Can you believe it's the last week of January already? The year is off to a busy start for all of us it seems.  I hope everyone is having fun so far!  One thing I've been enjoying this new year is sharing some of my favorite recipes with you each week.  It seems like you guys are enjoying them too....thank you for all your DMs and sweet messages!  Today I decided to share my version of a chain favorite.  This restaurant is famous for its big onion appetizer and this delicious chicken dish.  After having it a couple times and not being able to get enough I knew I had to recreate it to enjoy at home.  And so that's what I did.  Funny thing is, since then I never went back to the restaurant!  So here it is...


AUSSIE CHICKEN

Serves 4 | 50 minutes | Easy

 Ingredients:

 4 boneless chicken breasts or 1lb chicken tenderloins 
8 slices bacon
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp canola oil
1 c mayonnaise
1/4 c honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 - 2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 - 3 sprigs flat leaf parsley 
Directions:

 Prepare your bacon.  You can do this by frying it as you would for breakfast in a pan on the stovetop or if you prefer less mess you can bake it in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400*F.  Lay your strips out flat on a wire cooling rack and position a baking tray underneath to catch the grease.  Do not let strips overlap.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes to achieve your preferred level of crispiness.  Slightly underdone is best as it will bake more at the end of the recipe.

 Once the bacon has been cooked or while it is baking, prepare your honey mustard marinade.  This is the sauce you will partly use to marinade the chicken as well as the sauce you will pour on top before baking.  Please remember: DO NOT reuse the portion of sauce used to marinate the chicken as it will have been exposed to the raw meat.  Instead, be sure to prepare plenty of extra if you find you like your dish saucy and/or want some extra sauce for dipping.  I happen to be a big fan of both so I recommend doubling the sauce recipe so there's plenty for all.  You can always save any extra for salad dressing too!

 To prepare the marinade, combine the mayo, honey, mustard and lemon juice in a bowl.  You can either whisk it together for a workout or use an immersion blender to help easily achieve that luscious level of creaminess you want.  Taste to test and adjust accordingly depending how sweet or savory you like it.  If you are doubling the recipe for the sauce reserve half to be used later.  

 Season the chicken with some pepper and a little salt.  Place the meat in a large bowl and cover it with a half cup of the marinade.  Toss to coat fully and set it in the fridge to tenderize.  Meanwhile, brown the mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of oil.  This combo will allow you to get a nice browning on them without allowing the butter to burn.  Sauté for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the desired golden color is set.  

 Place mushrooms aside and crumble the cooked bacon.  Combine the two and reserve for a moment.  Take the chicken that's been marinading and add it to a hot pan.  You want to sear the outside and get some nice color on it.  The chicken will be cooking through later in the oven so you can just focus on the outside color and browning for now.  Let each side cook for about 2 -3 minutes.  If needed, you can add a little butter to the pan to keep things juicy.  Once all the pieces are golden and seared on the outside, transfer the chicken to a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Pour some of the extra honey mustard sauce along the bottom and over the top of the chicken.  Again, I like my dishes saucy so for me the more the better.  Adjust the amount to suit your taste.  

 Next, layer the bacon and mushrooms over the chicken.  Pour a little more sauce on topped then cover with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese.   Bake at 350*F for 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce start to bubble.  Check the temperature of the chicken with a digital thermometer to see that it's 160*F and cooked through.  
Remove from oven, garnish with parsley and serve hot and delicious.  Enjoy!

This dish is perfect for a cold winter's night.  Everybody who tries it love probably because it's got just enough sweet to perfectly balance the savory and honestly, who doesn't loveeee bacon? Haha!  So, next time you want to get your Aussie on I suggest you give it a try.  Happy Wednesday friends!


xx,

~K







Photo credits: via