Cheesy artichoke and green chile bread is a broiler dish, and that is the whole difficulty. Four to five minutes under direct heat is the difference between bubbling and burnt, and nobody can give you an exact time because every broiler is different.
Stand there and watch it. That is the recipe's one real instruction.
The second thing: drain the artichokes and the chile properly. Both are packed in liquid, and that liquid is the reason this comes out soggy in the middle when it does.
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer, and takes about twenty minutes.
The recipe
Cheesy Garlic, Artichoke and Green Chile Bread
- Serves4 to 6
- Prep15 minutes
- Broil4 to 5 minutes
- Chile4 oz
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained well and chopped
- 4 oz flame roasted Hatch green chile, drained
- 1 cup Monterey Jack, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 small loaf ciabatta
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Drain the artichokes and the green chile thoroughly. Chop the artichokes and press both between paper towels.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant but not colored.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add the cheeses, artichokes, green chile and cream cheese and stir until combined but not melted. The residual heat is enough.
- Slice the ciabatta lengthwise and lay both halves cut side up on a baking tray.
- Spread the mixture evenly to the edges and season with salt and pepper.
- Broil 4 to 5 minutes, watching it the whole time, until the cheese is melted and bubbling with brown spots. Slice and serve hot.
Working the broiler
A broiler is the hottest thing in a home kitchen and it works by radiant heat from above, which means distance matters more than time.
- Preheat it. Give it five minutes with the door closed before the bread goes in. A cold broiler heats the bread through before the top browns, which is how you get a dry loaf with pale cheese.
- Middle rack, not the top. Six to eight inches from the element. Directly underneath, the cheese blackens before the middle warms.
- Do not walk away. The window between bubbling and burnt is under a minute. This is not an exaggeration.
- Rotate the tray once if your broiler has a hot spot, which most do.
If you would rather not risk it, bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes instead and finish with 60 seconds under the broiler for color. Slower, more forgiving, nearly the same result.
Why it goes soggy
Three sources of water, and all three are avoidable.
The artichokes. Canned artichoke hearts are packed in brine and hold a surprising amount of it inside the leaves. Drain, chop, then press them in a towel. This is the biggest single culprit.
The chile. Roasted chile carries its own liquid. Drain it in a sieve. Same principle as green chile cheddar biscuits, where the water wrecks the dough.
The bread. A soft, open loaf soaks up whatever the topping releases. Ciabatta has enough structure to hold, and a day-old loaf holds better than a fresh one. If your bread is very soft, toast the cut sides for a minute under the broiler before the topping goes on.
Making it ahead
The topping keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, covered, which is USDA guidance for cooked leftovers. Make it in advance and broil to order. It is easier to spread at room temperature, so take it out twenty minutes before.
Do not assemble and hold. Topping sitting on bread for an hour is topping soaking into bread. Assemble and broil.
Leftovers reheat reasonably in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes. The microwave turns the bread to leather.
Freezing does not work here, because the cream cheese separates and the bread goes to pieces on thawing.
What to serve it with
It is an appetizer, so it belongs next to other things. Green chile beer queso is the obvious companion and uses a whole jar. For a full meal it goes alongside green chile stew in place of a dinner roll.
The chile is 16 oz jars, Medium or Hot, four ingredients, and a jar covers this recipe four times over. Frozen in 5 lb bags if you cook with it constantly. If you cannot get Hatch chile at all, the substitutions guide covers what actually works, and the whole recipe archive is free.
Common questions
How long do you broil cheesy bread?
Four to five minutes on a middle rack, six to eight inches from the element, watching it continuously. Every broiler is different and the window between bubbling and burnt is under a minute.
Can I bake it instead of broiling?
Yes. 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, then a minute under the broiler for color. Slower and much more forgiving.
Why did my artichoke bread come out soggy?
Undrained artichokes, undrained chile, or soft bread. Press the artichokes in a towel, drain the chile in a sieve, and use ciabatta or another loaf with structure.
What bread works best?
Ciabatta. It has enough structure to hold a wet topping. A day-old loaf holds up better than a fresh one.
Can I make it ahead?
Make the topping up to 3 or 4 days ahead and refrigerate it, but assemble and broil right before serving. Topping sitting on bread soaks in.
How much green chile does it take?
4 oz, which is about half a cup drained, for one small loaf. A 16 oz jar covers this four times.
Can I freeze it?
No. The cream cheese separates and the bread falls apart when thawed.
The short version
Drain everything, mix the cheeses and aromatics off the heat, spread on split ciabatta, and broil 4 to 5 minutes on a middle rack without walking away. Twenty minutes, serves 4 to 6. If your broiler makes you nervous, bake it at 400°F and broil for one minute at the end.