Chorizo-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Queso Sauce

Ingredients

• For the chicken and filling:
• 1 link Mexican chorizo, casing removed
• 1 medium jalapeño, stemmed and minced
• 1/2 medium white onion, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• For the cheese sauce:
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, minced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup light beer, such as pale ale or lager
• 3 ounces Velveeta, cut into small cubes
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
• 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup whole milk

Directions

1. Cook the chorizo in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, crumbling it as it cooks, until it is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and onion, and keep cooking until they soften, 6 to 7 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, transfer the mixture to paper towels to drain, and set it aside.
2. With a sharp knife, butterfly the chicken breast halves. Cut down the length of each breast while keeping your knife parallel to the cutting board, stopping just before you slice all the way through, so the chicken opens up like a little book.
3. Place each opened chicken breast half on plastic wrap, lay another piece of plastic wrap over the top, and pound with a meat pounder until each piece is 1/4-inch thick. Peel away the plastic, then trim each breast into an even rectangle. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling over each piece of chicken, keeping a 1/4-inch border at the edges. Roll each breast lengthwise, tie it with kitchen twine at 3/4-inch intervals, and season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Brown the chicken on every side, about 5 minutes, then move it to a platter and set it aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the onion turns translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Pour in the beer, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add the cheeses and stir until the sauce is melted and smooth. Season generously with pepper, then stir in the milk.
6. Put the chicken back into the Dutch oven, turn the heat to low, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken rolls reads 150 degrees F, or 160 degrees F if you want to follow USDA guidelines, about 15 minutes.
7. Move the chicken to a clean plate. Once it is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the twine, then serve right away with the cheese sauce spooned over the top.