Chili-Cheese-Nachos (loaded chili cheese nachos)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
Nachos
- 250 g tortilla chips rounded
- 400 g cooked bean chili, such as Chili sin Carne, warm rounded
- 200 g grated cheese, a melting variety such as Gouda or a Mexican blend rounded
- 80 g pickled jalapeños (optional) rounded
- 100 g sour cream (optional) rounded
- 15 g fresh coriander (optional) rounded
- 1 spring onion, sliced (optional) rounded
Method
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C. Spread half the tortilla chips over a baking sheet or ovenproof platter.
- Spoon half the warm chili over the chips and scatter with half the cheese.
- Layer the remaining chips on top, then the remaining chili and cheese, building in two layers rather than one so the coverage is even top to bottom.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling and the top chips are still crisp at the edges.
- Scatter with jalapeños, coriander and spring onion. Serve immediately with sour cream on the side.
Notes
- Build the nachos in two layers rather than one thick pile. A single layer of toppings on a mountain of chips leaves the bottom half dry and untouched by cheese; two thinner layers coat everything.
- Use warm chili, not cold straight from the fridge. Cold chili takes far longer to heat through in the oven, by which point the chips underneath have gone soft.
- Serve immediately. Nachos wilt fast once out of the oven; there is no good way to hold them and keep the chips crisp.
- This is a genuinely good way to use leftover chili, and the reason the two recipes are worth having side by side in this book.
Ingredient substitutions
- Bean chili can be any leftover chili, bolognese-style sauce, or refried beans warmed through, in a pinch.
- Grated cheese should be a good melting variety; pre-shredded bags sometimes contain anti-caking agents that stop them melting smoothly, so grating a block yourself gives a better result.
- Guacamole spooned on at the end is a good, common addition alongside the sour cream.