Monterey Chicken

It's easy to get into a dinner rut when you cook just about every night.  That was the main reason we started this recipe blog.  We were in a dinner rut.  Dinner was getting boring and we needed to be more adventurous.  So, we started this search for new recipes to make our family meals not boring, but a little more extraordinary. 

This is our 100th recipe post.  I can't believe we've already tried that many new recipes!  Not every recipe has been a favorite.  Some have even been total flops, but we have enjoyed the adventure.  It's fun listening to my little food critics tell me what they liked or didn't like about the recipes we've tried.  It has made our family meals more interesting!

We have found quite a few Family Favorite recipes along the way, too.  And have made some fun family memories of good food and good times spent together in the kitchen.  I love it when I hear, "Hey, mom.  Remember when we had Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes...or Buffalo Drumsticks...or Cinnamon Roll Cookies?  Those were some yummy!  Can we make those again?!"

Here's our 100th new recipe.  Will it be a new favorite?  Will it be a flop? 
     

Recipe Link

Ingredients 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. bar-b-que sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4 c. real bacon bits
1 c. colby and jack cheese, shredded
1 14 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained (I used mild for the kiddos)
sliced green onions

salt
pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pound out chicken breasts to flatten.  (I cut larger breasts in half then, flattened.)  Season with salt & pepper.  *Saute chicken in large pan with a little oil until no longer pink (make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding the chicken to sear the juices in).  Place chicken on baking sheet covered with foil.  Top each chicken breast with about 1 tablespoon bar-b-que sauce, cheese, tomatoes, green onions and bacon bits.  Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

*Original recipe grilled the chicken.  Try it either way.

Adapted from All Things Simple

The Results...
Finding new ways to prepare chicken that everyone will like is a challenge.  This recipe met that challenge.  Sweet BBQ sauce, melted Colby, tangy tomatoes & peppers, fresh green onion and crispy bacon on top of a juicy chicken breast made a delicious dinner!  It was pretty quick and easy to put together, too.  Our 100th recipe is a new favorite.  We will definitely make this again!