This effortless Green Chili Queso Recipe is my favorite easy appetizer this holiday season. Simple and quick, but most importantly, everyone LOVES it. Monterey Jack cheese, roasted Hatch chili peppers, and a touch of garlic. All melted together in one glorious silky dip. All you need is some crunchy tortilla chips!
We are in full-fledged appetizer season and also the time of year when we get to be a little indulgent.
What better time then to introduce to you my green chili queso recipe?! It’s just what we need for our holiday entertaining.
This flavorful dip is made with only a few ingredients and comes together quickly, plus who can resist green chile queso dip? I mean show me one person. From holiday entertaining to the big game day this is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, without a doubt.
Last week I shared with you my favorite choriqueso recipe, which is how Mexicans do cheese dip, and today we are headed to New Mexico for another cheesy dip recipe full of smoky Hatch chiles that is sure to please your taste buds.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- All purpose flour
- Garlic cloves
- Whole milk
- Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese, Oaxaca cheese or pepper jack cheese
- Roasted Hatch chile peppers. Find these New Mexico chiles from the Hatch Chile store or use canned diced green chiles in a pinch.
- Kosher salt
- Green onions, for garnish
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Tortilla chips or lightly toasted bread cubes, for serving
How To Make This Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos)
step one
Make a roux. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and whisk to combine. Let cook a few minutes, whisking continuously, until the flour smells toasted but is not brown. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
step two
Add milk. Gradually pour in the milk, little by little, letting the flour soak up the first bit before adding the next, whisking the whole time. Avoid clumps by not adding too much milk at once, this should take between 3-5 minutes. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat.
step three
Stir in cheese. Add cheese and stir until it is melted and smooth.
step four
Add hatch chiles. Stir in the peppers and a large pinch of salt (about a half teaspoon). Taste and add more salt if needed.
step five
Serve. Pour into a serving bowl, sprinkle scallions, extra chiles, and chopped cilantro over the top and serve immediately with tortilla chips. If you don’t think you’ll eat it right away you can keep it warm in a small crock pot on the “warm” setting.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy dip is not just a dip. There are many different ways you could enjoy delicious recipe:
- Use to make nachos! Top tortilla chips with seasoned ground beef and beans then ladle this queso blanco dip over everything. Add guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream, and pico de gallo and dig in.
- Add a drizzle to your tacos. Try topping shredded beef tacos or chicken street tacos with this cheesy sauce.
- Spoon over steamed veggies like broccoli or cauliflower.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep this green chile queso recipe warm? Transfer the dip to a small slow cooker and set it to the “warm” setting. The dip will stay warm and melty all night.
I can’t find Hatch chiles, what other peppers can I use? For a mild chile con queso you can use roasted bell peppers or Anaheim peppers. Another good substitute would be roasted poblano peppers. If you want to amp up the heat try roasted serrano peppers.
Can you suggestion some flavor variations? Sure! You can switch up the flavor by adding different spices like onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, or ground cumin. Stir them in with the salt at the end.
Top 5 Most Popular Dip Recipes
- Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
- Charred Tomatillo Salsa
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Fruit Dip
- Super Simple Salsa Verde
- Salsa de Cacahuate {Spicy Peanut Salsa}
This Is Seriously The Best Queso
And I can’t wait for you to try it! You won’t believe just a few ingredients can result in such amazing flavor. If you try it, I’d love to hear how you like it! Tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Green Chili Queso Recipe
This effortless Green Chili Queso Recipe is my favorite easy appetizer this holiday season. Simple and quick, but most importantly, everyone LOVES it. Monterey Jack cheese, roasted Hatch chili peppers, and a touch of garlic. All melted together in one glorious silky dip. All you need is some crunchy tortilla chips!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup roasted, diced Hatch green chiles, thawed if frozen or drained well if canned (plus 1/4 cup more for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Make roux. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until flour smells toasted but not browned.
- Add garlic. Add the garlic and cook another minute, whisking frequently.
- Slowly add milk. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk, a little at a time, letting the first bit get soaked up completely by the flour before adding the next. Keep adding until all milk is mixed in. Adding the milk too quickly will result in a clumpy dip so go slow. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Add cheese. Stir in cheese, chiles, and salt then taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve. Transfer to a bowl and top with scallions, remaining chiles, and cilantro. Serve immediatley with tortilla chips.
Notes
- For a spicier version: Look for the Hatch green chiles labled, "hot".
- Dip turned out lumpy? If you weren't able to whisk in the milk well and got a lumpy dip, you can blend the queso dip with an immersion blender before serving.
- To make it a heartier dish: Add cooked and crumbled chorizo or ground beef to the queso dip.
- Make-ahead: This dip is best eaten right away but if you are serving for a party, transfer to a small slow cooker, mix in the garnishes and keep warm on the "warm" setting.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g
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Mimi Rippee says
I love this! And who doesn’t love queso?!! I always grab oaxaca cheese when I make queso, but I do love MJ also.
Kate Ramos says
Thanks so much Mimi! Yes, queso Oaxaca is also a great choice.