Name: Baked Queso Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 10-ounce can original Ro-tel, undrained; 1 pound Velveeta pasteurized cheese food; 2 Tablespoons milk, optional; 6 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, or more to taste; 4 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 2 Tablespoons olive oil; Fresh cilantro sprigs and chopped scallion greens for garnish (optional); 1 cup broken corn tortilla chips, or to taste

Baked Queso Chicken

For this baked queso chicken, boneless chicken breasts are seasoned and seared, then finished in the oven under a layer of queso sauce. Garnish with cilantro and tortilla chips, and serve more chips on the side to scoop up the extra sauce.

40 min total 10 min prep 30 min cook 4 840 cal

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine Ro-tel and Velveeta. Break up Velveeta into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir until cheese is melted, and the Ro-tel is blended in. Add milk, if a thinner sauce is desired.
3 Stir in white parts of scallions and cilantro. Remove from heat and set aside.
4 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), and set a rack in the middle position. Pound chicken to an even thickness, and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of chicken with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
5 Pour olive oil into a large, ovenproof nonstick skillet, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Carefully add seasoned chicken, and sear both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6 Spread queso sauce evenly over each chicken breast.
7 Bake uncovered in the center of the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the center and juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
8 Sprinkle chicken with cilantro sprigs, green parts of scallions, and broken corn tortilla chips to serve.