Chili Cheese Nachos
My first try at these had the chips buried under the chili, and by the time the cheese melted, the bottom layer had gone soft and gummy. It was kind of sad, honestly. So the wedges stand up around the rim of the dish instead, baked crisp beforehand with a dusting of smoked paprika, and only the center gets the chili, the cheese and the jalapeños.
Everyone gets their own dish. I bake the tortilla wedges while the chili simmers, which keeps the whole thing just under an hour from chopping the onion to pulling the dishes out. We eat them straight from the oven with a cold drink, and the chili keeps three days in the fridge if you want to make it ahead.
These chili cheese nachos are built on a thick beef and kidney bean chili seasoned with cumin. I mix mozzarella for the stretch with sharp cheddar, which adds a salty bite. Jarred jalapeños cut through all that richness with a little vinegar tang, so the whole dish never tastes heavy.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Brush the tortillas lightly on both sides with the olive oil, dust one side with the smoked paprika, then cut each tortilla into 8 wedges with the pizza cutter, for 48 wedges. Spread them in a single layer over the two baking sheets and set aside.6 whole wheat flour tortillas, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Heat the olive oil in the 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often with the wooden spoon, until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it up as it browns, until no pink remains. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes so the spices toast and the paste darkens.1 lb ground beef, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the drained beans, bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chili is thick enough that the wooden spoon leaves a trail. While it simmers, slide both baking sheets into the oven and bake the wedges for 8 to 10 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until crisp and lightly browned at the edges. Take the chips out, leave them on the sheets, and raise the oven to 400°F while the chili finishes.1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can red kidney beans
- Slide the wedges from one baking sheet onto the other, then set the four terra cotta dishes on the empty sheet. Spoon about 1 cup of chili into each dish with the wooden spoon and smooth the top. Tuck 12 baked wedges upright around the edge of each dish, points facing out and slightly overlapping. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup cheddar over the chili in each dish, then scatter about 2 tablespoons of jalapeño slices over the cheese.1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup jarred jalapeño slices
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and bubbles at the edges. Scatter the chopped cilantro over the four dishes, grind the black pepper on top, and serve right away, warning everyone that the dishes stay very hot.1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 tsp black pepper
Nutrition
Notes
For a fresher heat, replace the jarred jalapeños with 3 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced and scattered over the cheese in step 5 the same way, about a quarter of the slices per dish. The chili can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge; reheat it in the skillet until steaming before filling the dishes, then bake as written.
You might also like our Three Bean Chili with Ground Beef.
standing the chips up around the edge is so smart, none of them went soggy. i used corn tortillas bc thats what i had and they crisped up in about 8 min at 350