Kristen Kish's Walking Nachos Recipe

Nachos in a Bag

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Kristen Kish was inspired by school cafeteria tacos when she created these walking nachos, perfect for snacking from the bag.

Kristen Kish

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Total Time:

30 mins

Yield:

"I am a traditionalist when it comes to nachos, and my gold star goes to the 'walking taco,'" says Kristen Kish, winner of Top Chef Season 10. "I'm talking about the old-school, cafeteria hot lunch–style walking taco. Individual bags of chips filled with grated Cheddar cheese, taco meat, sour cream, chopped onion, pickled jalapeño, canned black olives, tomatoes and whatever else you could find at the salad bar. I was known to top it all off with a little ranch dressing and buttery corn. You roll the top of the paper bag closed, shake it, then dig in with a plastic spork. The chips are evenly coated, every bite drenched, your knuckles kissed by the flavors as you dig for that last bite in the bottom corner. When I was a kid, it was fun. As an adult, it's fuel for nights of too many drinks and filthy one-night stands. And a plastic spork will make it taste better, I promise."

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Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon coriander
1⁄4 cup tomato paste
1⁄2 cup water
Juice of 1 lime
8 to 10 ounces tortilla chips (1 medium bag)
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1⁄4 cup chopped red onion
1⁄4 cup pickled jalapeño slices
1⁄2 cup cooked corn kernels
1⁄2 cup sliced black olives
1 large tomato, cored and diced
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1⁄4 cup bottled ranch dressing

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking meat up with a spoon, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in spices and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water, bring to a simmer and cook until meat has absorbed liquid, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in lime juice. Set aside.
Divide chips among 4 brown-paper lunch bags or small chip bags. (You can also serve the nachos in 4 bowls.) Divide meat, cheese, onion, jalapeño slices, corn, olives, tomato, sour cream and ranch dressing among bags. Close and shake bags well to distribute ingredients. Serve with forks.

Nachos in a Bag

Ingredients

Directions

Note

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