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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 mushrooms sliced (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices cooked bacon 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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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Absolutely delicious!! I only changed the garnish (used sliced green onions instead of parsley). Family loved it! Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Nicole! So glad they loved it! – Meggan
This recipe is amazing!!!!! The only thing I do differently is that I season the chicken breast with Chupacabra Seasoning marinate it overnight then I grill the chicken breast. I then follow the rest of the recipe and itโs one of my familyโs favorites. Thank you
You’re welcome, Byron! Thanks for the suggestion, I’m going to have to try out that seasoning. Take care! – Meggan
Byron This Recipe is great!
I tried the marinade for the chicken and it came out great. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, J! Take care! – Meggan
I cooked this on Sunday and the chicken was exactly like Outback . Loved it
I’m so glad you loved it, Joyce! Take care! – Meggan
Thank you for the useful information about the recipe.
I’ve never eaten this chicken at Outback so I had no expectations. I followed the recipe exactly, except I cut it in half, making only 2 chicken breasts. I made the marinade and marinated the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the honey mustard for at least 8 hours. I sautรฉed the mushrooms, fried the bacon, seared the chicken, assembled the dish with the mushrooms, bacon and cheese, but unfortunately we found it lacked any real flavor. This recipe required a ton of work and prep for an unsatisfying result. Obviously it’s our pallet because this recipe receives rave reviews. I’d post a picture if I could because it looked amazing and you could see it was made correctly. Thanks for writing clear and easy to follow directions. I’ll try some of your other recipes.
Hi Attie, thank you so much for taking the time to write and share your thoughts and process with this recipe. I hope you find another recipe you love. โฅ – Meggan
Perhaps you shouldn’t have cut the recipe in half
Itโs a hit with the whole family! Easy to make, and everyone loved it. This recipe will be added into our regular rotation. Looking forward to a bigger batch next time since it holds well as leftovers.
I’m so happy it was a hit! ๐ – Meggan
Is the honey mustard marinade what makes the chicken so tender? I love the Alice Springs chicken at Outback and the one thing I love is that I could cut it with a fork!! I figured they marinated in โsomethingโ, but never figured it could be honey mustard (which I donโt like) haha Is that what tenderizes the chicken? Perhaps I underestimated honey mustard? I am anxious to try your recipe!!
Thanks much, Sandy
Hi Sandy, yes! The honey mustard marinade tenderizes and adds flavor. I hope you try it and love it! – Meggan