Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Happier Hour at home including this queso fundido with chorizo baked right in a cast iron skillet. Pair with your favorite tamales, tacos, and/or taquitos.

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Before you start planning your Mother’s Day brunch menu, what are you doing for Cinco de Mayo? Since my 30th birthday is the day before (only the best day ever – may the fourth be with you), Cinco de Mayo is basically my birthday 2.0 Mexican style. But instead of wading through the crowds at a local Mexican restaurant, how about we throw a Happier Hour party at home with a taco bar?

After picking up a few Delimex tamales, tacos, and taquitos at Walmart all I had to do was plan a couple side dishes to pair with them to complete my Cinco de Mayo menu. What better partner than hot and spicy cheese dip? I made queso fundido with chorizo which was first cooked on the stovetop and ended in the oven where it got all nice and bubbly.

To make things even easier, I was able to pop the taquitos into the oven as well so that they were both hot and ready at the same time. Which by the way means that after 25 minutes of total cook time you’ll be ready to eat this fabulous feast. Just as fast as if you were at a restaurant!

Despite the ease and speed at which this Happier Hour spread was executed, I still managed to burn the roof of my mouth as I could not resist and started to devour the taquitos straight out of the oven. Bob actually told me I was starting to look a bit frenzied. Don’t get in between me and my cheese when I am hungry, folks.

Of course this situation was enhanced further by dipping the taquitos right into the queso fundido because what’s better than dipping a cheesy chicken taquito into more hot cheese? If that’s crazy, I don’t want to be sane.

Be sure to check out more delicious recipes at DelimexFiesta.com. What are your favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes to spice up your taco bar for an at home Happier Hour?

One year ago: Breakfast Sausage Ravioli

Two years ago: Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Greek Yogurt

Three years ago: Whole Wheat Thin Crust Pizza Dough

QUESO FUNDIDO WITH CHORIZO

Serves 8

Ingredients:

DIP

1/2 lb. (about 2 links) chorizo sausage, casings removed

1/2 medium onion, diced

Salt, to taste

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp milk

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

GARNISH

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 Roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet (I used an 8-inch cast iron), cook and crumble the sausage until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, leaving 1 teaspoon of oil behind, and pour the chorizo through a strainer, reserving the chorizo oil. Set both aside.
3. To the same skillet with 1 teaspoon of sausage oil, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over medium-high heat until the onion is soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 second to 1 minute. Add the milk and cook, stirring, until thickened slightly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 of the chorizo, all of the cheese, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts and the surface develops golden brown spots.
5. Remove from the oven, top with remaining chorizo, a few teaspoons of chorizo oil (if preferred), avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Smells Like Home, A Cozy Kitchen, and Kitchen Konfidence.