Nachos make great party food. They're crunchy and cheesy, warm and inviting. And they seem to be right at home at almost any sort of party! From a tailgate party to a teen's birthday celebration, nachos are almost irresistible. This recipe uses some convenience foods like prepared cheese spread, and heat and serve chili, so having the ingredients on hand is quite simple.
The best thing about nachos is that they're incredibly easy to whip up and serve to a crowd of hungry guests. As an added bonus, the recipe can be tweaked in so many ways. Add favourite veggies, a variety of cheeses, more or fewer hot peppers -- the varieties are endless. Double the recipe for a large party crowd, using two baking sheets instead of just one.
Party Nachos Recipe
Serves about 20 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
- 2 large bags bite-sized corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups processed cheese spread, such as Cheez Whiz
- 2 cans heat and serve chili, any style
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
- 1-2 cups shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend
- salsa and sour cream to serve on the side
Put It All Together:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with foil, leaving an inch or two of overhang on each side, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt cheese spread over medium-low heat. Add chili and stir well to combine. Remove from heat.
- Using only whole chips, arrange two layers of tortilla chips on the foil-lined baking sheet. Try to cover all of the foil, making sure to avoid large gaps between chips.
- Top tortilla chips with half of the chili/cheese mixture. Sprinkle with half of the bell peppers, tomato, olives, and jalapeno peppers.
- Repeat layers, starting with tortilla chips and finishing with the vegetables. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top.
- Fold up the foil overhang on all sides of the baking sheet to create "sides." Bake the nachos in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.
- Slide the nachos off of the baking sheet, if desired, by gently pulling on the foil. Transfer gently (and carefully!) to a serving tray in the same manner.
- Serve warm with bowls of salsa and sour cream for dipping, if desired. Make sure there are plenty of napkins available too!
Quick Tip: Some of the corn tortilla chips will be curved in shape. Face these chips upwards so that the indentation will hold more of the filling.
