Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken (Instant Pot Recipe) Recipe
This Jalapeño Cheddar Chicken recipe combines tender chicken with spicy jalapeños and rich cheddar cheese in a creamy, flavorful sauce. Perfectly cooked in the Instant Pot for a quick, comforting meal, it can also be adapted for slow cooker preparation. A delicious way to enjoy a spicy, cheesy dinner that pairs well with rice, noodles, or tortilla chips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (Instant Pot method)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenders or breasts
- 4–6 jalapeños, sliced, with or without seeds
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 can corn, drained
- 6 scallions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, torn
- 4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
For Thickening
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Saute Chicken and Vegetables: Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode on high for 6 minutes. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Add the chicken tenders and brown each side for about 2 minutes. Then add the sliced jalapeños, diced onions, and minced garlic, tossing with the chicken; sauté for the remaining 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Spices: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping any stuck bits from the bottom. Then add the drained corn, chopped scallions, heavy cream, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Do not stir the mixture.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quickly release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Incorporate Cheese: Transfer the inner pot to a heat-proof surface and let cool for 2 minutes. Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup at a time, stirring between additions until fully melted. The sauce will be watery at this point.
- Prepare Roux: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until it forms a thick paste.
- Thicken Sauce: Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot and set to sauté on high for 6 minutes. Add the butter-flour paste to the pot and whisk until combined, about 1 minute. Stir occasionally and gently scrape the bottom to prevent sticking as the sauce simmers and thickens over the next 5 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the chicken back into the pot along with the torn fresh cilantro. Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken further. Serve with extra sauce over rice, noodles, or as a dip for tortilla chips.
Notes
- You can adjust the number of jalapeños and whether to include seeds based on your preferred spice level.
- If using chicken breasts instead of tenders, consider slicing them into smaller pieces for even cooking.
- This recipe works well with both the Instant Pot and slow cooker methods as described.
- For a thicker sauce, allow the dish to rest longer after cooking before serving.
- Extra cheddar cheese and jalapeños can be added as garnish according to taste.
- Serve with rice, noodles, or tortilla chips to complement the rich sauce.
Keywords: jalapeño chicken, cheddar chicken, Instant Pot chicken recipe, spicy chicken, creamy chicken dish, pressure cooker chicken, cheesy chicken recipe, jalapeño cheddar sauce
