Chile Con Queso Recipe

Prepare cheese and slurry

If using block cheese, shred or dice the white American and cheddar so they melt evenly. In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of the half-and-half until smooth to make a slurry; set aside. Measure remaining half-and-half.

Warm a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add the remaining half-and-half (about 14 tbs) and gently warm — do not boil — until steamy. Add cheeses in batches, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula to melt slowly into a smooth sauce. Keep heat low to prevent graininess.

Once cheeses are mostly melted, stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue stirring for 1–2 minutes until the mixture thickens to a creamy, dip-like consistency. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and keep warm while you prepare the chile mixture.

In a separate skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté 4–6 minutes until translucent and beginning to soften.

Add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so garlic doesn't brown.

Stir in the drained canned diced green chiles and optional pickled jalapeño slices. Cook 1–2 minutes to heat and combine flavors.

Pour the chicken broth into the chile and aromatics mixture and bring to a gentle simmer. Add ground cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), and black pepper. Simmer 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and reduce slightly.

Taste and add kosher salt as needed. If you prefer a thinner queso, add up to 2 additional tablespoons of broth and stir until combined.

Stir the chile mixture into the warm cheese mixture in the saucepan. Combine thoroughly over the lowest heat setting until homogenous and heated through, about 1–2 minutes. Do not boil.

If the queso seems too thin, let it sit off heat for 2–3 minutes to thicken, or return to very low heat and stir until desired consistency is reached. If it becomes too thick, whisk in up to 2 tablespoons more broth or half-and-half.

Finish with fresh lime juice, if using, and adjust seasoning to taste.

Transfer chile con queso to a warm serving bowl. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and diced tomato or pico de gallo over the top.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips. To keep warm for a party, place the queso in a small slow cooker on the warm setting and stir occasionally; if it thickens, stir in small amounts of broth or half-and-half to loosen.