Are you looking for a delicious chicken recipe to add flavor to your plate? The chicken smothered in queso is a delicious recipe to add to your cooking routine. It is perfect when you want to change the regular chicken recipe you prepare for dinner. We all want to come home and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal. But we don’t want to waste too much time in the kitchen.
So, this recipe strikes the perfect balance between flavors and cooking time. I let the chicken marinate in the store-bought marinade. You can leave it for at least 30 minutes, but I always prepare this ahead of time and let it sit overnight. Or you can just pop it in a ziplock bag in the evening to make your dinner the next day. Everything is easy when you organize all the smaller tasks. Also, this dish is perfect if you’re looking for a budget-friendly restaurant-style meal.
It is like a complete dish with creamy orzo, tender chicken, and a cheesy sauce on top. I’ll share some tips and tricks on making this recipe with you, so be sure to follow through.
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Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- Chicken breasts, boneless, pounded to be even
- Orzo
- Chicken broth
- Tomato paste
- Chili powder OR Southwest Seasoning
- Baja Marinade
- Velveeta Cheese loaf, diced
- Rotel, diced tomatoes and green chiles
How to make Chicken Smothered in Queso:
Add the chicken together with the marinade into a Ziploc bag. Seal it and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can also prepare this the evening before so it can marinate overnight.
Remove the chicken and cook it on the grill until it is no longer pink.
Heat olive oil and cook the orzo until brown.
Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and southwest seasoning. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes.
When done, don’t forget to mix it with a fork to fluff it. Add green chiles, Velveeta cubes, and diced tomatoes into a bowl.
Microwave the mixture in 30-minute intervals, stirring between each until the cheese melts.
Serve the grilled chicken over orzo and pour some of the queso.
Serve and enjoy!
How long does it take to marinate the chicken?
I marinated the meat with one bottle of Baja Marinate for this recipe. Thirty minutes is enough, but if you want your chicken to be flavorful, go for overnight or a couple of hours. This helps make the chicken tender, but also adds flavor to it.
How to store it?
When cooled, you can store the chicken smothered in queso in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days, so it is the perfect meal if you want to do some meal prepping.
Chicken Smothered in Queso
Are you looking for a delicious chicken recipe to add flavor to your plate? The chicken smothered in queso is a delicious recipe to add to your cooking routine. It is perfect when you want to change the regular chicken recipe you prepare for dinner.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
-
- Olive Oil
-
- Chicken breasts, boneless, pounded to be even
-
- Orzo
-
- Chicken broth
-
- Tomato paste
-
- Chili powder OR Southwest Seasoning
-
- Baja Marinade
-
- Velveeta Cheese loaf, diced
-
- Rotel, diced tomatoes and green chiles
Instructions
- Add the chicken together with the marinade into a Ziploc bag. Seal it and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can also prepare this the evening before so it can marinate overnight.
- Remove the chicken and cook it on the grill until it is no longer pink. Heat olive oil and cook the orzo until brown.
- Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and southwest seasoning. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes.
- When done, don’t forget to mix it with a fork to fluff it. Add green chiles, Velveeta cubes, and diced tomatoes into a bowl.
- Microwave the mixture in 30-minute intervals, stirring between each until the cheese melts.
- Serve the grilled chicken over orzo and pour some of the queso.
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main
Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.
