Air Fryer Monterey Chicken is an easy homemade copycat version of a Chili’s classic. This cheesy, saucy, tender and juicy chicken is topped with your favorite BBQ sauce, Colby Jack cheese, bacon, diced tomato and green onion – all cooked in the air fryer in just 15 minutes!
If you’ve never had the Monterey chicken from Chili’s you really missed out! If you have, I’m guessing you’re here to find a good copycat recipe since it’s no longer on the menu. We’ve got you covered either way – you’re going to love this one!
Our air fryer Monterey chicken recipe is topped with cheesy, saucy goodness and diced tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and green onion, just like the Chili’s version.
It’s easy to prepare and tastes pretty much just like what you’d get from the restaurant! Much more budget-friendly and not a whole lot of work. Serve this next to our air fryer frozen french fries or some bacon wrapped corn on the cob for a delicious meal.
And if you’re looking for more favorite copycat recipes made in the air fryer you’ll want to check out our copycat KFC bowls or this Cajun fried corn which is just like the kind we get from Wingstop.
What is Monterey Chicken?
It’s believed that Monterey Chicken originated in Monterey, California. That said, we can attribute much of the popularity of this dish to Chili’s! It was a beloved menu item for years, but is no longer on the menu. (Whyyyy do restaurants do this to us?)
The Monterey chicken recipe consists of chicken breast topped with BBQ sauce, colby jack cheese, bacon, diced tomatoes, and green onions.
Ingredient Notes:
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Chicken – We’re using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this Monterey chicken recipe but you could swap those out for boneless chicken thighs too.
Brine – You’ll brine the chicken first in a simple mix of kosher salt and warm water. This not only seasons the chicken throughout, it also helps keep the chicken moist and juicy when air frying so it doesn’t dry out. If you’re in a rush you can skip this step but we do recommend it if you’ve got the time!
BBQ Dry Rub – We season this chicken up with our favorite homemade BBQ dry rub recipe, but you can use any store bought dry rub here too.
BBQ Sauce – This Monterey chicken gets sauced up with your favorite BBQ sauce! For this recipe, we prefer our homemade bourbon BBQ sauce or a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Cheese – We’re using shredded Colby Jack cheese to top this chicken. You could use just shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or even a different variety or blend of cheeses. Use what you’ve got in the fridge that sounds tasty.
Bacon – You’ll need to start with some already cooked and crumbled bacon. You might as well just make some air fryer bacon!
Diced Tomatoes & Green Onion – For topping the chicken, just like the Chili’s version!
We love this chicken topped with BBQ sauce and melted cheese! It’s just the right combination of flavors and the bacon, diced tomatoes, and green onion bring it all together. It’s so easy to prepare and it’s just like the kind you’d get from the restaurant. We love air fryer chicken recipes and this might be our new favorite!
Meat Thermometer
We use and love this ThermoPro meat thermometer anytime we’re making chicken, steak, or pork chops! It’s the easiest way to ensure meat is cooked to the perfect temperature every time and is a great gift for beginner cooks too!
Step by Step Monterey Chicken Recipe:
Prepare the salt water brine and add the chicken. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to brine the chicken. Remove the chicken and pat it dry after brining.
Season the chicken liberally with the bbq rub. Spritz your air fryer basket with oil and place the chicken in a single even layer. Air fry at 380 degrees for 7 minutes.
Brush the BBQ sauce over the top of the chicken, flip, and coat the other side with sauce as well. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
Turn off the air fryer and carefully sprinkle the top of the chicken breasts with the shredded cheese. Close the basket and let it sit turned off 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Sprinkle on the cooked, crumbled bacon and the diced tomatoes and greens onions and dig in.
Recipe Tips!
The salt water brine can be skipped if you’re short on time but it will help keep the chicken tender and juicy!
You can use any kind of BBQ sauce and BBQ dry rub you prefer.
Use the residual heat in the air fryer just after cooking the chicken to melt the cheese topping.
Shop our Favorite Air Fryers!
We’ve tested loads of air fryers over the years and narrowed it down to the best of the best! Whether you’re looking for a basket style air fryer that fits nicely on your countertop or you want the toaster oven style air fryer, we’ve got the recommendation for you!
Comments & Reviews
Carol says
This is so good. My son-in-law said that this is the best chicken he has ever had. AND so easy. Thank you!
Karly Campbell says
I love to hear that! Thanks, Carol!
Margie McGee says
What size chicken breasts in ounces please.
Karly Campbell says
6-8 ounces
Susie says
Wow, the flavor and taste is amazing! I’d say it’s the best chicken I’ve made in over 50 years!! I think the hour of brining made it extra moist! My husband absolutely loved it!! Using the air fryer is a huge time saver and doesn’t heat the kitchen up!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you liked the recipe so much, Susie! Thanks for the review! <3