Description
This Mexican Chicken with Cheese Sauce features juicy, spice‑rubbed chicken breasts, all topped with a rich, creamy sharp cheddar cheese sauce. The dish combines bold Mexican flavors and comforting cheesy goodness, making it a family‑friendly dinner that comes together in just over half an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 cup extra‑sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Prep and Season the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C). In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Rub this spice blend thoroughly over both sides of each chicken breast.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium‑high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and sear for about 6–8 minutes per side, until nicely browned and just cooked through. Transfer the seared chicken to a baking dish.
- Prepare the Cheese Sauce: In the same skillet (do not clean the pan), melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk, cooking for 1–2 minutes until the mixture bubbles around the edges but does not brown. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking, and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
- Finish the Sauce: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until completely melted and the sauce is silky. Season with the salt, cayenne, and paprika, whisking to combine thoroughly.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the seared chicken breasts in the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy hot, garnished with fresh cilantro or sliced jalapeños if desired.
Notes
- You can swap sharp cheddar for Monterey Jack or a Mexican cheese blend for a milder flavor.
- Serve with rice, tortillas, or roasted vegetables to soak up the extra sauce.
- For extra heat, add a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese sauce.
- This dish reheats well and can be made ahead for meal prep.
- If using thin cutlets, reduce baking time to avoid overcooking the chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 546
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 819mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.7g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 60g
- Cholesterol: 175mg