Italian Potato Wedge Nachos

When you think of nachos, the first thing that comes to mind is probably something like tortilla chips and queso and not potato wedges and Italian cheese. But that’s quite alright. A nacho is really just a vehicle for a lot of glorious toppings and that’s exactly what is happening with our Potato Wedge Nachos. They’re cheesy like a classic nacho but with a totally different Italian flavor profile – think fresh rosemary, garlic, balsamic… The list goes on; they’re chock-full of good stuff.

You’re starting with frozen steak fries or potato wedges here, which keeps things super easy. You bake those with some garlic, rosemary, canned artichokes, and bacon until the fries and bacon are crispy and the herbs are fragrant.

While those bake, you cook up some diced chicken that’s dusted with Italian seasoning. (See? There’s plenty of protein here. You can totally make a meal out of these.)

You push the potatoes and friends to the center of the pan and then top them with the cooked chicken and plenty of cheese. (A pre-shredded Italian blend works great here.) That goes back in the oven just until the cheese is melted…

… And while it bakes you toss together the final flourish – fresh grape tomatoes tossed with olive oil, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and bright basil. In this application, it’s kind of the equivalent of salsa, and the cool and juicy pop of the tomatoes against the hearty chicken, cheese, and potatoes below is heavenly.

Potato Wedge Nachos

40 minutes to prepare serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 (24 oz) package frozen wedge or steak fries
  • 1/2 cup canned artichokes, chopped
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian blend cheese, shredded
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Arrange fries, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 clove garlic, artichokes, and bacon in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  3. Meanwhile, season cubed chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat half of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the chicken until no longer pink.
  4. Push potatoes to center of baking sheet and top with cooked chicken and Italian cheese. Bake until cheese has melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, toss together tomatoes, remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and spoon mixture over potatoes. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Country Living.