Yesterday, We introduced you to my concept of the Dump Dinner. Today we’re taking that notion a step further, by getting out of the casserole dish and onto the sheet pan. With Ultra-Fast Chili Nachos. Even faster if you use pre-grated cheese…
Not a long post…
This may not be a long post. Because this dirt-simple recipe only takes three main ingredients, and you only have to stick it in the oven for max 10 minutes to heat the chili and melt the cheese.
That’s it, that’s all.
However…
There are important considerations you should admit to your internal discourse over the kind of Chili to get.
First, you want to have 2 cans of chili on hand for a casserole-dish-sized build. You’ll only need one if you’re making up a solo serving for yourself.
Second, always be sure, when grabbing cans off the supermarket shelf, that you get the chili ‘form’ you prefer. The labels for the top three contenders – meat and beans, beans only, and meat only – all look alarmingly alike at a quick glance.
Tips and Hacks…
There are also some important Tips and Hacks to note as we go along.
Line you nachos pan with foil, not parchment paper. Don’t ask, just do it. And always spread your corn chips out in a single layer on the sheet pan. It makes sense to overlap them just a little to ensure the toppings don’t leak over onto the pan. And remember… No one wants to get to the bottom of the pan and find nothing but a bunch of leftover, dry, naked chips!
Add the chili sparingly to the first layer so you’ll have enough for a second layer. ‘Duplexing’ your chips produces a more robust nacho architecture which, in turn, makes picking out the perfect bite that much easier.
DO use real freshly-grated Cheddar cheese. It makes a huge difference compared to that pre-grated ‘cardboard’ stuff they sell at a premium in the supermarket. You’ll be glad you did!
You can add some personalizing touches to the dish, if you so desire. If you only have regular chili in stock, you can reach into the fridge for the pickled Jalapeños. You can use up a leftover wedge of bell pepper with the investment of just 60 seconds to dice it. Got half a tomato left over? Dice that up, too. And maybe even grab a handful of sweet corn kernels from the bag in the freezer…
And don’t forget the chips…
They’re a bigger part of Canned Chili Nachos than they may be in other, lesser, non-homemade recipes. And you’re still saving money over restaurant nachos if you buy premium chips!
I prefer a mid-range chip for my nachos. Tostitos ‘Restaurant’ Style are just the right size, and have a great corn flavour. But there are other triangular corn chips out there. Use whatever you like. And remember, a chip upgrade is also an overall upgrade, to the entire dish!
My take
This may be the single easiest, most versatile Dump Dinner dish you could wish for. Throw dietary caution to the winds and indulge once or twice a month!
~ Maggie J.