4 Ordering Tips For The Best Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

What exactly is the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse? Well, basically, it is a grilled piece of chicken slathered with honey mustard and topped with cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and bacon. And, along with two sides of choice, it is the shining centerpiece of one of Outback's most popular non-steak dishes. So, while we can tell you the hands-down best steak to order at Outback Steakhouse, may we also suggest this chicken and some tips to order it.

If you simply try to search online for Alice Springs Chicken, perhaps to make an order, you will be flooded with copycat recipes from enthusiastic home chefs all the way up to major food publications offering their take. You might even find a few you want to try. However, it might be best to taste the original first. We found four tips for ordering this dish to be incredibly worthy of a try, at least in our opinion. If you want to take your Alice Springs Chicken to a different level, check out these tasty tricks below for edible encouragement.

While many find the combinations of flavors and textures of this dish to be delightful, there is one item that may cause people to pass — the sautéed mushrooms. There are folks who are allergic, some simply don't like mushrooms, and others may just be looking for a different taste. But don't let this one topping keep you from indulging in just as bountiful a meal in flavor and fulfillment. Perhaps grilled onions would make this dish more appealing. We know it is for one fan on Facebook who said, "I like my Alice by swapping grilled onions for mushrooms."

It seems like a very obvious switch. However, it isn't one many seemed to have thought of. Just imagine what the sweet sharpness of the grilled onions would bring when paired with a rich cheese, salty bacon, sweet honey mustard, and savory grilled chicken. With just one simple swap, the Alice Springs Chicken becomes an entirely different dish ... One that long-time fans and newcomers alike can both enjoy. Of course, if you are a diehard fan of the sautéed mushrooms, don't fret. We have options for you yet to come and a tip from Julia Child on how to best make sauteed mushrooms at home as well.

Another simple switch that can change the profile of the entire Alice Springs Chicken flavor is choosing a different dressing instead of the honey mustard. If you want to keep with the sweet and savory vibe, you may want to think about going with barbecue sauce instead. Sure to elevate the grilled aspects of the chicken, which it already pairs well with, the smoky notes of the barbecue sauce can easily level up the flavor of the cheese and savoriness of the bacon. This change also makes the dish lean more into the realm of comfort food, making the meal more cozy.

Consider choosing ranch over honey mustard, too, taking the dish and charging into a completely different direction. We already know that ranch is perfect with cheese fries. But it's just as yummy to dip juicy chicken fingers and a variety of seasoned chicken wings. This is the perfect time to combine all those flavors — salty bacon, rich cheese, meaty grilled chicken, and a creamy, spicy kick of ranch to smooth everything out and add a little extra zest to the dish. Instead of cozy, you end up on the other side of the spectrum with an exciting, palatable adventure.

Now this choice is a little more interesting and shrouded in just a little bit of mystery. In July of 2020, Outback made a social media statement on X saying, "We took a look at our menu items and decided to discontinue the quesadillas. We're sorry for any disappointment. We highly recommend our original Alice Springs Chicken entrée!" There was no real explanation for the menu cut, but whispers from those on the inside suggested the limiting of menu items was in response to the pandemic and that the initial plan was to return. Regardless, disappointment from the quesadilla fans was strong. So many were shocked when, with little fanfare and no further information, the company dropped a Facebook post in August 2026, asking fans to "like" if they are happy that the Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla is back. Why? For how long? We don't know. So, it's best to get it while it's around.

The quesadillas offer everything you get in the regular entrée — grilled chicken, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, and honey mustard dressing all encased in a crispy tortilla. And to some fans, this is better than the original. "All the best entrées are gone, including this one!" declared one disgruntled fan on Reddit during the quesadilla drought. This version of the Alice Springs Chicken adds a bit of crunch to the dish, which is always welcome.

Now this last one is an insider tip and a bit of an indulgent one, so you'll need to bring your appetite or some good company to share it with. To begin, it seems we can all agree that everything is better with bacon. And when you go and pair that delicious, crispy treat with rich melted cheese, the only thing that can make it even more satisfying is the tasty carrier. Thankfully, with the Alice Springs Chicken entrée, you can double down on the glorious flavors of cheese and bacon by pairing it with another Outback fan favorite —Aussie Cheese Fries!

By simply asking your server to add bacon and cheese (and don't forget the side of ranch) to your Aussie Fries, you are going to be getting the best of both worlds. Not only does this little tip give you the edible benefit of two of the steakhouses' shining stars, but we have also doubled down by actually giving you the possibility to combine two tips in one. Having the ranch alongside your cheese fries, you can experience the taste of both the original honey mustard style of the chicken and this different dressing flavor. We've already discussed the delicious pleasures you can experience with the ranch. What more can be said?