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Mexican Chicken with Cheese Sauce

Mexican chicken with cheese sauce featuring blackened, juicy chicken breasts smothered in a thick, glossy queso sauce. The orange, jalapeño-and-tomato queso coats every surface for a vibrant Tex-Mex chicken dinner.
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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: 850
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 cubed
  • 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
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Rub chicken breasts with taco seasoning. Sear in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165°F, then rest briefly and slice.
Make the queso sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour smell.
  2. Gradually add whole milk while whisking until smooth. Keep the sauce base lump-free and glossy, then stir until fully combined.
  3. Stir in shredded Mexican cheese blend and cubed Velveeta until melted. Add Rotel, jalapeño, and cumin, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick with a vibrant orange color.
Serve
  1. Plate sliced chicken and pour cheese sauce generously over the top until the surface is fully coated. Finish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for brightness.

Notes

For the smoothest queso, whisk the milk in slowly and keep the heat at medium so the cheese melts evenly without graininess. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk. Freeze is not recommended because the sauce can separate after thawing. For a lower-sodium swap, choose a reduced-sodium taco seasoning and reduced-sodium Mexican cheese blend while keeping the same thickening method.