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Mexican Chicken with Cheese Sauce

Mexican chicken with cheese sauce featuring juicy blackened-style seared chicken smothered in a thick, glossy queso sauce. The jalapeño and diced tomatoes (Rotel) show through as a vibrant orange pool that coats every surface.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
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
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) drained
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • fresh cilantro for serving
  • lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Rub the chicken breasts with taco seasoning, then sear in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F (use a clear visual cue: browned exterior).
  2. Rest the chicken briefly, then slice so the queso sauce can coat the surfaces easily.
Make the queso cheese sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the all-purpose flour for 1 minute until smooth and lightly cooked.
  2. Gradually add the whole milk while whisking until the mixture is smooth with no lumps (visual cue: glossy, uniform pale base).
  3. Stir in the Mexican cheese blend and Velveeta until melted, then add the Rotel, jalapeño, and cumin.
  4. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick (visual cue: it coats the back of a spoon and looks like a thick orange pool).
Assemble and serve
  1. Plate the sliced chicken and pour the cheese sauce generously over the top so it covers every surface.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges for bright finishing color and flavor.

Notes

Pro tip: for the thickest queso, whisk the flour into the melted butter until smooth before adding milk, then simmer only 3-4 minutes so it stays glossy. Store leftover chicken and sauce separately in the fridge up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stove and stir until smooth. Freezing: sauce freezes poorly with cheese texture, so it’s best to freeze none or only the cooked chicken. For a lighter option, swap whole milk for evaporated skim milk and use reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend and Velveeta-style melting cheese.