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Mexican Chicken with Cheese Sauce

Mexican chicken with cheese sauce featuring juicy blackened-style chicken breasts smothered in a thick, glossy queso sauce. The vibrant orange pool coats every surface with jalapeño and tomato visible in the sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 760

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Cheese Sauce (Queso)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 4 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), drained
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Blackened-Style Chicken
  1. Rub the boneless skinless chicken breasts with taco seasoning until evenly coated. Heat a cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat until hot, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F, until the surface looks deeply browned.
  2. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest briefly. Slice the chicken and keep it ready for plating so juices stay in the meat.
Thick Queso Cheese Sauce
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the all-purpose flour for 1 minute until lightly bubbling and smooth. Gradually add the whole milk while whisking until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Stir in the shredded Mexican cheese blend and Velveeta until melted and glossy. Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel), jalapeño, and cumin, then simmer for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the sauce is smooth and thick, with a slow ribbon consistency.
Serve
  1. Plate the sliced chicken and pour the queso cheese sauce generously over the top. Let the orange sauce pool around the chicken so it coats every surface.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing at the table. Add a squeeze just before eating for bright, fresh flavor.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the milk mixture whisked while warming so it stays smooth before adding the cheeses. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove on low heat, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen the queso. Freeze the cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat low and slow for best texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend and part-skim milk while keeping Velveeta for melt and thickness.