Updated on August 10, 2020
The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Beer Cheese Nachos Après Ski Recipe
Being in lock up thanks to this current quarantine has made my life a steady routine of workout, eat, workout, eat, sleep and repeat. Okay, maybe there is some craft beer drinking in there too but who's counting? During the week we keep it pretty clean as far as the eating component goes, this way all of the hardcore training we're doing doesn't go to a complete waste. Staying healthy also gives me ample opportunity to dream about and concoct a menu for my Friday nights and Saturdays. That's when all of the foodie fun takes place here at Stoner's Palace, après work if you will. To be sure we have a menu dialed in and don't blow an opportunity, planning starts sometime around Tuesday.
Cooking Après Ski Food Inspired By My Travels
Much of what I make is inspired by my travels to ski resorts around the country. It's even more specifically geared towards the food that I indulge in après ski. Over the last decade the culinary scene has exploded in mountain towns and ski resort restaurants and bars have elevated their cuisine to new heights. From après ski appetizers that take comfort food to another level, to dinners that are any fine dining establishment's equal, ski town food is as good as I've had anywhere.
Instagram Posts Lead To New Après Ski Food Recipe Blog
Enjoying food this good should never be reserved for days only spent on the mountains. Quarantine life has provided me with more time than usual to prepare and post so many amazing dishes to my @allaboutapres Instagram and Facebook accounts (if you don't already follow us, please do). So much so that people are beginning to ask for my après ski recipes to try them. I love it! And I love corresponding with everyone via direct message but to simplify the process, I have decided to create a new series on my blog called Tasty Tuesday.
The premise is simple.
- I'll feature a new comfort food recipe of the week for you to make at home.
- The dishes will be based on apres ski food that I've eaten over the course of my travels.
- My goal is for you to give them a try and let me know how they turn out.
- Dial them in and when we finally get out of quarantine, you too, will have them perfected and ready to share with your friends.
This is, of course, the essence of apres ski. Food is nice on its own but at its heart, is meant to be shared and enhance the connections between you, your family and friends.
Smoked Buffalo Chicken Nachos With Blue Cheese Beer Sauce
Cheese is great. Beer cheese is better. I've eaten my fair share of nachos at ski resorts and it's always a nice surprise when they are smothered in beer cheese. Not to be outdone, I've also devoured copious amounts of Buffalo wings apres ski, leaving nothing but a carnage of bones and sauce on my plate. Nothing compliments Buffalo wings better than blue cheese. So in this week's recipe, I'm giving you the best of both worlds. My nachos are doused with an epic combination of Smoked Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Beer Sauce. After a long day on the mountain, this pile of deliciousness is sure to hit the spot apres ski.
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Thighs
Cajun Seasoning (see below for recipe)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 lb of blue cheese
2 tbsp AP Flour
12 oz Pilsner of your choice
1 shallot
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp of olive oil
4 tbsp of butter
1/4 cup of Frank's Hot Sauce
1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 bag of tortilla chips of your choice
12 oz of Shredded Sharp Cheddar
Salt and Pepper
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl with the chicken thighs and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. When the thighs are marinated to your preference, remove them from the bowl and place on a sheet pan. Preheat the smoker on High Smoke setting (I use a Camp Chef SmokePro Slide Smoker Woodwind). Salt and pepper both sides of the meat then rub with our Cajun Seasoning. Place thighs directly on the rack of the smoker and let smoke on the High Smoke setting for 20 minutes. Then turn the temperature up to 250°F and cook low and slow until the internal temp of the chicken is 165°F. If you don't have a smoker feel free to follow the same cooking temps while using your oven or you can throw them right on the grill and cook until done. Remove the chicken when finished and let rest for about 20 minutes before chopping into bite size pieces.
All About Apres Cajun Seasoning
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp Mexican style chili powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Blue Cheese Beer Sauce
In a saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallot, stirring occasionally until the shallots are translucent. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant (about a minute). Then melt two tablespoons of the butter and add the flour, stirring to form a rue. When thick, stir in your beer and crumble the blue cheese into the pot. Lower the heat and stir throughout to prevent it from burning.
Buffalo Sauce
When the blue cheese sauce is almost ready, melt the remaining butter in a pan with the hot sauce and cider vinegar. When the mixture is homogeneous, add the chopped chicken thighs to the pan and toss until fully coated.
Assembling the Nachos
In a cast iron skillet place a healthy layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of the pan. Smother that layer in blue cheese beer sauce and top with half of the Buffalo chicken. Create another layer of tortilla chips and cover with the remaining Buffalo chicken thighs. Smother in sharp cheddar and then return to the smoker set to 375°F. Bake until the cheese on top has melted to ooey gooey deliciousness and serve with a beer of your choice.
These nachos are definitely not for the faint, but will be perfect for an empty stomach after a long day on the mountain. In true apres ski style, they will pair amazingly with your favorite beer and will leave you feeling full and warm. Check back here for more recipes for all of your favorite apres ski food.
