Juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken breasts are topped with savory sliced ham, melted Swiss cheese, and paired with a creamy homemade honey mustard sauce that takes it over the top. It’s the perfect weeknight meal that tastes like it came straight from a restaurant!
Baked Malibu Chicken
I never knew the actual name of this dish, as we always called it “lazy chicken cordon bleu.” It wasn’t until someone on my Facebook page mentioned they were making it that I had to look it up.
You see, I’ve never been to a Sizzler, which is where the recipe originated. This version I’ve been making for gosh, 30 years. I love chicken cordon bleu, but some nights I want the flavors of it without the fuss and extra fat of frying the chicken. You can certainly bread it and fry it, but I prefer the baked version so much more. Let me show you how easy my 4-ingredient recipe is!
Healthy Malibu Chicken Ingredients
This recipe only calls for four ingredients. Now, if you want that added crunchy coating, you can bread and bake the chicken that way. I’ll cover that below for you.
- Chicken Breasts: boneless, skinless, and pounded evenly
- Deli Ham
- Swiss Cheese: Make sure it’s 1/4″ thick slices
Chef Lori’s #1 Tip for Baking Chicken Breasts
- Whether you cut them in half or leave the boneless breasts whole, you want to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. This ensures that the chicken cooks evenly.
How to Make Malibu Baked Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the chicken is pounded evenly, place them in a lightly coated 9×13″ baking dish (or a baking dish that fits the chicken).
- Sprinkle half of the Chupacabra Cluckalicious seasoning over the chicken, flip, add the rest of the seasoning, and flip again.
- Bake for ~20-25 minutes or until the internal temp reads 150°F. Remove the pan from the oven, place a couple of slices of ham on top, followed by the strips of cheese.
- Pop the pan back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the internal temp reads 165°F.
Honey Mustard Sauce for Malibu Chicken
With this recipe, I’ve always served it with honey mustard sauce.
You’ll need the following ingredients
- Yellow mustard
- Mayo
- Honey
- White Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Pepper
- Get the full recipe! If you want to elevate it, swap a few Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard for the yellow mustard. Be bold and try hot honey!
Why You’ll Love This Malibu Chicken Recipe
This recipe is one that, as I said, I’ve been making easily for 30 years. It’s simple and a great go-to recipe.
- Easy to Make: You need four ingredients and about 5-10 minutes of prep work before you toss this in the oven.
- Budget-Friendly: Using pantry and kitchen staples, this dish gives you that gourmet flavor without breaking the bank!
- Ready in About 30 Minutes: Life is busy and stressful enough, so dinner doesn’t have to be!
- Versatile for Any Occasion: While it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal, it’s also impressive enough for special gatherings and holiday dinners!
- Healther Option: It’s a lighter take on the classic. This oven-baked version skips the breading and frying without sacrificing the flavor!
How to Store and Reheat Baked Malibu Chicken
Once the chicken is cooled, storing it and reheating it is a breeze.
Storage: Once cooled, place the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating:
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F, place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with foil to prevent drying out, and heat for ~10 minutes or until warmed through. *You may need to add a bit more cheese in case it sticks to the foil.
- Microwave: While I’m not a massive fan of using it, you can reheat it quickly this way. Place the chicken on a plate, cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and heat it in 30-second intervals until warm.
Recipe Substitutions
Here are some easy swaps you can make
- CHICKEN THIGHS: Make sure they are boneless and skinless. These should cook a bit faster, for a total baking time of about 30-35 minutes.
- CHEESE: Try Monterey Jack, Provolone, Fontina, or Gouda
- SEASONING: keep it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
- HAM: I prefer Black Forest Deli Ham, but you can use different flavors of deli ham if you like
What to Serve with Oven-Baked Malibu Chicken
You can go so many different ways with this recipe, depending on the occasion:
Breaded Malibu Chicken Breasts
You’ll need the following additional ingredients:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chupacabra Cluckalicious Seasoning *You won’t add the seasoning amount in the recipe card.
- 1 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- Canola oil for frying (pan-fried only) or olive oil spritz for oven-baked
Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken
- Pour a 1/4″ of canola in a heavy-bottomed pan, turn to medium.
- Beat the eggs and put them in a pan to coat the chicken. In another bowl, mix the flour and seasoning; set aside. In a third dish, add the panko.
- Place the chicken into the flour pan, coating the chicken on all sides. Place the floured chicken into the egg wash, flipping to coat evenly. Please pick up the chicken, allowing the excess to drip off, then transfer it to the panko pan, coating all sides.
- Place the chicken into the hot oil (350°F) and cook just until it’s golden brown (Do not cook all the way through). You want the chicken to read ~150°F. Remove from the oil and transfer it to a cooling rack sitting in a paper towel-lined sheet pan to allow the oil to drip off. Repeat until all the chicken is fried.
- Place the chicken in a baking dish, top with the ham and cheese, and bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven for ~10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature reads 165°F.
Oven-Baked Breaded Chicken :
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Beat the eggs and put them in a pan to coat the chicken. In another bowl, mix the flour and seasoning; set aside. In a third dish, add the panko.
- Place the chicken into the flour pan, coating the chicken on all sides. Place the floured chicken into the egg wash, flipping to coat evenly. Please pick up the chicken, allowing the excess to drip off, then transfer it to the panko pan, coating all sides.
- Generously spray the coated chicken with olive oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until the internal temp reads 150°F.
- Remove from the oven, top with the ham and cheese, and place back in the oven for ~10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature reads 165°F.
Here’s what I used:
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Baked Malibu Chicken Recipe
Juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken breasts are topped with savory sliced ham, melted Swiss cheese, and paired with a creamy homemade honey mustard sauce that takes it over the top. It’s the perfect weeknight meal that tastes like it came straight from a restaurant
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: chicken dinner, easy weeknight meals, dinner party, cheesy chicken, budget-friendly dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: chicken dinner, easy weeknight meals, dinner party, cheesy chicken, budget-friendly dinner
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts – boneless, skinless, and pounded to an even thickness
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chupacabra Cluckalicious
- 8–12 slices of Black Forest Deli Ham
- 4–8 1/4″thick slices of Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the chicken is pounded evenly, place them in a lightly coated 9×13″ baking dish (or a baking dish that fits the chicken).
- Sprinkle half of the Chupacabra Cluckalicious seasoning over the chicken, flip, add the rest of the seasoning, and flip again.
- Bake for ~20-25 minutes or until the internal temp reads 150°F. Remove the pan from the oven, place a couple of slices of ham on top, followed by the strips of cheese.
- Pop the pan back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the internal temp reads 165°F.
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