The One-Pan Chicken Dinner That’s as Good as a Restaurant’s

It’s a fan-favorite.

By
Liz Mervosh
Liz Mervosh
Liz Mervosh
Elizabeth "Liz" Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for the Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama and tests and develops recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, Health, and Simply Recipes.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Sheela Prakash
Sheela Prakash
Sheela Prakash
Food and wine writer, recipe developer, and the author of Mediterranean Every Day. Her work can be found in numerous online and print publications.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated December 22, 2024
Overhead view of Alice Springs chicken in a braiser next to a plate of steak fries and bowl of honey mustard

Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

I can now see why this chicken from Outback Steakhouse is so popular: It’s simultaneously sweet from honey mustard, salty from bacon, and savory from its cheesy mushroom topping. The best part? Making it at home doesn’t even require you to turn the oven on.

Brown the chicken breasts in the same pan you cook the bacon and mushrooms in so they pick up all of that flavor from the bacon drippings, then top them with honey mustard and not one, but two kinds of shredded cheese before they’re covered to finish cooking right on the stovetop.

Tips for Making Alice Springs Chicken

  • Spoon rather than spread the honey mustard over the chicken. It will immediately begin to spread over the hot chicken by itself, and you want to keep as much of it on top of the chicken as possible. 
  • Spread the mushrooms into a single layer and cook them undisturbed to encourage quick and even browning. This ensures that the mushrooms brown rather than steam. 
  • Feel free to play around with the cheese; smoked gouda and Swiss would also be great.
  • To spice things up, try using hot or spicy honey mustard.
Overhead view of a green plate with a chicken breast with cheese and mushrooms, steak fries and bowl of honey mustard next to a green napkin and a fork and steak knife

Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower


Skillet Chicken Dinners

Alice Springs Chicken

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, sliced

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1/3 cup honey mustard

  • 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Cook the bacon:

    In a large cast-iron skillet or brazier, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings in the skillet.

  2. Cook the mushrooms:

    Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook, stirring every 2 minutes and re-spreading into an even layer, until lightly golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon. Do not wipe the skillet clean.

  3. Brown the chicken:

    Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.

  4. Top the chicken:

    Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the honey mustard on top of each chicken breast in the skillet, then top each evenly with the mushroom-bacon mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.

  5. Cook the chicken:

    Place the skillet over medium-low heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil. Cook, undisturbed, until the cheese is melted and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
598 Calories
31g Fat
8g Carbs
68g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 598
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 198mg 66%
Sodium 1082mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 68g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 248mg 19%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 806mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.