One skillet queso chicken is going to be your new favorite chicken dinner! The chicken is generously seasoned then smothered in a smooth white queso. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and a squeeze of lime juice to make the tastiest bite!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE QUESO CHICKEN
You’ll love this recipe because everything cooks up in the same skillet! You do need to wipe clean the skillet after you cook the chicken before you make the queso, but for me that’s still better than having to have multiple pans to clean at the end of the night.
Next, there is no shortage of flavor here. If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of eating under-seasoned chicken this recipe is going to wipe clean all of those bad memories. Just look at this chicken…each bite is loaded with the spice blend and a nice hint of citrus from the lime juice.
And last, the leftovers (if you have any) are versatile! I like to slice the chicken into pieces so they don’t dry out when reheating. You can also just eat the queso as a dip with chips. Lastly, you can turn leftovers into a bowl-style dinner! Start with some rice, top with the sliced chicken, add the queso and any toppings you want!

INGREDIENTS
Here’s what you’ll need from your pantry and fridge to get queso chicken on the dinner table.
- Chicken breasts. Whenever I cook chicken I prefer to buy a pack of 2 chicken breasts, then butterfly them and pound them into thinner slices. I have a post that goes through that process here: How to Butterfly Chicken Breasts. I only used three of the pieces here then froze the 4th piece. If you want to cook all 4 pieces you can definitely do that.
- Seasonings. Garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, chipotle powder. You can also swap the chipotle powder for cayenne pepper if you want.
- Flour. This light coating of flour helps lock-in the seasonings and give a little extra texture when you sauté the chicken. You’ll also need a bit of flour when you make the queso.
- Light cream. For making a silky smooth queso.
- Pepper jack cheese. I love using pepper jack for white queso! The little bits of peppers really make the ideal flavor for me.
- Garlic. You’ll need two cloves when you make the queso.
- Oil + Butter. For cooking the chicken, then a bit of butter for making the queso.
- Limes. The little bit a citrus really makes the flavors out of this world!
- Toppings. I kept it simple with just some chopped lettuce and diced tomatoes.

COOKING TIPS
- When you pound the chicken breast after butterflying, making sure you try to get an even thickness throughout. This will help ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- I always recommend using a digital meat thermometer to make sure you’ve hit 165 degrees! I never cook chicken without confirming the temperature!
- Make sure you cleanout any chicken pieces from the skillet before making the queso. In some one-skillet dinners it doesn’t really matter, but since we want a smooth white queso here we don’t want to introduce any seasoned chicken fond into the sauce.
- The recipe is for the consistency that I like the queso…but if you want it a bit smoother you can add an extra tablespoon or 2 of the light cream to make it saucier.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH QUESO CHICKEN
Now that we have our chicken cooked, what to serve with it? Here are some ideas to round out the meal.
- Mexican rice. You can make your own, but in a quick pinch I’ve been loving this microwave Spanish rice. It’s ready in a minute and keeps this dinner super easy.
- Quinoa.
- Refried beans.
- Mashed potatoes.
- Pasta salad or potato salad.
- Corn.
- Zucchini or grilled zucchini.

If you like the queso here you’re going to love these Queso Blanco Nachos!
And for more weeknight chicken dinners you can try some of these blog favorites:
Spicy Chicken Nuggets
Pesto Chicken Parm
Easy Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
Queso Chicken
Generously seasoned chicken smothered in white queso then topped with chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, and lime wedges.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Mexican American
Ingredients
3 pieces of thin chicken breasts (I buy a pack of 2 chicken breasts, then butterfly them and pound thin)
2 tablespoons of olive oil + 1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder (or cayenne pepper for some heat)
2–3 tablespoons all purpose flour
For the queso
1 cup light cream
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon flour
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
For garnishing
Chopped romaine lettuce
Diced Roma tomatoes
Lime wedges
Instructions
1. Butterfly and pound thin your chicken breasts. I buy a pack of 2 large chicken breasts, butterfly to create 4 thin chicken pieces and use 3 of them for this recipe.
2. Combine the chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, and chipotle powder then season the chicken on all sides. Sprinkle with enough of the flour to coat the chicken and lock in the seasonings.
3. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 4-5 minutes on each side until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Once fully cooked, remove to a plate, squeeze a lime wedge over top, then cover with foil and set aside.
4. Clean out the pan and prepare to make the queso. Over medium heat melt the 1 tablespoon of butter then add the grated garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the flour.
5. Pour in the light cream and heat for 2-3 minutes to thicken, then add the salt and the pepper jack cheese. Reduce heat to low and whisk until the cheese is completely smooth and blended into the cream. Turn off the heat.
To serve, plate a piece of the chicken and smother with the queso. Top with lettuce and tomato and serve with lime wedges on the side.
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