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This Alice Springs Chicken recipe is based on the Outback Steakhouse favorite. To make this copycat recipe, marinate chicken breast in honey mustard sauce, then top with mushrooms, bacon, and a pile of cheese! So delicious!
With a name like Outback Steakhouse, you can guess what most people are going to order when they walk through the door: steak.
But it’s always wise to have chicken on the menu, right? People are obsessed with chicken. However, in steak vs. chicken battle at a steakhouse, chicken better have a plan.
Alice Springs Chicken has a plan, and it’s amazing.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Chicken: Outback uses chicken breast, but you could choose quick-cooking cutlets or even juicy thighs if you prefer. Just plan on 1 ½ pounds total per 4 servings.
- Mushrooms: You either love ’em or you hate ’em. If you’re in the latter category, feel free to leave them out. Alice won’t mind!
- Colby jack cheese: Any shredded cheese will do here.
Step-by-step instructions
To make the marinade:
- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Reserve ¼ cup sauce in a covered container and refrigerate until serving time.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken breast in a large plastic zipper-top bag. Pour in remaining sauce and turn in bag until evenly coated. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
To make the chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, heat butter until the foaming. Add mushrooms and sauté until they have released most of their liquid and have started to turn brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out skillet.
- To the same skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken (discarding any remaining marinade) in a single layer and do not move until a golden-brown crust forms, about 5 minutes. Flip each piece and continue to cook until the second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer.
- Divide the mushrooms evenly over the chicken. Top with bacon and cheese.
- Cover the skillet and place in the oven. Bake until the chicken reaches 165°F when tested with an internal thermometer at the thickest part, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with parsley if desired.
- Serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 servings, 1 chicken breast with sauce and all the toppings per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance.
- Aussie Appetizers: Start your Outback feast with restaurant-inspired apps like Grilled Shrimp [on the Barbie], Air Fryer Chicken Wings, seared Ahi Tuna, or Coconut Shrimp.
- Soups and Side Salads: To continue your Outback-inspired dining, try Loaded Baked Potato Soup, French Onion Soup, a chilled Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch Dressing, or a fresh Caesar Salad.
- Steakhouse Potatoes and Sides: Round out your Outback menu with all the classic sides. Try homestyle Mashed Potatoes, a Baked Potato (with our without cheese and cooked bacon), Lemon Rice Pilaf, Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Steakhouse Mac and Cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Alice Springs Chicken?
This chicken recipe is named after Alice Springs in Australia, a large town in the Northern Territory. You can read about it on Wikipedia if you want to know more!
What is the dipping sauce for Alice Springs Chicken?
Readers go back and forth on this with some saying it’s barbecue sauce, but the menu is very clear: Alice Springs Chicken is marinated in, and served with, honey mustard sauce.
More steakhouse inspiration
Main Dishes
Surf and Turf
Beef Recipes
Grilled New York Strip Steak
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Baked Salmon
Appetizer Recipes
Coconut Shrimp
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Alice Springs Chicken (Outback Copycat)
This Alice Springs Chicken recipe is based on the Outback Steakhouse favorite. To make this copycat recipe, marinate chicken breast in honey mustard sauce, then top with mushrooms, bacon, and a pile of cheese!
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard (I prefer this French brand!)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds, see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped into 2-inch pieces (I use uncured)
- 2 cups Colby Jack cheese shredded (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for garnish, optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the marinade:
- In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Reserve ¼ cup sauce in a covered container and refrigerate until serving time.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken breast in a large plastic zipper-top bag. Pour in remaining sauce and turn in bag until evenly coated. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
To make the chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, heat butter until the foaming.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until they have released most of their liquid and have started to turn brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out skillet.
- To the same skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken (discarding any remaining marinade) in a single layer and do not move until a golden-brown crust forms, about 5 minutes.
- Flip each piece and continue to cook until the second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer.
- Divide the mushrooms evenly over the chicken. Top with bacon and cheese. Cover the skillet and place in the oven. Bake until the chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer at the thickest part, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and garnish with parsley if desired. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Chicken: Outback uses chicken breast, but you could choose quick-cooking cutlets or even juicy thighs if you prefer. Just plan on 1 ½ pounds total per 4 servings.
- Mushrooms: You either love ’em or you hate ’em. If you’re in the latter category, feel free to leave them out. Alice won’t mind!
- Colby jack cheese: Any shredded cheese will do here.
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 servings, 1 chicken breast with sauce and all the toppings per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 chicken breastCalories: 766kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 46gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 1165mgPotassium: 804mgFiber: 2gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 1068IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 487mgIron: 2mg
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Hi Meggan,
This recipe sounds amazing. I never had the dish from Outback. I have found 2 recipes for this online with good ratings. Yours and 1 other. The other recipe does not say to marinate the chicken with the honey mustard prior to cooking. I have a feeling after talking with friends that your recipe is more accurate. Going to go for a 2 hour marinate session. I am going to try it this weekend and see how it comes out. Thanks for sharing it with everybody.
Hi Andy, thanks! I hope you enjoy! – Meggan
Made this the other night for my family. It was delicious!!
So glad you all enjoyed Peggy, thanks! – Meggan
I’ve never had Alice Springs Chicken at ‘The Outback’ (but I did live outside of Alice Springs, AU briefly). I can’t comment on how close it comes to the restaurant version, but it is a wonderful recipe. I cooked it for my wife who ‘hates’ and sweet sauces but she actually liked the honey mustard sauce in this recipe. I browned the chicken in the grease from the bacon rather than olive oil to add some flavor and doubled the mushrooms (and still could have used some more) . After browning the chicken for 6 minutes per side in my Le Creuset braiser, I moved it to the preheated oven. It took 25 minutes to reach 165 degrees, so be patient.
I made this today! It’s even better than Outback!!! Scrumptious! I rank it at 5 stars!!!❤
I LOVE Alice Springs Chicken so I thought I would give this a whirl. Marinated it for 30 HOURS and since I do not have a cast Iron Skillet I transferred it to 2 13×9 pans. My wife does not dig mushrooms. This recipe turned out PERFECT! I also cit the breasts into strips which worked out really well! DEFINITELY making this again but next time with my thick cut Applewood Bacon!
It’s not really honey mustard. It’s Dijon mustard and honey. Or can you just use Honey Mustard from the jar for this?
Very nice recipe. Delicious!
Made this recipe and it was a hit. I seasoned the mushrooms and chicken with garlic powder, herbes de provance and salt and pepper. Than sauteed the mushrooms a bit and added the seasoning and with the chicken added it before marinating it in honey mustard marinade.
What can you substitute for mushrooms? Have a non eater in my house. Any suggestions?
Hi Jennifer, I’d just leave the mushrooms out. There isn’t really a need to replace them with anything else. You could obviously do something like little pieces of zucchini, would be a similar texture, I don’t think it’s worth it. I would just omit. Thanks! -Meggan
This was ABSOLUTELY delicious!
Thank you Crystal! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 – Meggan