Game On: Nachos to Satisfy Every Craving

Nachos truly are the pinch hitter in a lineup of game-day favorites. Carnivores and vegetarians alike adore them. And the layers of tortilla chips smothered in lowly canned beans and roughly grated cheese are easy to construct on the fly. 

But nachos deserve to be more than an afterthought. These three spins on the tradition will win raves from the bench:. Bring the heat with sweet and savory barbecue chicken nachos; pregame with hearty bacon, egg and sausage breakfast nachos; or channel the Mediterranean with a pita nacho platter that offers an all-vegetarian lineup.

Southern Nachos

For the BBQ Chicken

• ½ rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup Sriracha
• Kosher salt, to taste

Remove the chicken meat from the carcass. Shred the meat and place in a medium saucepot. Add the barbecue sauce and Sriracha, mix well so the chicken is fully coated with the sauce mixture. Continually stir the mixture over medium heat until the chicken is hot all the way through, 6 to 7 minutes, and set aside.

For the Salsa

• One-4 ounce Roma tomato, diced small
• ½ jalapeño, minced
• ½ (4 ounces) yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• Kosher salt, to taste

In a small bowl, combine all the salsa ingredients and season with kosher salt to taste. Set aside and allow the flavors to marinate.

For the Cheese Sauce

• 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup sour cream

In a small saucepot, add all the sauce ingredients and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the cheese is fully melted. Keep warm and set aside.

For the Nachos

• One-16 ounce bag tortilla chips
• 2 cups cheese sauce
• 2 cups barbecue chicken, shredded
• ½ cup salsa
• ¼ cup pickled jalapeños
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 (10 ounces) avocado, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a quarter baking sheet, arrange a layer of tortilla chips, then drizzle with half the cheese sauce and sprinkle half the barbecue chicken over top. Add another layer of tortilla chips and repeat the same steps with the remaining cheese sauce and barbecue chicken. Place in the oven and toast for 3 to 5 minutes. Take the sheet of nachos out of the oven and garnish with a layer of salsa, sprinkle pickled jalapeños, dollops of sour cream, fanned slices of avocado and cilantro leaves, and serve.

Breakfast Nachos 

For the Tomato Ranch

• ¼ cup ranch dressing
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes, minced

In a food processor, add the ranch ingredients then blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible.

For the Nachos

• One 16-ounce bag tortilla chips
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 links (6 ounces) breakfast sausage
• 3 slices (5 ounces) bacon
• ¼ cup black olives
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• ¼ cup tomato ranch
• 3 eggs, fried over easy

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a quarter baking sheet, arrange a layer of tortilla chips, sprinkle half of the shredded cheese, breakfast sausage and bacon in that order over top. Add another layer of tortilla chips and repeat the same steps with the cheese, sausage and bacon. Place in the oven and toast for 3 to 5 minutes. Take the sheet of nachos out from the oven, sprinkle with the black olives and scallions, drizzle with the tomato ranch then top with the fried eggs, and serve.

Mediterranean Nachos

For the Sumac-Tahini Crema

• ½ tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt, to taste

In a small bowl, combine all of the crema ingredients and whisk together until everything is fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a squeeze bottle or piping bag for easy drizzling and set aside.

For the Parsley Salad

• ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 medium (5 ounces) Roma tomato, diced
• ½ (6 ounces) English cucumber
• Kosher salt, to taste

In a small bowl, add all the salad components and season with salt to taste. Set aside and let the flavors meld together.

For the Nachos

• One 16-ounce bag pita chips
• ½ cup feta cheese
• ½ cup parsley salad
• ¼ cup green olives
• ⅔ cup sumac tahini sauce
• Torn mint leaves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a quarter baking sheet, arrange a layer of pita chips, then sprinkle half of the feta cheese on top. Add another layer of pita chips and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place the tray in the oven until the chips are toasted and the cheese has slightly melted, 5 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Spoon the parsley salad over the nachos, then sprinkle with green olives, drizzle with the sumac-tahini crema and garnish with torn mint leaves, and serve.