Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso is made with Hormel chili and Velveeta cheese. It’s crazy easy to make and tastes just like the queso from Chili’s.

Chili’s Skillet Queso is an appetizer that I’ve been making forever. It’s easy to make, tastes like takeout from Chili’s, and always gets rave reviews.

It’s a definite hit with football parties.

Skillet Queso is one of my favorite appetizers at Chili’s. It’s been one of my favorite appetizers since high school.

After paying $9 for a small order of Skillet Queso too many times, I set out to create a copycat Skillet Queso recipe to make at home. I wanted to recreate the Skillet Queso from Chili’s as close to the original as possible.

At first, I tried to recreate this recipe with nothing more than Velveeta and milk. After tasting it, I knew it wasn’t quite right.

It was good queso, but it was missing something. It was bland and needed some oomph.

I started playing around with it, adding taco seasoning next. That didn’t taste anything close to the queso from Chili’s either.

It was way too salty and tasted kind of strange.

Then, I thought that it needed beef. I browned beef and added it to the queso and thought, nope.

Still nothing like Chili’s queso.

Finally, after much trial and error, I added a can of Hormel Chili (no beans) to my queso. BOOM.

Instant queso that tastes like it came out of Chili’s. I knew I had a winner and knew this was going to be my recipe that I’d be making from now on.

The Party Bowl Everyone Finds First

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso is a big hit with my family and friends. They have no idea that I’m making it from scratch.

They just think it tastes like queso from Chili’s and think it came out of Chili’s. That’s what matters.

When we have a party, Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso is always the first bowl people find. It always gets eaten before everything else.

It’s great with tortilla chips and tastes like queso from Chili’s.

Eight Ingredients, Two of Them Do All the Work

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso calls for just 8 ingredients. Here’s a list of those ingredients and what makes this recipe work.

Velveeta (16 ounces): I know…processed cheese. But trust me, Velveeta makes a world of a difference in queso.

It’s what makes queso, well, cheesy. Use 16 ounces and cut into one-inch cubes so it will melt quicker.

Deli-counter white American cheese will work as a sub, but I’d avoid using real cheddar cheese if possible. Queso made with shredded, sharp cheddar just doesn’t turn out as creamy and thick.

Plus, queso tends to separate or turn a bit grainy with cheddar. It’s fine, but not as creamy and thick.

Hormel Chili, 1 15 ounce can: This queso calls for canned chili (no beans) from Hormel. You can sub another brand of chili (Wolf Brand and Stagg both work well).

It just needs to be a chili made with beef and have no beans. This is another weirdly necessary ingredient that gives this recipe its restaurant-quality taste.

Chili contains all of the seasoning, beef, and fats that queso needs. It’s another ingredient that’s difficult to recreate from scratch.

Milk (1 cup): Milk adds moisture to queso. Whole milk makes for creamier queso, but 2% will do.

Avoid using skim milk as it’s a bit too thin.

Chili Powder (4 teaspoons)

Paprika (2 teaspoons)

Cumin (1/2 teaspoon, ground)

Cayenne (1/2 teaspoon): Feel free to add more or less cayenne depending on your preference. If you’re making queso for a group that doesn’t like spicy food, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.

If you like your queso on the spicier side, add a full teaspoon.

Lime Juice, 1 tablespoon: Queso tastes better when it has some lime in it. If you’ve eaten Mexican-style cheese dip before, it usually contains some type of citrus.

Add some bottled lime juice or juice from a lime. Either way, citrus adds a much-needed tang.

How to Make Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso

Making Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso couldn’t be easier. Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and stir until smooth.

That’s it. Here’s a breakdown of the entire process.

Add the cheese, canned chili, milk, chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and lime to a medium-sized saucepan. Stir until combined.

Set over medium heat and begin to stir until queso comes together, about 8-10 minutes. Queso may appear a bit lumpy at first, but it’ll come together soon enough.

Keep stirring.

Lower the heat and allow queso to simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will darken queso a bit, help the flavors meld, and thicken up queso just right.

You want queso to be thick enough to cling to tortilla chips.

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso is ready to eat. Serve immediately and devour queso with tortilla chips.

How to Serve It and Keep It Warm All Night

Serve it with sturdy tortilla chips, the kind that don’t immediately break apart when dipped, like Late July or Tostitos Scoops or other thicker-cut tortilla chips, and/or nachos. I also love queso on top of a baked potato, stirred into scrambled eggs and breakfast burritos, spooned over a pile of fries, or on top of a bowl of rice and grilled chicken.

If you want to serve queso in a cast iron skillet just like Chili’s, heat up a small cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet in an oven preheated to 350°F for five minutes. Then pour the queso into the skillet and serve.

This will keep it hot for about 30 minutes.

