Chicken-Chili Nachos with Spicy Cheddar Sauce

A homemade nachos platter is so much better than the one at your favorite bar. Salsa made with all fresh ingredients, creamy cheese sauce without a lot of fat, and lean ground chicken make this recipe not only flavorful and satisfying but lighter than most restaurant platters as well.

Serve it as party food or as a casual, “community” dinner for four.

Tip: You can make the nachos with leftover chili, but keep in mind that ground chicken or ground turkey have less fat than ground beef, which can make the chips soggy with oil.

For the easy, fresh salsa recipe, see Smoked Salmon and Black Bean Quesadillas with Guacamole and Fresh Salsa.

Serves 4 (as a main course)

Ingredients

For the Chicken-Chili Nachos

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken (thigh or breast meat)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 15-oz can chili beans, rinsed well (black beans or kidney beans work too)
• 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• large nacho chips, enough to cover a platter, slightly piled
• 1 cup Fresh Salsa
• sour cream, for serving

For the Spicy Cheddar Sauce

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
• 1 habanero chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp dried red chile flakes
• sea salt

Cheese Sauce Ingredients

Preparation

For the Chicken-Chili Nachos

1. Heat a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the ground chicken, serrano chile(s), garlic, onion, and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the chicken, until the vegetables soften and the chicken is just cooked through, 6-7 minutes.

Chicken Mixture Beginning to Cook

1. Add the beans, tomato sauce, chile powder, and cumin and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook 15 minutes. (The chili should be thick.) Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired.

Chili Beginning to Cook

Cooked Chili

For the Spicy Cheddar Sauce

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. (Don’t overdo the oil. It will cause the cheese to separate and become stringy. A little stringiness is okay.)
2. Add the jalapeno and habanero and season with salt. Cook until beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add the milk and warm 30 seconds. Gradually stir in the cheese and chile flakes. Stir constantly to melt and blend in the cheese. Remove from the heat.

Cheese Sauce

To Assemble and Serve

Spread nacho chips on a platter, piling slightly. Pour the cheese sauce over the chips and spoon the chili on top. Top with salsa and dollop with sour cream. Serve right away.

Chips on the Platter 

Cheese Sauce on Chips 

Chili Added 

Salsa Added

Flatbread Pizza Margherita

Legend has it that this famous Italian pie got its name from a chef who received kind comments from Queen Margherita after serving her a slice during a royal visit to Naples in the late 1800s. Fact or fiction, Pizza Margherita was born, and the deliciousness lies in its simplicity. One thing is for sure: The pie’s ingredients patriotically reflect the colors of the Italian flag: red tomato sauce, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil.

With so few ingredients, making each the best it can be is important. Besides fresh mozzarella and fresh basil, be sure to make the sauce from fresh tomatoes as well. It’s simple, quick, and easy. And so flavorful.

Pizza Margherita Main Ingredients

Note: I used a store-bought flatbread for the pizza, which is really good if you shop around for a top-quality “artisan” kind. But, of course, homemade pizza dough is the best, so if you have time, make your own. (For a fresh dough recipe, check out Pizza with Prosciutto, Red Onion, and Fresh Tomatoes.)

Flatbread

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 large roma tomatoes (about 12 oz total), chopped
• sea salt
• 1 8-X-11-inch flatbread
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (1 large or 2-3 smaller balls)
• 10-12 basil leaves

Sliced Mozzarella

Preparation

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and sauté 2 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and season with salt. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Tomatoes Beginning to Cook

Cooked Tomato Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
2. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper and lay the flatbread on it. Spread the tomato sauce on the bread, leaving about a 1-inch border. Scatter the cheese slices on top. Bake 10 minutes.

Tomato Base 

Cheese Added 

Pizza after 10 Minutes

1. Remove from the oven and scatter the basil leaves on top. Bake an additional 1 minute.

Basil Added 

Baked Pizza Margherita

Remove the pizza to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes. Cut into 4 large or 8 small pieces and serve.

Pancetta Baked Beans

Baked beans aren’t just for summertime picnics and tailgate parties. This tender, creamy, slightly sweet dish makes a tasty side for any dinner, any time of year. Pancetta adds bacony flavor and balances the sweetness of the sauce.

This recipe is based on traditional Boston baked beans. Since New England has an abundance of fresh molasses, the traditional dish calls for it, instead of the maple syrup I used here. Substitute a good store-bought molasses for the syrup if you can find it.

Note: This is not a “saucy” dish. The navy beans retain much of their light color with the sauce set on top. If you want sauce that penetrates the dish to the bottom and covers the beans throughout, increase the amount of ketchup, syrup, and Worcestershire sauce to your liking.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried navy beans
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 oz very thinly sliced pancetta, 5 slices reserved, remainder chopped
• 1 small onion, cut into thin, vertical strips
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sliced and Chopped Pancetta

Preparation

1. Place the beans in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, cover, and let soak 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

Soaked Beans

1. Return the beans to the pot and add 4 cups of water. Stir in the oregano and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 to 1-1/4 hours, until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves and drain the beans over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.

Cooked Beans

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Place half the beans in an 8 X 8-inch, 2-qrt baking dish. Scatter half the chopped pancetta and half the onion on top. Repeat with the remaining beans, chopped pancetta, and onion.

1st Layer of the Beans

1. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the sauce over the beans and spread so that the top is covered. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to reach the top edge of the beans. Lay the reserved pancetta slices on top.

Sauce for the Beans 

Pancetta and Beans Ready to Bake

1. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the pancetta slices are browned and the top is set.

Baked Beans after 1 Hour 

Pancetta-Baked Beans

To serve, divide the baked beans into individual serving bowls or alongside a main dish and serve hot or slightly cooled. 

Pan-Cooked Turkey Cutlets in White-Wine Mushroom Sauce

Tender turkey cutlets in a rich, savory mushroom sauce with white wine make a fast, flavorful, and simple dinner for two—or more. This recipe is easily doubled and would work well with chicken cutlets or even thin strips of boneless pork chops.

The key to the sauce is a creamy but silky consistency—too thin and it’s watery, too thick and it’s gravy. I used cornstarch instead of flour for thickening because it makes a little silkier sauce, but flour will work too. (Adjust the amount to 1 tablespoon.) Whether you choose cornstarch or flour, be sure to combine it thoroughly with the water before adding it to the skillet.

Note: I made this sauce more as a coating for the turkey and mushrooms, rather than a thinner sauce that covers the plate. If you want more sauce, increase the amount of wine to 3/4 cup and the broth to 1/2 cup. Keep the cornstarch mixture the same.

Serves 2 (easily doubled)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1/2 lb turkey cutlets, each about 1/3-inch thick
• flour, for dredging
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6-7 oz. white mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• finely chopped lemon zest, for garnish

Chicken Cutlets

Preparation

1. Mix the water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Re-mix before using.
2. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Dredge the turkey cutlets in flour and season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear the cutlets until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn and sear until just cooked through, 2-3 minutes longer, depending on thickness. (Add a little more oil if the skillet becomes too dry.) Remove to a plate. 

Turkey Beginning to Cook

Turkey after Turning

1. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl to coat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Mushrooms Beginning to Cook

Cooked Mushrooms

1. Add the wine and lemon juice and simmer 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 1 minute.
2. Remix the water and cornstarch and gradually stir into the mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Return the cutlets to the skillet and turn to coat. Cook until warm throughout, about 2 minutes.

Wine, Lemon Juice, and Broth Added

Cutlets Returned to the Skillet

To serve, divide the cutlets and mushrooms between 2 plates and garnish with lemon zest. Serve right away.