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It’s hard to go wrong with nachos. Anything that starts with salty chips and melted cheese is practically guaranteed to be delicious! But beyond that classic, basic combination lies a world of nacho options – choices of meats, cheeses, veggies, and other add-ons that allow you to express your creativity and create your own craveworthy plate. Here are some winning combinations to experiment with – and some tips to take your nacho game to the next level.
Restaurant Style Chicken Nachos | Photo by bellepepper
Chip Tips
Make ’em sturdy. A thick corn chip is a great option – it can stand up to warm and wet toppings without getting soggy. If you want an extra-colorful plate, consider using blue or red tortilla chips, which taste essentially the same as traditional chips.
Make ’em classic. Choose a lightly-salted tortilla chip, and be careful to avoid strong-flavored options, which can compete with the taste of the toppings. (Note: If you’re a fan of the strong-flavored chip, there are ways to make them into nachos. And if you don’t even like tortilla chips, you can still make nachos! See recipes below.)
Blue tortillas make for colorful nachos | Photo by Meredith
Cheese Whiz
Shred it yourself. Resist the urge to buy pre-shredded cheese; it’s treated with stabilizers that don’t perform well when subjected to heat. For the best, meltiest cheese, shred your own cheddar or Monterrey Jack (or a mixture of both). Many people swear by the taste and texture of processed-cheese products such as Velveeta; we don’t judge!
Dress for Excess
Layer it twice. To keep your nachos interesting from top to bottom, layer your ingredients more than once. Start with the chips, then hot toppings, then cover with cheese, herbs, and veggies — then repeat at least once before baking; remember that you’re aiming for excess.
Keep it bite-sized. Make sure your shredded chicken, tomatoes, and other toppings are all on the small side to keep this communal dish from getting too messy.
Keep hot and cold separate. The best nachos feature a mix of cooked and fresh ingredients, such as grilled shrimp and cilantro. Yet it’s best to keep hot and cold separate throughout the preparation process, so fresh herbs and green onions don’t wilt from heat, and guacamole and sour cream don’t liquefy. Add these ingredients just before serving.
Keep it neat. Line your sheet pan with tin foil for super-easy clean-up.
Winning Combinations
Put your own spin on these top-rated recipes – and read the recipe comments to see what other nacho cooks have done. There’s no wrong way to nacho – except to eat them with a knife and fork!
- Fiery shrimp nachos = plain tortilla chips + shrimp + avocado + pepperjack cheese + jalapeno
- BBQ beef nachos = nacho flavored chips + ground beef + BBQ sauce + cheddar cheese
- Restaurant-style chicken nachos = plain tortilla chips + chicken + cheddar and jack cheese + green onions
- Spicy meatless nachos = plain tortilla chips + lentils + black beans + jack cheese + corn + spices
- Carribbean nachos = multigrain tortilla chips + shrimp + bacon + pineapple + jerk marinade
- Italian Nachos = Italian sausage + pizza sauce + banana peppers
Ready for something different? Try these usual nachos – which don’t include tortilla chips!
- Mexican Potato Nachos shun the chip and go tater-based.
- Tater Tots Nachos combine two addictive snacks into one gooey treat.
- King of the Hill Frito Pie is lean ground turkey resting atop a Frito foundation, with cheese all ’round, natch.
Need a great nacho recipe? We have dozens!
The post Nachos 101: Tips For Making Delicious Nachos appeared first on Allrecipes Dish.
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