Chorizo Queso
This slow cooker chorizo queso is so incredibly flavor-packed and delicious. Made with Mexican chorizo, cream cheese, freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and green chiles. The perfect appetizer!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 394kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Mexican chorizo ground sausage casings removed
- ½ cup diced yellow onions
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese cut into cubes
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated do not use pre-shredded cheese
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
- 2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cilantro for garnish
- Diced roma tomatoes for garnish
- Jalapeño slices for garnish
Instructions
- Cook chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked, breaking it up into crumbles. Set aside. If it’s not crumbled enough, give it a rough chop.
- In a 3 or 4 quart slow cooker, combine ¾ of the cooked chorizo (save the remaining ¼ for garnish), diced onions, cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, diced green chiles, and ONE 12-ounce can of the evaporated milk (the other can will be used later).
- Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until evenly melted and warm. Stir every 20 minutes for even cooking.
- After about 1 hour, check on the consistency. If you want the queso to be thinner, add more evaporated milk. If needed, season with salt and pepper to taste. Note: You may need the remaining evaporated milk later, as queso tends to thicken when it cools down.
- To serve, garnish with the remaining cooked chorizo, cilantro, diced tomatoes, and jalapeños slices. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips. Enjoy! See notes below for how to keep it warm longer.
Notes
- For the Monterey Jack cheese, I’d recommend buying a block and shredding it at home with a box grater or food processor. Pre-shredded cheese contains starch, which can make the queso grainy.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for best texture.
- Don’t overcook. Overcooking can cause the texture to turn grainy. Once the cheese is smooth and warm in the slow cooker, turn it to the “warm” setting.
- Stovetop method: In a pot or skillet over low heat, combine all ingredients, including the cooked chorizo, until melted, warm, and smooth. There’s no need to bring to a boil, as this can cause it to turn gritty.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Reheat over the stovetop, adding a generous splash of milk to loosen it up as needed.
- Monterey Jack cheese: American cheese.
- Diced green chiles: Roasted or sauted jalapeños.
- Evaporated milk: Half-and-half.
Nutrition
Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1002IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 323mg | Iron: 1mg