READ REPLIES

Kyle, Kansas City MO

i used to live in arkansas, and now for 11 years, i've been in withdrawal. i can't make it home as much as i used to. my mother and i have looked all over for the cheesedip recipe and i was ECSTATIC to finally find it. but sadly, its not the same WITHOUT THE SALSA!!!!!! if anyone has the recipe for the salsa, i would be eternally grateful and i'm naming my first born after you!

ISO: Mexico Chiquito's cheese dip

jimmynorthlittlerockark

I make Mexico Chiquito's salsa frequently, but I have been unable to make their cheesedip. I got the recipe from a friend of the original 1935 owner of the restaurant. If you have the original recipe for Mexico Chiquito cheesedip, I'll be happy to swap recipes.

ISO: Mexico Chiquito's salsa

Walter, Jacksonville

I would also like the salsa recipe, I love the salsa and can not get enough of it. I would be happy if you would share it with me.

ISO: I live in Cabot. If you have the salsa recipe, I would love it. (nt)

Joanne, CAbot, AR

ISO: Mexico Chiquito Salsa Recipe

Brian Little Rock

I would love to have the salso recipe also. Also, if you have the cheese dip recipe that would be great.

Thanks,
Brian

Recipe(tried): Mexico Chiquito Salsa (copycat recipe)

Kim, Cabot AR

I have basically lived on Mexico Chiquito Hot Sauce Dip (or salsa) for 30 years. I have made many attempts through the years to replicate it. The closest I have came to it is as follows:

MEXICO CHIQUITO SALSA
(copycat recipe)

2 cans whole peeled tomatoes (or 1 large can)
1/2 small bell pepper
3 chopped jalepeno peppers (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp garlic salt

Blend together in blender.

Now as for the chips...
Nothing compares. Sorry

ISO: mexico chiquito salsa recipe

kim cabot

Please Jimmy, please...share your salsa recipe with me. If you share it, I might be able to send my daughter to college with the money I save from not buying it at Chiquito's. thanks!

oops...more to salsa recipe...

kim, cabot

Sorry, I left out an ingrediant to the chiquito salsa recipe. You also add 3 chopped jalepeno peppers. sorry

Recipe(tried): Mexico Chiquito Cheese Dip

Deb, Little Rock

Here is the recipe I was given in 1979 and it sure tastes like the stuff at the restaurant.

MEXICO CHIQUITO CHEESE DIP

1/2 stick butter
4 Tbsp flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp pepper sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic
1 Tbsp ketchup
a dash of salt
2 cups milk
1/2 pound American Cheese

Melt butter in pan and add flour. Saute together until pastelike. Add remaining ingredients including milk. Then and the American cheese. Stir in a double boiler until thick.

I have seen different variations but this one tasted the most like it to me.

I make no claims that it is the original recipe but was given it in 1979 and told it was MC Cheese Dip. I used to have the salsa recipe and cannot locate it. It was very easy. Canned tomatoes, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and maybe some lime or rotel or something. If I find it, I will post it as well.

Recipe(tried): Mexico Chicito Salsa

jimmynorthlittlerock

Deb, Thank you for the recipe. Here is the recipe for the salsa. It is so simple that I would not have figured it out.

MEXICO CHICITO SALSA

1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium jalapeno pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 can (regular size) Hunt's plain diced tomatoes
(You must use Hunt's tomatoes...this was specific.)

In a small food processor make a paste of the garlic, jalapeno pepper, and salt, and put in a bowl.

Lightly process the tomatoes, don't liquify them, but chop them up. Mix with the paste in the bowl. Enjoy.

Use the lowest salt content chips you can find. I use Kroger brand white corn chips with 75 mg salt.

Send me a reply when you have tried this.

Thank You: chiquito salsa

missy, honolulu

I grew up in North Little Rock and remember eating my first Mexico Chiquito when it was still located in Rose City. I live in Hawaii now and can't wait till the store opens tomorrow so I can get the ingrediants!!!! I'll let you know. by the way, I heard they closed the location in Lakewood Village. Where do you go now?

Recipe(tried): Mexico Chiquito Cheese Dip - Your MC recipe

Garth/Cabot

I tried your recipe !! Its good and heading in the right direction but still off a little. Also its hotter than the original. Still, very tastie and beats the heck out of Velveeta and rotell!!! (gag) Thanks !!!!!

