Air Fryer Monterey Chicken | AirFried.com (2024)

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.

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!

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.

Serving Suggestions:

There isn’t a whole lot that doesn’t go well with chicken. Pretty much any side dish you can imagine is okay here but I’ve listed some particularly good choices below. Some of these are air fried and some are not!

• Air Fryer Onion Rings
• Air Fryer Potato Skins
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Cajun Fried Corn
• Easy Mexican Rice
• Sauteed Broccoli
• Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes

Freezing & Storage Instructions:

You can keep any leftover chicken stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. It can be reheated in the air fryer, the oven, or the microwave.

This chicken also be frozen for up to a few months. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. We prefer to freeze it without the cheese and other toppings. Add those at the end when reheating.

Recipe FAQs: