Summer nachos perfect for the long weekend

Summer nachos with smoked sour cream, a chopped salad with halloumi cheese and some delicious pan cookies are on the menu!Home economist and cookbook author Emily Richards brought us some perfect recipes for the upcoming long weekend.

Check out the Summer Nacho recipe below:

Summer Nachos with Smoked Sour Cream

Enhancing the sour cream with a hint of smoke brings the creaminess to all the smoked ingredients in these nachos. Not to worry, no smoker, no problem-check out our grilled version with a quick tip how to add some smokiness to your sour cream too.

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb/454 g)
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola or vegetable oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, rasped
• 1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 each red and yellow pepper, quartered
• 1 bag (320 g) large tortilla chips
• 1 round brie cheese, thinly sliced (350 g)
• 1 cup (250 mL) baby arugula or shredded lettuce
• Smoked Lime Sour Cream:
• 1 cup (250 mL) full fat sour cream
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lime zest
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

STEPS

Start smoker on smoke setting.

Smoked Lime Sour Cream: Place sour cream in a small metal or glass pie plate. Smoke sour cream on smoker for 30 minutes. Remove from smoker and prepare smoker to 350ºF (180ºC). 

Add, lime zest, juice and salt to sour cream and refrigerate until ready to use. 

In a bowl, toss chicken breasts with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cut onion into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick rings, keeping them together. Stick a toothpick or small skewer through the onions rings to keep them together.  Coat vegetables with remaining oil. 

Place chicken and vegetables on smoker for about 25 minutes, turning occasionally until chicken is no longer pink inside and vegetables are tender. Remove to a cutting board and chop chicken and vegetables.

Spread tortillas chips over parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables all over chips. Lay brie slices over top and return to smoker for about 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Sprinkle with baby arugula and serve with Smoked Lime Sour Cream. Serves 6 to 8.

Grilled Variation: Soak wood chips for at least 30 minutes and place in a foil pan directly on heat source of grill. Turn onto high heat, leave one side of grill off. (Use set up for indirect heat) Once smoke starts to appear, place sour cream on unlit side of grill. Follow recipe as above.

Oven Variation: Roast vegetables and chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a 400ºF (200ºC) oven for about 20 minutes.  

Smoked Sour Cream Variation (without smoker or grill): Stir a few dashes of liquid smoke into sour cream and taste. Add more if desired for a smoky addition to the sour cream.