Pin it
Juicy, well-spiced chicken breasts topped with a creamy, homemade cheesy topping that brings authentic Mexican flavors straight to your home cooking. This dish pairs wonderfully seasoned poultry with a smooth, velvety cheese topping that's surprisingly simple to whip up.
I first learned about this dish in my mom's cooking space, where she showed me that making perfect cheese sauce comes down to taking your time with stirring and watching your heat levels carefully.
Key Components
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps your sauce reach the right thickness
- Full-fat Heavy Cream: Creates the creamiest sauce
- Fresh Spices: Look at expiration dates for best flavor punch
- Real Butter: Skip the substitutes
- Freshly Grated Sharp Cheddar: For the most velvety sauce texture
- Chicken Breasts: Pounded to uniform thickness for even cooking
Step-By-Step Cooking Guide
- 1. Getting Your Chicken Ready:
- First, completely dry your chicken breasts with paper towels. Take a meat tenderizer and pound the chicken between plastic wrap until it's about ½-inch thick all around. This helps it cook evenly. In a small bowl, mix your spices together: equal amounts of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika (about a teaspoon each). Rub this mix all over both sides of your chicken.
- 2. Seasoning Time:
- Let your chicken sit out for about 15 minutes with those spices. This gives the flavors time to sink in. While waiting, heat your oven to 375°F and put parchment paper on a baking sheet. Letting the meat rest also makes sure it'll cook more evenly later.
- 3. Cooking Your Chicken:
- Put the seasoned pieces on your baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. Cook them for about 15-18 minutes. You'll know they're done when a meat thermometer shows 165°F in the middle. How long they take depends on how thick they are, so always go by temperature.
- 4. Starting Your Sauce:
- While the chicken's in the oven, start on your sauce. Melt some butter in a pan over medium heat until it's bubbly but not turning brown. Stir in your flour and keep cooking for just 1 minute to get rid of that raw flour taste. Your mixture should be slightly golden and smell a bit nutty.
- 5. Building The Sauce:
- Slowly pour in warm heavy cream while stirring non-stop to avoid lumps. Keep stirring until the sauce gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon - usually takes 3-5 minutes. Turn the heat down low before you add any cheese.
- 6. Adding The Cheese:
- Add your freshly grated cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly until each handful melts completely before adding more. This keeps your sauce smooth instead of grainy. For extra kick, try adding a tiny bit of cayenne or a few drops of hot sauce. Your finished sauce should be smooth and thick enough to cover the chicken well but still easy to pour.
- 7. Putting It All Together:
- Take your chicken out and let it sit for 5 minutes. Put the pieces on plates and pour your warm cheese sauce over each one. As the sauce cools a bit, it'll get to just the right thickness.
Pin it
Great Side Dishes
- Fresh avocado slices
- Pico de gallo
- Warm tortillas
- Roasted vegetables
- Black beans
- Mexican rice
Keeping Leftovers
Keep the chicken and sauce in different sealed containers for up to 3 days. When warming up the sauce, do it slowly on low heat, stirring now and then. You might need to add a splash of cream to make it smooth again. Heat up the chicken in a 350°F oven until it's hot all the way through.
Prep Ahead Ideas
Get different parts ready in advance for quick cooking:
- Warm sauce gently before serving
- Get garnishes ready the morning of your meal
- Make the cheese sauce up to 2 days early
- Add spices to the chicken up to 24 hours ahead
Pin it
Pin it
This Mexican chicken dish with cheese sauce combines basic ingredients to make something truly tasty. The secret is watching your temperatures and being patient when making the sauce. It works great for family dinners or when you want to impress friends with food that tastes like it came from a restaurant.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I prep the cheese sauce beforehand?
- It's better when fresh, but you can warm it up later with a bit of milk to smooth it out if needed.
- → Will this dish burn my mouth?
- It's medium hot but you can tone it down by using less cayenne and fewer red pepper flakes.
- → Which cheese works best?
- Really sharp cheddar gives amazing flavor, and cheese you grate yourself melts way better than the packaged kind.
- → Can I cook the chicken on my grill?
- Sure, just grill it on medium-high for about 5-6 minutes each side until it's done.
- → What should I serve with it?
- Rice, quinoa, oven-roasted veggies, or a crisp salad all go great with this meal.