People all over the country love the Alice Springs Chicken dish at Outback Steakhouses. It’s easy to see why this dish has become so popular over the years. It has a lot of tasty ingredients, like crispy bacon, melty cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and more, all brought together by a sweet and sour honey mustard sauce.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Alice Springs Chicken – from its origins and history, key ingredients that give it its signature flavor, how it’s prepared at Outback Steakhouse, and tips for making your own delicious copycat recipe at home. Whether you’re a diehard Outback fan or just curious about this crave-worthy chicken dish, read on to learn all about the deliciousness that is Alice Springs Chicken!
A Taste of the Australian Outback
Alice Springs Chicken is named after Alice Springs, a rough-and-tumble Australian town in the middle of the Outback. Alice Springs, with its remote desert landscape and pioneering spirit, makes me think of the rough beauty and adventure of Australia’s wilderness.
Bringing its namesake dish to life, Outback Steakhouse aimed to capture some of that Outback flair by combining simple yet robust ingredients like chicken, bacon, cheese, and mushrooms into a hearty meal The sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce ties everything together, adding a distinct flavor that has become a signature of the Alice Springs Chicken recipe.
A Winning Chicken Dish on a Steakhouse Menu
The main thing that Outback Steakhouse is known for is its large, juicy steaks that are flame-grilled. But chicken dishes have always been on the menu because they are lighter than steak. Alice Springs Chicken had to offer something unique in order to stand out from the usual steakhouse fare.
The flavors and textures are just right. The grilled chicken breast acts as a base, and the salty bacon, nutty mushrooms, sharp cheddar cheese, and mild Monterey Jack cheese add depth and flavor. What makes this dish stand out is the honey mustard sauce, which ties everything together with its sweet and sour taste. This makes a chicken dish that is so comforting and delicious that it can compete with the best steak.
Key Ingredients That Make It Irresistible
So what exactly gives Alice Springs Chicken its irresistible flavor and texture? Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients that make this dish so mouthwatering:
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Grilled Chicken Breast – The mild, juicy chicken breast provides the base and bulk of the dish. When grilled, it develops a smoky char flavor.
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Crispy Bacon – Salty, smoky bacon adds crunch and rich flavor in every bite.
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Sautéed Mushrooms – Earthy, meaty mushrooms provide texture and absorb the delicious juices and flavors.
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Monterey Jack Cheese – Known for its creamy, melty texture. Provides a mild cheesy flavor.
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Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar balances the monterey jack with its tangy punch.
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Honey Mustard Sauce – The sweet and zesty sauce is the crown jewel, bringing harmony to all the ingredients.
When combined in perfect proportions, these ingredients create a symphony of textures and flavors that almost anyone can fall in love with. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Step-By-Step Preparation at Outback
So how exactly does Outback Steakhouse bring all those components together into the finished Alice Springs Chicken dish? Here’s an inside look at their step-by-step preparation process:
Step 1 – Marinating the chicken: Outback uses a honey mustard marinade to infuse the chicken breast with flavor. The marinade contains mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.
Step 2 – Grilling the chicken: The marinated chicken is then grilled over an open flame, which seals in the juices and gives it a lovely charred exterior and smoky flavor.
Step 3 – Sautéing the mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms are sautéed in butter to create a rich, earthy flavor and soft texture.
Step 4 – Layering ingredients: The hot grilled chicken is layered first with crispy bacon, then the sautéed mushrooms.
Step 5 – Topping with cheese: Melty Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar blanket the chicken, bacon and mushrooms.
Step 6 – Drizzling sauce: The sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce is drizzled over the top to finish.
Step 7 – Garnish and serve: Garnished with fresh parsley and served with sides like mashed potatoes or steamed veggies.
With each step carefully executed, from marinade to final garnish, Outback Steakhouse ensures every Alice Springs Chicken that hits the table delivers on bold flavors, prime textures, and craveability.