Thank You: Mexico Chichito salsa

jimmynorthlittlerock

Missy, How did you like the Mexico Chicito red sauce recipe? If it was too hot you may want to use a smaller jalapeno pepper. Mexico Chicito opened a new restaurant on Camp Robinson Road about a year ago. It stays full all the time, and the food is still great. Let me know how you liked the recipe. Have a great day, Jimmy.

Thank You: Mexico Chicito Red Sauce

Jimmynorthlittlerock

Garth, You may want to use a smaller jalapeno pepper next time. I grow my own jalapenos, and they are so hot I have to use a small one. You can, also, vary the amount of garlic to suit your taste. The sauce has changed a little since I ate at the restaurant for the first time in 1962 in Protho Junction, but the recipe I gave is the original, 1935 recipe. Have a great day. Jimmy.

Recipe(tried): Mexico Chiquito Cheese Dip

Debra, Greenbrier

Hi Deb,

Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I've been eating their food since 1955! Your recipe was great. I made one addition that seemed to get even closer by adding whole cumin seed. If you look at the dip from the restaurant it is FULL of the whole cumin seeds.
Thanks again for sharing
Debra

ISO: Mexico Chiquito

Jan

Jimmy, I am really curious how you got the original 1935 recipe - especially since it is my grandmother's recipe. She opened the original Mexico Chiquito in Kilgore, Texas in 1935. This is the food I grew up on and am facinated to see how many people love it so much. On the Yahoo restaurant reviews, it seems everyone either wants the chili con queso or punch recipes. I'd love to hear your connection.

Thank You: Mexico Chiquito Red Sauce

Jimmy, North Little Rock

Jan,
I just looked at this site, and saw your message. I guess it was 10 or 11 years ago that I learned the recipe. One of the secretaries where I work gave me the recipe. Her husband and an older gentleman from Mexico Chiquito were fishing buddies. On one of their trips the two shared recipes, and the Mexico Chiquito red sauce was one of them. I don't know the date of that trip; I only know the recipe is correct for the exact taste and consistency of their red sauce. I ate at Mexico Chiquito yesterday for dinner.
My first time to eat at Mexico Chiquito was in 1962 when the restaurant was located at Protho Junction (or Rose City) in North Little Rock. In the early 1970s a restaurant in North Little Rock, Fisher's Restaurant, sold cheese dip with the exact coloring, aroma, consistency, and taste as Mexico Chiquito's. We were told by another restaurant owner that a cook from Mexico Chiquito had gone to work there, and began making the dip. I sure bought a lot of the cheese dip from that restaurant.

ISO: Mexico Chiquito Red Sauce - question

Jimmy, North Little Rock AR

Jan,

I meant to ask you in my first response how your grandmother's red sauce got to North Little Rock? I know it was here as early as 1962 because I ate at Mexico Chiquito at that time, and it had been in North Little Rock for quite a while. Like you, I'm interested in how the recipe became so traveled.

Is it cumin?

Cis, Little Rock

Is that cumin or caraway seeds? Can't tell, but you are right, there is something else in the dip.

re: It is cumin

Jan Cass, Sun City West, AZ

It is definitely cumin (or cumino as they call it in Mexico). Caraway is a Germanic spice used with pork and sauerkraut.

Thank You: Mexico Chiquito

Jan

Jimmy,

You discovered the restaurant about the time I was leaving there.

Most of the recipes I see here are totally inacurate. First of all, the cheese dip (chili con queso) starts with making a big pot of chili. This was a chili con carne (no beans) that my grandmother made with a lot of liquid. That liquid was combined with the cheese to make the dip. So, what you are tasting is chili powder and cumin mixed with cheese. The rest of the chili was used to top the enchiladas and tamales. The original restaurant had no "red sauce" like today.

I was around the restaurant in 1953 while my dad was overseas and we stayed with the grandparents. I was there a lot from 1958-1962. My dad was stationed at LR AFB for those years and I "worked" at the restaurant (probably more of a pest) during those years. I was also in school in Jacksonville during that time. We left for Tucson, AZ in the fall of 1962. So, it is possible we met in 1962.

