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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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I make this recipe often- probably 8 times a year. It is a favorite with my family, and comes together fast, and is super easy! It’s one of my go-to recipes for a busy weekday. Delicious, and just like outback! I serve it with Texas Roadhouse copycat rice, and roasted vegetables, and it’s always a hit! Thank you!
Hearing this makes me so happy, Cheyenne! I love your side dish choices! YUM! You’re welcome, happy to help!
I made this tonight as a test run for cooking it for company next week. I have to say, for a non-mustard or mushroom lover, it was delicious, and my husband who loves both raved about it. I altered it by only using less than half the sauce as the marinade, adding 3/4 cup chicken broth to the sauce and pouring all that sauce over the chicken to cook in. I cooked the mushrooms in the bacon fat, and will add pearl onions cooked the same way next time. I didn’t put the mushrooms on the chicken, just added them around it while the chicken cooked. Two questions, what do you serve as a side starch, I made basmati rice, and what cooked veg do you think would go best? Love this simple but fancy recipe.
I’m thrilled that you loved it! And raving reviews, yes! I think pearl onions would be great in this. Basmati rice sounds great! I love it with mashed potatoes, but also a baked potato would be great with this. For vegetables, asparagus goes well, and so does broccoli. I think roasted corn would also be good. I hope you, your husband, and your company love this next week. Take care!
I made this but I changed the amount of mustard, honey, mayp.
I used 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup dukes mayonnaise
Used everything else the receipe called for.
Hi Linda, sounds delicious! Take care! – Meggan
This is identical to the Outback Alice Springs Chicken. I do this often and it is excellent. I follow the directions exactly. I do have issues when I mix the mayonnaise and honey mustard it doesn’t blend smoothly. I don’t know if it’s because the ingredients are cold, but I haven’t figured out how to make that mixture smooth. Delicious, just a little lumpy. Overall, other than my visual OCD, it is still a 5-star recipe.
Hi Linda, I’m so happy you loved this! I’m not sure why they are not blending well. You may want to let them sit for a little while at room temperature before mixing. Take care! – Meggan
Amazing
Thanks so much Wanda! I’m so happy you liked it! -Meggan
I make this on a regular. I just use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as we prefer dark meat. And I also add in some cooked onions. And I dust the chicken with the 80/10/10 prior to bagging the chicken in the honeymustard sauce. But truthful it probably doesn’t matter to much.
Great recipe!
Hi Bill, I’m so glad this has become a go-to for you. Adding onions sounds delicious! Take care! – Meggan
Absolutely delicious! We now use this marinade every time we have chicken!
amazing!
I’m new at this recipes off the internet stuff. I tried this for my granddaughter who will not eat beef. Everyone at my Fathers Day picnic LOVED your Alice Springs Chicken (copycat) recipe! So did I . Thank you
This tasted so delicious! It was easy except I forgot to cover it so it didn’t cook in the oven so I finally covered it and cooked it 20 minutes longer and by then the bottoms had burned but this is the first time I have cooked in over 2 years because of back problems so my husband couldn’t stop saying how much he enjoyed it! I am so lucky to have him. I have learned from my mistakes and will try again soon.
Thanks Mary! So glad you both enjoyed and that you’re back in the kitchen 🙂 – Meggan