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Mexican Chicken with Cheese Sauce

Mexican chicken with cheese sauce featuring juicy blackened-style seared breasts smothered in a thick, glossy queso sauce. The vibrant orange pool coats every surface with jalapeño and diced tomatoes in a smooth, melty base.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the blackened-style chicken
  1. Rub the chicken breasts with taco seasoning until evenly coated. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F, then rest and slice.
Make the queso cheese sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Gradually add the whole milk while whisking until smooth.
  2. Stir in the shredded Mexican cheese blend and cubed Velveeta until fully melted. Add the drained Rotel, diced jalapeño, and cumin, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick.
Assemble and serve
  1. Plate sliced chicken and pour the queso cheese sauce generously over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
  2. Serve alongside rice, tortillas, or over nachos.

Notes

Pro tip: Whisk the milk in gradually so the sauce stays silky before the cheeses melt. Store leftover chicken and queso in separate airtight containers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop to loosen the sauce with a splash of milk. Freezing: freeze the chicken only up to 2 months (queso can separate when thawed). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat milk and a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend while keeping Velveeta to maintain meltiness.