Chips & Cheese Recipe
Make Chips & Cheese Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Chips
Cheese Sauce
Toppings
Assembly
Method
Chips
- 1
Prepare oven and chips
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the ovenproof baking sheet or platter with foil or parchment if using. Spread the 12 oz bag of kettle-style potato chips in an even single layer (or slightly overlapping) on the baking sheet so chips cover most of the surface but are not piled too high.
Cheese Sauce
- 2
Make a roux
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs unsalted butter. Once melted and foamy, add 2 tbs all-purpose flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the raw flour smell is gone (do not let it brown).
- 3
Add dairy
Slowly pour in 1.5 cups whole milk and 0.5 cups heavy cream in a thin stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking regularly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 3–5 minutes).
- 4
Finish the sauce
Lower the heat to low. Remove the pan briefly from the heat and stir in 2 oz softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar a small handful at a time, stirring between additions until fully melted and smooth. Stir in 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard, 0.25 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to another 0.25 tsp salt if needed). Keep the sauce warm on the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally so it doesn't separate.
Toppings
- 5
- 6
Prepare fresh toppings
Trim and thinly slice 1 medium jalapeño (remove seeds if you prefer less heat). Dice the tomato to yield 0.5 cups. Slice 3 green onions on the diagonal into thin pieces. Chop 0.25 cups cilantro. In a small bowl, mix 0.5 cups sour cream with the juice of 1 lime and 1 tsp hot sauce to make a quick lime crema; taste and adjust hot sauce or lime as desired.
- 7
Warm jalapeño (optional)
If you want the jalapeño slightly softened, add 1 tbs olive oil to the skillet used for bacon (wipe out any excess bacon fat first), warm over medium, and sauté the sliced jalapeño for 1–2 minutes until bright and slightly softened; transfer to a small bowl.
Assembly
- 8
Dress the chips
Working quickly, pour the warm cheese sauce evenly over the chips on the baking sheet. Use a spatula to distribute sauce so most chips get coverage but some remain crisp. Scatter the chopped bacon evenly over the sauced chips, then sprinkle the diced tomato, sautéed or fresh jalapeño slices, and half of the sliced green onions on top.
- 9
Bake to set (optional)
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 5–7 minutes to warm everything through and make the sauce bubbly (do not bake longer than needed or chips will get soggy). Remove from the oven when sauce is bubbling and toppings are warmed.
- 10
Garnish and serve
Finish with the remaining green onions and chopped cilantro. Add dollops of the lime crema across the chips and a final squeeze of lime if desired. Serve immediately while warm and the chips are still mostly crisp.