Sorry to be so late in reconnecting, but I lost the link to this site and just found it again.

re: Mexico Chiquito recipes

Jan Cass, Sun City West, AZ

Further information on Mexico Chiquito. The Protho Junction location was the 3rd to open and the last my grandparents owned. The first was in Texas, #2 Was in Hot Springs. #1 opened in 1935, #2 in 1938 and Protho Junction was late 1941 or 1942. My grandparents had a house next door to the restaurant. In the early 1950's, since Mexico Chiquito was dinner only, they opened a take out/lunch restaurant on the other side of their house called Tak-a-Taco.

The only recipe that I see that seems accurate is the "Punch". Only, instead of sugar and food coloring, we used Grenadine which accomplished about the same thing.

Thank You: Mexico Chiquito

Jimmy, North Little Rock, Arkansas

Jan,

Thank you;it's good to hear from you. The information on Mexico Chiquito is very interesting. Is my red sauce recipe close to the original recipe? My experience is that it is the same; I still frequent the new location for Mexico Chiquito in Levy in North Little Rock. It is on Camp Robinson Road, and is open 7 days per week. The name is the same; the cheese dip is close, and the red sauce is close; but neither is the "old taste".

I still would like the cheese dip recipe; but I figure it is a trade secret. Thank you; I'll try to keep in occasional touch.

Jimmy

Recipe: Red Sauce for enchiladas and tamales

Jan Cass. Sun City West, AZ

As I said, when my grandparents were in charge, there was NO red sauce. Grandmama used only real chili con carne on the enchiladas and tamales. This was a meat chili (no beans). The red sauce must have come in with the next owners. To this day, I use only real chili on my enchiladas.

ISO: Original Mexico Chiquito cheese dip recipe

Stacie in Arkansas

I don't know how many gallons of Mexico Chiquito's cheese dip I have consumed in my lifetime, but I can assure you it's a BUNCH. :o) I used to live a block from the Mexico Chiquito in Protho Junction, and have driven miles to eat at the one off McCain in NLR before it closed.

The cheese dip recipes I've found (and used) for years are close, but there's still something missing. The cheese tastes different and the spices need a tad bit of tweaking. Many thanks to all those who have posted here, and for the awesome information. :o)

Mexico Chiquito Salsa (copycat recipe)

Rusty

I put 2 cans of RoTel and 1 tsp of cumin in the blender and pulse it until it's smooth. Tastes just like the Chiquito.

Thank You: Mexico Chiquito history

BR Staton

Ms J.Cass: I just saw your history of Mexico Chiquito. Thanks for sharing. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone in Central Arkansas who does not have a soft spot for Mexico Chiquito and a longing for the recipes. I think it would be great if you made a book with the history and included the recipes. It would be a best seller. I have tried all the listed recipes and they are close but missing that one special something.

Thank You: Mexico Chiquito recipes

Jan Cass, Sun City West, AZ

Thank you for the kind words. I would love to write a book but there are two problems. First, when my grandparents sold the restaurants, they also sold the rights to the recipes. Second, I don't have all of them myself and my mother who would have known most of them has Alzheimer's and can't remember much of anything. So, I guess we are all stuck trying to recreate them. I just wish I had the ability to go to the restaurant now and then but the commute from Arizona to Arkansas is a bit long just for dinner! Thanks again.......Jan

re: Mexico Chiquito recipes

penny, Atlanta, GA

Jan, reading about the history was awesome. I am originally from NLR and when we go back to visit we ALWAYS go by and get a substantial amount of both to bring home with us. Over the years I have tried several 'claimed' recipes which never match up even with tweaking. But I believe even if we had the "ORIGINAL" it still wouldn't taste the same. You know how you go to "Grandma's house" and eat something. Then you get the recipe and try to make it at home and it just isn't the same. That is what I've come to believe is the case with the Cheese Dip. Thanks for sharing the history.

Recipe: missing ingredient for chiquito cheese dip?

stephanie-michigan

I unfortunately have never had the experience of trying chiquito cheese dip, but just from personal experience of alot of delicious mexican recipes, one of your missing ingredients may be oregano. Also, maybe instead of chili powder, try ancho chilipod pulp. To get the pulp, you remove the seeds and stems from the chilis and boil in water until they turn a bright red color (about15-20 minutes). Wait for them to cool and then scrape the pulp off the skin and puree in blender. Best to use gloves during the whole process to avoid staining your hands red. It is a little time consuming, but maybe well worth it. Hope this helps. Good luck!