Monterey Chicken

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Recipe from Mel's Kitchen cafe

 MONTEREY CHICKEN WITH PICO DE GALLO {CHILI'S COPYCAT}

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN:

·         3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

·         3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

·         2 tablespoons brown sugar

·         2 teaspoons salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)

·         1/2 teaspoon pepper

·         6 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or slice thick chicken breasts in half, like a hamburger bun, or pound to about 1/4-inch thick)

TOPPINGS:

·         6 strips thick-sliced bacon or turkey bacon, sliced or chopped

·         1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese

·         1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, about 2 medium tomatoes or 3 Romas

·         1/4 cup small diced red onion

·         2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

·         2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press

·         1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno (leave seeds and ribs in for more heat)

·         1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

·         Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     For the chicken, in a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

2.     Place the chicken in a gallon-size ziploc bag or shallow dish. Coat the chicken with the marinade mixture; there isn't a ton of marinade, so a thin coating is just fine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

3.     While the chicken marinates, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon to a bowl to cool slightly. Add the shredded cheese and toss. Set aside.

4.     For the pico de gallo, in a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper (important!). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5.     Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill (could probably even use an oven broiler or regular skillet on the stovetop) to medium-high.

6.     Remove the chicken from the dish or bag, letting excess marinade drip off. Cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side (exact time will depend on thickness of chicken) until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part.

7.     Without removing the chicken from the grill pan/grill, top the chicken with an equal amount of bacon cheese mixture, cover the grill or pan until the cheese is melted, another minute or so.

8.     Serve the chicken with the pico de gallo and prepare to be wowed - so delicious!