Chili-Cheese Chicken
A spoonful of jalapeño jelly turns into a glossy glaze over this baked chicken. Roasted green chiles and melting Monterey Jack make the sweet, gentle heat feel like supper.
Recipe link
Prep time10 min
Cook time30 min
Total time45 min
- Course
- Main Course
- Cuisine
- Granny's Recipes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 380
Ingredients
Jalapeño Glaze
- 6 tablespoons green jalapeño jelly
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves — about 1½ pounds total
- to taste Salt and black pepper (optional) — to taste
- 1 (7-ounce) can whole roasted green chiles — drained, opened flat, and seeded if necessary
- 5 oz Monterey Jack cheese — sliced
Optional Garnish
- Fresh cilantro (optional) — chopped
- Lime wedges (optional) — optional
Instructions
- Make the Glaze: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, combine the jalapeño jelly, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Warm in the oven for 5–10 minutes, whisking once or twice, just until the jelly melts and the glaze is smooth and pourable. Do not let it boil hard.6 tablespoons green jalapeño jelly, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey
- Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. If the breasts vary substantially in thickness, gently pound only the thickest portions until they are approximately ¾–1 inch thick. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Turn the chicken in the warm glaze until coated, then arrange the pieces side by side in the baking dish without overlapping.4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, salt, black pepper
- Start Baking: Bake the chicken uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Add the Chiles and Cheese: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Lay one drained, opened green chile over each chicken breast. Cover each portion evenly with sliced Monterey Jack cheese, then spoon a little of the glaze over the top.1 (7-ounce) can whole roasted green chiles, 5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
- Finish Baking: Return the dish to the oven and bake for 5–15 minutes more, checking the chicken at the early end of the range. The chicken is done when the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling and slightly thickened, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast registers 165°F. If the glaze around the edges begins to darken too quickly, loosely shield those areas with foil.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest in the baking dish for 5 minutes. Spoon the pan sauce over each portion and serve hot. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.Fresh cilantro, lime wedges
Notes
- Chicken: Chicken breast sizes vary considerably. The 1½-pound total and relatively even thickness are important to the cooking range, but the 165°F internal temperature determines when the chicken is done.
- Glaze: Warm the jelly mixture only until it is smooth and pourable. The sugar will continue to concentrate and brown during the chicken’s bake.
- Green Chiles: Whole canned roasted green chiles provide the classic layered appearance. Mild chiles keep the recipe gently spicy. Whole roasted Hatch green chiles may be used when available, but they are not required.
- Cheese: Monterey Jack gives the base recipe its mild, creamy finish. Pepper Jack may be substituted for a noticeably spicier variation.
- Make Ahead: The glaze may be mixed and refrigerated in a covered container up to 1 day ahead. Warm it in the baking dish before coating the chicken.
- Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently, covered, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with Brazilian Tomato Rice, Three Bean Salad, or Molasses Corn Bread with Orange Butter.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
4 servings — Serving size: 1 chicken breast
Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.
- Calories
- 380
- Carbohydrates
- 9.5 g
- Protein
- 47.5 g
- Fat
- 15.5 g
- Saturated Fat
- 7.5 g
- Cholesterol
- 160 mg
- Sodium
- 370 mg
- Fiber
- 0.3 g
- Total Sugars
- 9 g
Equipment
- Baking dish (9 x 13-inch.)
- Small whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Meat mallet or rolling pin (Optional; use only when the thickest parts of the chicken breasts need evening out.)
- Instant-read thermometer (Use to verify that the thickest part of each chicken breast reaches 165°F.)
- Aluminum foil (Optional; use to loosely shield the glaze around the edges if it darkens too quickly.)