There is absolutely nothing healthy about this dish but sometimes you just need to indulge. The ingredient list seems long, but it's actually a really easy meal to put together. And, surprisingly, these reheat beautifully. My only caution is to test your jalapenos before you add them to the queso. Sometimes jalapenos are more like green peppers and other times they're fiery little devils. The last time I made these one jalapeno was mild and the other was super spicy. I ended up using only a quarter of the spicy one and the queso was perfect.
One more note - these are a wonderful vegetarian meal but Steve likes meat so I usually add some of the rotisserie chicken I keep in the freezer. The chicken is entirely unnecessary but know it's an option if you also live with a carnivore.
Soft Cheese Tacos
Homesick Texan
For the queso:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
2-4 jalapeños, seeded and diced (check spice level!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup diced grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
1 pound American cheese, chopped or shredded
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For the soft cheese tacos:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
12 ounces (3 cups) Colby Jack, shredded
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
2 cups cooked chicken (optional)
Garnish: sliced pickled jalapeño, minced cilantro
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and jalapeños. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 30 more seconds.
Whisk together the cornstarch, milk and water until well combined then pour into the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for a couple of minutes until it thickens. Turn the heat down to low and add the American cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted, then add the salt and cumin. Turn off the heat.
Pour the oil into a 9x13 baking dish. Place the tortillas in the baking dish (it’s okay if they overlap) and move them around to make sure they all get coated with some of the oil. Place uncovered in the oven for 5 minutes until they're soft and warm. Remove the baking dish from the oven and stack the tortillas on a plate. Reserve the baking dish.
To assemble the tacos, place a warm tortilla on a clean surface. Add 1/4 cup of the shredded Colby Jack down the center of the tortilla then add 1 teaspoon of the onions and some chicken, if using. Roll the tortilla then place seam side down in the reserved baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Reheat the queso over low heat, stirring occasionally. Once the tacos are done, remove them from the oven and pour the queso evenly over the tacos. They'll be swimming in queso, which is what you want. Serve warm with sliced pickled jalapeños and cilantro.