Macheesmo

I grew up in the Frito Pie generation. Some people call us millennials, but my teenage years were mainly formed by Dr. Pepper and Frito pie. It has a special place in my heart. I rarely eat it these days, but recently I was totally craving it so I thought I’d put a new spin on it with these Pulled Chicken Frito Pies.

Maybe it’s just because I don’t eat them as much as nachos, but I found these to be completely delicious. While some of the Fritos stay crispy and delicious, I also particularly like the inner layers of frito that get a tiny bit soggy as it bakes together.

I topped mine with loads of Tex-Mex toppings and the result was not only pretty (in my opinion) but would also be perfect either for a comfort food dinner or for a game day appetizer. I hear there are some 🏀 🏆 happening in the next week or so?

Pulled Chicken Frito Pies

by Nick

Serves:

Serves 4

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

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These cheesy and slightly spicy Frito pies are an easy and delicious dinner. They are also an excellent game day appetizer!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon hot sauce

8 oz. cheddar cheese

1 large bag Fritos

Toppings:

Sour cream

Salsa

Jalapenos

Red onions

Red peppers

Avocado

Cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium pot over medium heat, add butter and cubed chicken. Add cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and cook, stirring regularly until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
2. Use two forks to shred the chicken in the pot as it cooks. Reduce heat down to low.
3. Either in one large baking dish or 4 smaller baking dishes (individual servings) add a layer of Fritos, followed by a layer of pulled chicken and cheese. Repeat with another layer of Fritos, chicken, and cheese.
4. Bake Frito pies for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F. until cheese is really melted and the entire dish is bubbling hot.
5. Top Frito pies with toppings of your choice and serve immediately!

Pulled Chicken Frito Pies

The only thing you really have to cook for these bad boys is the chicken. I cubed up some chicken in a pot with butter, spices, and hot sauce. Doesn’t get much easier!

As the chicken cooks over medium heat, you can use a few forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Alternatively, if you were feeding a crowd, you could put 3-4 pounds of chicken in a slow cooker with probably double the spices I used in this recipe and it’d stay warm for the whole day.

This stovetop method works great though if you want it done fast and are cooking just enough for a family.

While the chicken cooks, you can prep all your toppings. I used ALL the toppings: avocado, sour cream, salsa, red onion, red pepper, jalapenos, cilantro… go crazy.

The key to making a good Frito pie is layering! Don’t just pile in a bunch of Fritos and then top them and bake them. DON’T DO IT.

Instead, do thin layers of Fritos with thin layers of chicken and cheese throughout. That way everything bakes together evenly.

I usually do two layers of frito-chicken-cheese in my dishes.

You could either bake this together in one big baking dish or individual smaller dishes.

Either way, bake them for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F. and then top them and serve them right when they come out!

Even if your team loses, you’ll be a winner with these Pulled Chicken Frito Pies!