This recipe has been a favorite of pretty much everyone I have known since I was a kid. My mother put this recipe together in the 80’s, and it is the #1 food item requested of her at just about every family gathering. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that this recipe be made with fresh or frozen roasted green chiles, not canned ones. Try this recipe. Your views of what makes a great chile con queso will never be the same.
Chile Chicken con Queso
(for a crowd)
- 5-6 large cloves garlic – crushed in a garlic press
- 4 large onions – slivered
- 6-7 dz. roasted/peeled long green chili – seed removed & chopped coarsely *
- 1/4 c. margarine
- 3 cans cream of chicken soup
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 5 lbs Velveeta cheese – cubed
- 2 lbs jalapeno Monterrey jack cheese – cubed
- 1 lb American cheese
- Crushed hot red chili pequin (If your long green chili isn’t hot enough)
- Knorr’s Chicken flavor Bouillon (to taste) (I use about 2 heaping tablespoons)**
Boil chicken breasts till done through (allow to cool and chop very fine)
Melt margarine in large heavy skillet. Add garlic and saute a couple of minutes. Add onions. Saute over low heat till they just begin to turn clear – Add green chili. Allow to heat through thoroughly. Add cream of chicken soup a can at a time, heating and stirring until it liquefies. (At this point you will probably have to pour some of the mixture off to another large pan (stock pot size) because your skillet will be full – If so, keep the second pan on a low burner – stir frequently).
Add the cubed cheese to your skillet a little at a time, allowing each addition to melt. As you skillet fills, you may have to pour some more off into the second pan. Use low heat so the cheese does not scorch. (The purpose of keeping as much of the onion, chili and soup mixture in the skillet as you can when you add cheese is so you don’t end up with just cheese in the skillet, which will easily scorch.)
When all the cheese is melted, add chopped chicken, stir and heat thoroughly. Pour all the mixture into the large pan and mix thoroughly. Add 1-2 (or more according to taste) Knorr’s chicken flavor bouillon. At this point, taste and if it is not spicy enough for your taste – add some crushed red chili pequine, little at a time until it suits your taste. (It also adds a little color)
Serve in a crock pot so it stays hot. I use a 6 quart crock pot. I always have some left over to replenish the crock pot or to freeze for later use.
Hints:
* Do not ever, ever, ever try to substitute canned long green chili – You will be very disappointed with the results.
**That’s it – Rhonda’s “secret ingredient” is the Knorr’s – It enriches the flavor. If you are unfamiliar with it, it can generally be found in either the soup section of your local supermarket where bullion cubes are found, or in the Mexican or Latin foods section. It looks like this:
