Oh yeah! It’s game day! On my list of things to do today: watch football all day, be obsessed with our fantasy football (being in two leagues will do that to you!), and cook up some yummy game-day food! Like this Mexican Chorizo Nachos.
Today’s menu includes chorizo nachos. Spicy, cheesy, and delicious.
One obsession that I have had to deal with through the years is nachos. Doesn’t matter where I am, what time of the day it is, what kind of event I’m at, I want nachos! It truly has become an addiction for me!
Beef nachos, chicken nachos, vegetarian nachos, pulled pork nachos. I love them all! But, the nacho that tops all nachos is the Mexican chorizo nachos. Hmmm hmmmm hmmmm.
As I sit here writing this blog out to you all, I am in a food coma from lunch, and I had lunch a few hours ago!! I’m still in a state of bliss from those nachos!
Mexican chorizo differs from European or Spanish chorizo in that it is not precooked. Spanish chorizo is a smoked and cured pork sausage, while Mexican chorizo is raw seasoned pork.
Mexican chorizo is usually seasoned with indigenous chilies of Mexico, while Spanish chorizo is spiced with red peppers and smoked paprika. You can find it in the meat section of your grocery store. The flavor of the chorizo will vary by brand.
Using Mexican chorizo is a way to add spicy flavor to nachos if you or your guests are not lovers of the overbearing heat that can come from spicy peppers or traditional hot sauces.
In my opinion, Mexican Chorizo Nachos are not complete without guacamole and salsa. I have to admit that I used store-bought salsa. Ashamedly, yes, I did. I forgot the ingredients for homemade Pico de Gallo when I was at the store, and the game was about to start, so I had no time to go back! So jarred salsa is what I turned to. So do not follow my example, and make your own Pico de Gallo. Trust me. It will make a world of difference for your Mexican Chorizo Nachos.
The Best Mexican Chorizo Nachos
Ingredients
FOR THE CHORIZO NACHOS:
- 1 pound minced spicy Mexican chorizo
½ large yellow onion - chopped
1 medium jalapeno - chopped
1 bag tortilla chips
2 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
1 bunch green onions (scallions or green shallots) - chopped
1 bunch cilantro (coriander) - chopped
1 spoonful sour cream
FOR THE GUACAMOLE:
2 medium avocado - ripe- 1 handful cilantro (coriander) - chopped
1 medium lime juice- 1 spoonful sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
4 medium Roma tomatoes - ripe
½ medium red onion - chopped- 4 pieces green onions (scallions or green shallots) - chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro (coriander) - chopped
- 1 medium lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
FOR THE CHORIZO NACHOS:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and cook the minced chorizo for about 10 minutes. Chorizo doesn’t change color the way ground beef or sausage does when you cook it, so keep track of the time.
- Halfway through cooking the chorizo, add the chopped onion and jalapeno. Finish cooking.
- Spread the tortilla chips on a baking sheet.
- Evenly distribute the chorizo over the chips.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the chorizo.
- Turn the broiler on high. Cook nachos, but keep an eye on them. It will only take a few minutes for the cheese to melt, and a broiler can easily burn your food.
- Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
FOR THE GUACAMOLE:
- Spoon avocados into a bowl. Mash up with a fork or potato masher, leaving a few chunks. Add remaining ingredients and combine.
FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
- Dice tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add chopped red and green onion, chopped cilantro, and juice of 1 lime. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine gently so as not to mush tomatoes too much.
