Flavorful Baked Queso Chicken (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken smothered in creamy queso sauce with Tex-Mex spices. Ready in under an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Spice Blend
02 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Queso Sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon butter
10 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
13 - 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Garnishes
15 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
17 - ½ cup finely diced red onion (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until evenly blended.
03 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with the spice blend, pressing gently to adhere. Arrange the seasoned breasts in the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the cornstarch and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and continue cooking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring continuously until fully melted and smooth.
06 - Pour the queso sauce evenly over the seasoned chicken breasts in the baking dish, ensuring each piece is well coated.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, the juices run clear, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeño, and diced red onion as desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The queso sauce is basically a warm blanket for chicken and you will want to put it on everything else too.
- It tastes like you spent twice as long as you actually did which is the best kind of weeknight trick.
02 -
- If you pour the milk into the cornstarch too fast you will get lumps that no amount of whisking can fix so go slowly.
- The chicken will look done before the internal temperature actually reads 165 so trust your thermometer over your eyes.
03 -
- Let the cheese sauce cool for about two minutes before pouring it over the raw chicken so it thickens enough to cling instead of running to the edges.
- Shredding your own cheese from a block melts far smoother than pre shredded bags which contain anti caking agents.