My favorite way to serve queso and hold it at a perfect dipping temperature all party long, however, is in a slow cooker. To serve queso in a slow cooker, transfer the queso into a 1.5 quart slow cooker or larger and keep it on “warm” or “low” to prevent scorching.

This method works for parties that are going to be going on longer than an hour or two, as queso will stay serving-temp in a slow cooker on “low” for up to 3-4 hours. A fondue pot and a cheese/candle warmer are great options, too, if you’re looking to keep queso at the perfect snacking temp for about 30-45 minutes.

Making It Ahead and Keeping It Party-Ready

Queso will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will totally firm up in the fridge, so you’ll have to re-heat it.

To re-heat on the stove, pour it into a pot and reheat over low heat, stirring often. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of milk to loosen it back up.

Start with 2 Tbsp milk for each cup of queso, stirring more milk in a teaspoon at a time as necessary. You can re-heat it in the microwave too.

Add a splash of milk and heat on high in 30-second increments, stirring in-between.

If you’re bringing queso to a party, make it 1-2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated. Bring it along, transfer to a slow cooker, and heat on low for 1-2 hours, stirring every so often and adding a little milk if it seems too thick.

It will stay serving-temp all day.

Queso is best fresh, but you CAN freeze queso. It will thaw with a slightly grainy texture because Velveeta doesn’t freeze as well, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Can you make queso in the slow cooker? You can, but it’s easier on the stove.

To make queso in a slow cooker, add cubed Velveeta to the slow cooker along with all of the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes during the first hour.

Once melted and creamy, switch to warm and serve.

Chili’s Skillet Queso FAQ

Can you skip the simmering?

Nope, simmering the queso is key.

How to make it spicier: Add extra cayenne pepper, some diced jalapeño, or your favorite hot sauce. How to make it more flavorful?

Add some fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Can you use cheese besides Velveeta?

You can, but Velveeta or a similar processed cheese will give you the smoothest queso that’s closest to Chili’s. If you use a different cheese (like cheddar), it’ll have a grainier, more stringy texture.

The closest option would be a White American cheese from the deli counter, which melts smoothly. To make queso with real cheese, you’ll need to make it with a roux for a smooth, creamy texture.

Check out my Real Cheese Queso Dip for details.

Can you make queso without Hormel chili?

Absolutely. You can use any beanless beef chili, trying one of these canned chili brands like Wolf Brand, Stagg, or Castleberry, your favorite store-brand chili, or you could use a beanless vegetarian chili.

Is it spicy?

This recipe has 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and is on the medium-to-mild side for spiciness, and the Hormel chili has a medium heat level, too. If you’re making queso for little ones who aren’t fans of spicy foods, start with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or leave it out altogether.

Add more to taste.

Troubleshooting Queso

Why did my queso get grainy?

Queso turns out best when made with attention. If the cheese gets too hot or if it melts too quickly, it can separate and get a little grainy.

Make sure to melt it over medium heat, give it attention, and stir often. If it gets grainy, try whisking in a Tablespoon or two of cold milk to bring it back together.

How to double queso?

You can double this recipe, and keep it in a larger (3 qt.) slow cooker. Just use a bigger saucepan/Dutch oven for making.

Six Ways to Change It Up

Make it smokier: Add smoked spices. Make it vegetarian: Use a vegetarian/bean-less chili instead of the Hormel Chili.

Make it creamier: Add a splash of milk to make queso dip even creamier! Make it chunkier: Stir in beans before serving.

Make it cheesy: Add more cheese. Make it spicier: Add in some diced jalapeño or your favorite hot sauce.

Six Uses for Leftover Queso

• nachos. top with pico de gallo then broil
• scoop over baked potatoes and top with salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream
• spoon over eggs and browned ground sausage and roll up in flour tortillas for breakfast burritos
• make a 5 minute mexican mac and cheese
• top fries and broil, best with crumbled bacon added
• scoop over hot dogs

A Note on Making It Lighter

• Instead of regular Velveeta, use light Velveeta but not fat-free Velveeta because it doesn’t melt as smoothly as light or regular.
• You can make it with turkey chili but it’s not as tasty.
• Use 2% milk instead of whole.
• Serve with crunchy veggies like sliced bell pepper, celery, and cucumber instead of chips.

I love Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso. It’s crazy easy to make and tastes like queso from Chili’s.

Make this recipe during football Saturdays and it’ll disappear before you know what happened. It’s perfect for Super Bowl parties.

• For more party appetizers and dips, try Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Jalapeño Popper Dip with a crispy, toasty panko topping, Seven Layer Dip (no cooking required!), Corn and Black Bean Salsa or make queso like me from scratch, on the stovetop starting with a roux then adding sharp cheddar and spices: Real Cheese Queso Dip.