicken, BBQ sauce, sautéed onions, bacon and shredded cheese. Those are probably my 5 favorite foods, combined in one dish!

Do you like BBQ sauce? Onions? Bacon? Shredded cheese? Well, then you are going to LOVE this recipe. I know onions are not for everyone, make this recipe with or without them and it will be just as amazing. It literally oozes with flavor and cheese. An irresistible meal or meal prep.

Quick Tips from Allie Carte

• Use any seasonings that you like! If you love spicy, add some spice!
• Fully cooked bacon works great here to make it a super easy dish
• Try this with mushrooms for even more added vegetables

Also, substitute any of the ingredients for things you have or like, as always.

What You Need to Make BBQ Bacon Baked Chicken

This is basically the copycat recipe for the Chili’s cheesy bacon bbq chicken, or Monterey chicken, which they do not offer at mine anymore. Therefore, I had to whip it up myself.

For the ingredients, I keep this very simple. All you really need is chicken with bbq sauce, bacon and cheese. This is stuff that I have on hand at all times. Minus the chicken, which I do pick up weekly.

• Chicken cutlet
• Seasonings
• BBQ sauce
• Bacon
• Onion
• Brown Sugar
• Shredded cheddar cheese

We can go over some substitutes and suggestions as well.

Chicken Cutlet

I use a chicken cutlet for tons of recipes, including this BBQ bacon chicken. I love that they are already thin and easy to work with. However, you can use a chicken breast. If using a chicken breast, be sure to butterfly it, all the way in half, and pound it out thin. The chicken is seared on the pan, then, placed in the oven to finish cooking. The cheese will go in the oven with the chicken and if the chicken is too thick, it will not cook quickly and the cheese will burn.

Seasonings

We will be seasoning the chicken, of course. Who wants bland chicken? I just use seasoned salt as the other flavors really take over and make this dish extremely flavorful. However, you can really use any seasonings.

Do you like things spicy? Then add ground red pepper, paprika and chili powder. Do you prefer things to be extra garlic-y? Then use garlic salt or add in some garlic powder. You can really use any seasonings that you have and like here.

BBQ Sauce

With the BBQ sauce, I choose to use a sugar free one. G Hughes is usually my go-to. However, you are more than welcome to use any of your favorite BBQ sauces. I want this recipe to be something you, enjoy and love, and that just speaks you.

Just be cautious as I do add brown sugar back into the recipe. Therefore, if you are using a BBQ sauce with sugar, it may be too sweet for you.

Bacon

Weird, fun fact about me, I absolutely love fully cooked bacon. It is seriously the best bacon. I find it easy to get squishy bacon when it is already fully cooked. When you have to cook bacon, it can get crunchy and brunt. However, I know a lot of people do enjoy that, I just do not.

What I am getting at is that I use fully cooked bacon for the BBQ bacon chicken. It makes the recipe quicker as the bacon does not need to be cooked ahead of time. However, you can use 'regular' bacon, just pre-cook it. Additionally, you can try turkey bacon as well, I have been loving that.

Brown Sugar

I always, typically, use brown sugar replacement. It is easy grab a huge package from Amazon and that is what I always use. I do not mind using a replacement sugar. However, I know some people have concerns with that. Then, you can substitute a brown sugar blend or just straight brown sugar and it will be okay. Also, you can completely omit the brown sugar.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

I always use reduced fat or fat-free shredded cheese. Really, I just think it is a quick and easy way to cut out some calories and fat. I know, it does not make too big of a deal but I do think it adds up and if it makes me happy, that's all that matters.

I specifically used fat-free for this recipe; however, reduced fat works somewhat the same. These cheeses take a little extra longer to melt, as compared to the full fat cheese. Therefore, it will not burn or melt too much while the chicken fully cooks. Yes, it will melt; however, it will not melt too much and burn.

With that being said, for this bbq bacon chicken, you can use any type of cheese that you want. If you make this and find that full fat cheese melts too much, pre cook the chicken in the oven for about 5 minutes, then top with cheese.

Additionally, you can substitute the type of cheese. If you like spicy, add in some pepper jack cheese. You can also use Colby jack or another cheese that you love.

Additional Ingredient Suggestions

You can make this BBQ bacon chicken even better and more to your liking. When sautéing the onion, add in some sliced mushrooms as well. I would have but I was working with what I have.

Another way to spice this up is to top it with some tomatoes or green onion.

How to Make BBQ Bacon Baked Chicken

This is basically the copycat recipe for the Chili’s cheesy bacon bbq chicken, or Monterey chicken, which they do not offer at mine anymore. Therefore, I had to whip it up myself.

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Start off with some prep work, I promise it is not too much. Slice the onion into thin strips. Heat a pan over medium heat, greased with cooking spray. Add the onions and sauté until they are soft, it takes about 5 minutes. T

hen, add in the brown sugar and stir until all the brown sugar is melted and dissolved. Place the onions on a clean plate and set aside. You can skip the brown sugar if you want.

You will use this pan again. Wipe it down if the onions made too much of a mess.

Season both side of the chicken cutlet with seasoned salt. Place on the heated pan and sear about 2 minutes per side. Then, transfer to a greased baking tray.

Spread the BBQ sauce across the top of the chicken. Then, top with a piece of fully cooked bacon, the onions, and then the shredded cheese.

Place the chicken in the oven and bake until the chicken is fully cooked (reaches an internal temperate of 165 degrees), the cheese is melted and the BBQ sauce is warmed, about 10 minutes. I suggest using a meat thermometer as well.

There you have it! Easy, healthy and delicious cheesy chicken Monterey - BBQ bacon baked chicken.

How amazing does this BBQ bacon chicken look! This recipe can easily be doubled, quadrupled, or more. As seen here, I made four servings. I made two for my dinner, and my husband's, and another two for our lunch the next day. It was very difficult to not devour all 4 servings.

Similar Recipes

If you love this, or want something just a little different, try out my baked ranch chicken with bacon, bacon wrapped chicken tenderloin, copycat Alice springs chicken, or my French onion chicken.

Video Tutorial

Want to watch me make this? Click here to watch the video tutorial then come back here for the instructions.

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BBQ Bacon Chicken

Baked chicken with BBQ sauce, bacon and cheese, kind of a copycat recipe for the chili’s cheesy Monterey chicken.

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Looking for you WW points? Click this link and your points will automatically calculate for you. It is 2 points for me, one for the bacon and one for the cheese.