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Simple Joyful Food

small ideas that add joy to life

breakfast + brunch

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles.

September 25, 2024 Leave a Comment
Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - up close (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg
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If you’ve ever wished chicken and waffles weren’t so sweet, swap out the syrup with Desert Pepper Chili Con Queso sauce for the ultimate savory brunch dish.

#desertpepperrecipechallenge, #desertpeppertradingco, #desertpeppersalsa

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - overhead with product (c)simplejoyfulfood

My friend Janette and I recently enjoyed loaded nachos at YEYOS in Bentonville. I had an epiphany as we were Ooooooo and Aaaaaa’ing over the incredible merging of the dish’s mind-blowing sauces, cheeses, and flavors.

“What if…. What if you made Chicken and Waffles instead of pouring maple syrup all over it… what if… What if you poured Chili Con Queso all over it?”

We both sat there in somewhat stunned silence. 

You would’ve thought we had just discovered a cure for cancer, a solution for peace in the Middle East, or why boy bands are still called boy bands even in their fifties.

Even better… we realized the potential impact of a delicious Chicken and Waffle on the world. A better mousetrap. A brunch breakthrough! 

So, without any further ado….

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I present the ultimate brunch dish: Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles with savory cheese sauce drizzle and cheesy jalapeno waffles.

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - featured image (c)simplejoyfulfood

The best part? This dish is super easy to make! Buy your chicken strips from the deli or drive-through, use a waffle mix, and add the shredded cheese and diced jalapenos to the waffle mix. 

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - ingredients (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg

But don’t use any old queso sauce—you want the sauce to be the shining crown on top!

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - overhead with salsa (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg

I highly recommend Desert Pepper’s Chili Con Queso sauce because it tastes homemade, unlike the watered-down white or yellow sauce at most run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurants. 

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - Queso with food in background (c)simplejoyfulfood

You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, and Meijer. Desert Pepper Trading Co’s website lists the ingredients for its Chili Con Queso sauce and salsas, and you can also find inspiration on its Facebook page and Instagram feed.

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - salsa with queso (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - plate with product (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg

I can see now that restaurant chains will start airing “Queso Chicken and Waffles” commercials. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian will scrunch up their noses (scratch that, botox, aka no scrunching) and say, “Ew. Regular Chicken and Waffles are sooo not hot. Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles? Now, that’s hot.” 

Maybe that boy band will even sing a song about it. With jazz hands, of course.

Enjoy your delicious brunch while solving world peace.

Eat well, my friends.

Lyndi

Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - overhead (c)simplejoyfulfood.jpeg

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Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles - featured image (c)simplejoyfulfood
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Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles

Swap out the syrup in Chicken and Waffles with Desert Pepper Chili Con Queso sauce for the ultimate savory brunch dish. #desertpepperrecipechallenge, #desertpeppertradingco, #desertpeppersalsa
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Chili Con Queso Chicken and Waffles
Servings 4 to 8 people

Ingredients

  • 4-8 Pre-cooked fried chicken tenders (see instruction #5)
  • Waffle mix of your choice, enough to make eight small waffles or four regular-size
  • 1 tbsp Pickled jalapenos, chopped
  • 1 medium Tomato, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp Dried cilantro
  • 1/4 cup Shredded cheddar or Mexican-style cheese
  • 1/4 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp Ground black pepper
  • 1/2 bottle Desert Pepper Trading Co Chili Con Queso 
  • 1/4 cup Desert Pepper Trading Co Cantina Medium Salsa for dipping (optional)
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Warm pre-cooked chicken strips in the oven, according to package instructions.
  • Mix waffle mix according to package instructions (enough to make eight small waffles) and add jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, shredded cheese, salt, and ground pepper. Set aside.
  • Over medium heat, warm Desert Pepper Trading Co Chili Con Queso. Remove from heat and keep the lid on to keep it warm.
  • Make waffles according to the package and your waffle maker’s size. Spray Oil Spray on the waffle maker for each waffle.
  • Plate: 1-2 waffles per plate, 1-2 chicken fingers per plate, and drizzle with Chili Con Queso sauce. Serve!

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My name is Lyndi Fultz, and I live in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, which span Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri.

I like to share small ideas for living simply and eating happily.

You will find that I talk a lot about food because we all need to eat. Why not add little bits of food joy where possible?

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“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savor it, analyze it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.” – Julia Child

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