Tips for Making Your Own Copycat Recipe
Recreate the Alice Springs Chicken magic at home with this inside scoop on crafting your own copycat recipe:
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Start with quality ingredients – Splurge on fresh, juicy chicken and thick-cut bacon for the best flavor.
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Consider marinating overnight – Letting the chicken soak longer in the honey mustard sauce boosts moisture and flavor.
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Sauté the mushrooms – Butter and seasoning brings out the earthiness. Don’t skip this step!
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Use a hot cast iron skillet – It leaves the chicken extra crispy and infuses flavor.
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Load on the cheese – Go generous with the cheddar and Monterey for ultimate creaminess.
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Drizzle the sauce – The honey mustard sauce makes all the difference. Serve extra on the side for dipping.
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Finish with fresh herbs – Chives, parsley or cilantro add freshness and color.
Follow this advice and you can experience restaurant-quality Alice Springs Chicken without leaving your own kitchen. Just be prepared for requests for second helpings!
Frequently Asked Questions About Alice Springs Chicken
If this deep dive into Alice Springs Chicken has left you craving one of these savory masterpieces, you may still have some questions swirling in your head. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this Outback Steakhouse specialty:
Is it spicy? – Nope, not at all! Alice Springs Chicken offers robust flavors but no detectable heat or spice.
What are the sides? – At Outback, it’s typically served with steakhouse potatoes, rice pilaf or fresh seasonal veggies.
Can I make it gluten free? – Yes, by using gluten-free bacon, mushroom broth instead of flour for sautéing, and skipping the breading.
Does it contain egg? – Most of the time no, unless the recipe specifically calls for eggs in the coating or batter.
Can I use chicken thighs? – You can, though you may want to adjust cooking times since thighs take longer than breasts.
Can I freeze the leftovers? – Absolutely! It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Alice Springs Chicken Recipe: A Savory Delight from Down Under
Welcome to my kitchen in West Virginia. This is where I make my Alice Springs Chicken Recipe, which takes you to a delicious place in Australia. This mouthwatering dish, inspired by the popular menu item from Outback Steakhouse, combines succulent grilled chicken with crispy bacon, savory mushrooms, melted cheese, and a creamy honey mustard sauce. Perfect for family dinners, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your house. I cant wait to share this one with you so. Lets Get Started!.
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, sliced in half
- 8 Slices of Bacon
- 4-6 slices of Monterey Jack Cheese
- 1 (8 oz) container of Brown Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp each Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Paprika
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Sliced Green Onions (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C)
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Take it out and put it on a paper towel to soak up the extra grease. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Put the butter in the same pan where you cooked the bacon and let it melt.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then add the sliced mushrooms.
- Stir the mushrooms every so often while they’re cooking until they turn brown and most of their liquid is gone. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Mix the honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Mix well until smooth and creamy.
- Take out any bad parts of the chicken and cut it in half.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to the chicken.
- In the same big pan where you cooked the bacon, put the olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Put in the chicken breasts and cook for two to three minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown.
- Use a lot of the honey mustard sauce to cover each chicken breast.
- Layer the cooked mushrooms over the chicken breasts.
- Cover the chicken breasts with the Colby Jack cheese.
- Layer the crumbled bacon over the chicken breasts.
- Put it in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the center is 165°F.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool down for a while.
- Garnish with the chopped green onions before serving.
- For a full meal, serve with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a fresh garden salad.
- MARK THE CHICKEN: For extra flavor, put the chicken breasts in a bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. Let them sit there for a few hours before cooking.
- Different kinds of cheese, like Gouda, cheddar, or Swiss, can be used to make the dish more interesting.
- GRILL OPTION: For a smokey taste, you can grill the chicken breasts instead of cooking them in a skillet if you’d like.
Alice Springs Chicken is a delightful dish that brings the flavors of Australia right to your kitchen. With its combination of tender chicken, crispy bacon, savory mushrooms, melted cheese, and honey mustard sauce, its a recipe that promises to impress. Whether youre cooking for a family dinner or a special occasion, this dish is sure to be a hit. Give it a try tonight!.