Description
A delightful dish of seasoned chicken and creamy cheese sauce, perfect for weeknight meals or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup milk (or heavy cream for a richer taste)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Optional: diced jalapeños for extra heat
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
- Sliced avocados (for serving)
- Tortilla chips or warm tortillas (for serving)
Instructions
- Start by seasoning the chicken. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, ensuring they’re thoroughly coated. Then, sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper evenly over both sides.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for about 5–7 minutes on each side until cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, you can prepare the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring continuously for about a minute.
- Gradually add the milk while continuously whisking to eliminate lumps until the mixture thickens, usually about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the shredded cheeses, allowing them to melt fully into the sauce.
- Once melted, fold in the diced tomatoes and chilies, and add jalapeños if desired.
- After cooking the chicken, remove it from the skillet and slice it into strips. Pour the cheese sauce over the chicken and garnish with cilantro and avocado.
Notes
Marinate the chicken the night before for enhanced flavor and reduced prep time. This dish can be served with tortilla chips or warm tortillas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 70mg