TEX MEX BEER & QUESO CHICKEN CHOWDER WITH CRUNCHY TORTILLA STRIPS
I was chosen as 1 of 50 bloggers to compete in the Desert Pepper Blogger Recipe Challenge! I received samples of their Chile con Queso, Cantina Medium Salsa, and Peach Mango Salsa to use in developing creative recipes for entrees, brunch, and game day bites. The challenge is to really think outside of the box and create new recipes highlighting the flavors in these crazy delicious salsas and queso dip!
I tried the Chile con Queso first and fell in love with the medium spicy cheesy goodness!! My mind went to classic beer and cheese soup, but taken to the next level!! This soup has layers of flavor and is as delicious as it is pretty and really easy to make! Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or the perfect game day treat!
Here’s how I made it! Note – you can also scroll to the bottom of this post to skip to the full recipe or click on the photos in this post which will link you to the recipe page as well.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large 5-6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add 1 medium chopped onion, 4 chopped garlic cloves, and 1 chopped jalapeño to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add 1 green, 1 red, and 1 orange bell pepper, each chopped along with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes more until the peppers start to soften.
Add 1 bottle of your favorite beer to the pot and bring to a boil scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add 1 jar of the Desert Pepper Chile con Queso and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and ½ cup of heavy cream to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very low boil, stirring. Stir in ½ cup of Minute rice and cook for 5 minutes on low.
Add 2, 15 ounce cans of black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 cup of frozen corn, and 1, 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes (including their juices) to the pot and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, letting all of the flavors meld. Add 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken and ½ cup of chopped cilantro to the pot. Let simmer on low until you are ready to serve.
To make the tortilla strip garnish, cut 4 tortillas in half and stack the halves on top of each other. Slice into thin ¼ – ½” wide strips. Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a large saucepan (or fryer) to 365 degrees. Drop the tortilla strips into the hot oil in batches and fry, tossing occasionally with tongs or a spider until they are golden brown and crispy. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels and season immediately with salt.
Serve the hot chowder in bowls and garnish with the tortilla strips, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges for squeezing. DEVOUR!!!
TEX MEX BEER & QUESO CHICKEN CHOWDER WITH CRUNCHY TORTILLA STRIPS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small orange bell pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1, 12 ounce beer (your favorite flavor)
1, 16 ounce jar Authentic Desert Pepper Chile con Queso – Medium
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup quick cooking rice (like Minute Rice)
2, 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1, 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded into bite size pieces (rotisserie or leftover chicken is great here)
½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)
4, 6” tortillas
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 limes, cut into wedges
Heat the olive oil in a large 5-6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeño to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add all of the bell peppers and the salt and black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes more until the peppers start to soften.
Add the beer to the pot and bring to a boil scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the Desert Pepper Chile con Queso and whisk until smooth. Add the chicken stock and cream to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very low boil, stirring. Stir in the Minute rice and cook for 5 minutes on low.
Add the black beans, corn, and chopped tomatoes (including their juices) to the pot and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, letting all of the flavors meld. Add the shredded chicken and chopped cilantro to the pot. Let simmer on low until you are ready to serve.
To make the tortilla strips, cut the tortillas in half and stack the halves on top of each other. Slice into thin ¼ – ½” wide strips. Heat the oil in a large saucepan (or fryer) to 365 degrees. Drop the tortilla strips into the hot oil in batches and fry, tossing occasionally with tongs or a spider until they are golden brown and crispy. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels and season immediately with salt.
Serve the hot chowder in bowls and garnish with the tortilla strips, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges for squeezing. DEVOUR!!!
Visit https://desertpepper.com for more of their delicious salsas and queso and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DesertPepperTradingCo and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/DesertPepperTradingCo !
You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at: Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer
#desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa
