This green chile cheese crisp is the Arizona original. A large flour tortilla baked until crispy, loaded with shredded Mexican cheese, topped with roasted Hatch green chile strips, and finished with a creamy green chile ranch drizzle. It’s the dish that defines Sonoran comfort food in Southern Arizona. It has been a staple of Tucson restaurants for more than 50 years.

One of the great joys of living in Tucson is late summer, when vendors roast Hatch green chiles in spinning steel cages over open fire at farmers markets and grocery stores across the city. The aroma alone is worth the season. I recommend roasting fresh Hatch chiles at home if you don’t have the same opportunity. Thank you Fry’s Food Stores for sponsoring this recipe! 

What Is an Arizona Cheese Crisp?

The Arizona cheese crisp sits somewhere between a Mexican pizza and an open-faced quesadilla. A large flour tortilla is baked until it crisps at the edges and blisters slightly on the surface. Cheese melts on top until it bubbles. Toppings go on after. The result is crunchier than a quesadilla, simpler than a pizza.

This version tops the Arizona cheese crips with roasted Hatch green chiles and a homemade green chile ranch drizzle made by blending roasted chiles with crema and ranch seasoning. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Arizona Cheese Crisp with Roasted Hatch Green Chiles and Ranch Drizzle

Servings: 8 slices

Author: Jackie Alpers

Equipment

• 1 12-inch pizza pan

Tucson, Arizona style cheese crisp topped with green chile strips, cilantro leaves, and a creamy Ranch and roasted Hatch green chile sauce. Two six-inch flour tortillas can be substituted for one 12-inch flour tortilla.

Ingredients

• I cup Crema Mexican Agria such as Cacique
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Restaurant Style Dressing powder
• 6 roasted Hatch green chiles stems and seeds removed (about 12 oz) divided
• 1 12-inch flour tortilla
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or more as needed
• 8 to 10 cilantro leaves optional

Instructions

• In a high-speed blender, combine 4 roasted green chiles, crema and ranch dressing powder and blitz until smooth. Using a funnel if needed, transfer to a food-safe squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the tortilla flat on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Using a paring knife, poke 8 to 10 small slits about 1/8-inch-long in the tortilla to prevent puffing in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly crisped. A few small bubbles may occur.
• While the tortilla is baking, cut the remaining 2 roasted chiles lengthwise into 8 to 10 strips approximately ½-inch thick.
• Remove the tortilla from the oven and cover it generously with cheese. Arrange the chile strips on top then bake another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble.
• Garnish the cheese crisp with cilantro leaves if using and squeeze the roasted green chile ranch drizzle in a spiral pattern over the top. Cut the tortilla into wedges with a pizza cutter or long knife and serve immediately with extra green chile crema sauce on the side.
  

Notes

What is a cheese crisp? An Arizona cheese crisp is a large flour tortilla loaded with shredded cheese and baked or broiled until the cheese melts and bubbles and the tortilla crisps at the edges. It's a signature dish of Sonoran cuisine in Southern Arizona with a history of more than 50 years in Tucson restaurants. 

What are Hatch green chiles? Hatch green chiles are a variety of New Mexico chile grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. They have a distinctive earthy, slightly sweet flavor with mild to medium heat and are harvested in late summer. 

Can I use canned or frozen Hatch chiles? Yes. Canned roasted Hatch green chiles work in this recipe and are available year-round. Fresh roasted chiles from late summer give the most vibrant flavor but the recipe is delicious any time of year with canned or frozen.

Why do you poke holes in the tortilla? Poking small slits in the tortilla before baking prevents it from puffing up in the oven as air gets trapped between the tortilla layers. Eight to ten small slits with a paring knife is all you need. It keeps the tortilla flat so the cheese layer melts evenly.

What is the green chile ranch drizzle? The drizzle blends roasted Hatch green chiles with Mexican crema and ranch dressing powder until smooth. It's tangy, creamy, gently spiced, and cuts through the richness of the melted cheese beautifully. Transfer it to a squeeze bottle and drizzle in a spiral pattern over the finished cheese crisp just before serving. It doubles as a dipping sauce on the side.

Is there a version of this without the tortilla? Yes! for a lower-carb version made entirely from Parmesan cheese with no tortilla, see my no-tortilla Arizona cheese crisp recipe linked below.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Sonoran, Southwestern, Tucson Sonoran Style Mexican

Keyword green chile cheese crisp recipe, green chile cheese crisp with green chile ranch salsa recipe, Green chile crema salsa recipe, Hatch green chile recipes, Jackie Alpers recipes, Tucson, Arizona cheese crisp recipe

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