I’ll just start this recipe off by saying I didn’t grow up in Texas. That being said, I’ve still got a major obsession with Tex-Mex food! The flavor combinations are always a hit and the meals satisfy pretty much any time. When I saw this South Texas botana recipe I knew I had to investigate further.
So what is a botana? It represents snacking at its finest and is a staple at parties and gatherings along the border. Think nachos, but with a whole lot more going on- the royalty of nachos if you will. Each bite of this Mexican American dish offers new flavor combinations that nachos could only dream of. Crunchy chips, flavorful fajita veggies and meats, and even some tasty quesadillas on top. This dish has it all and can feed a big crowd!
Unlike a simple nacho recipe this South Texas botana is not a throw-together kind of dish. Each step offers a chance at homemade flavor and we’re even making the tortilla chips ourselves! But, I will also break down some simple shortcuts to make this a simpler process.
To make our own chips we’re simply cutting corn tortillas into quarters and then frying them. Each batch only takes a few minutes, but if you don’t want to stand over the stovetop then you can buy a bag of chips. The fried restaurant style is the closest to homemade, but I have to say that the freshly fried one ares truly superior.
We’re also using those corn tortillas to make some quesadillas. The inside is filled with fresh mozzarella, but you can replace it with any cheese you like to make it more your own. The rule of thumb is that you should make at least one quesadilla per person. For this pan I made 4, but you can easily pad out the botana by making more.
To save time since there are a lot of steps you can use pico de gallo and guacamole from the store, but of course homemade is the most flavorful. The same goes for the refried beans- use canned or make them from scratch depending on what you’ve got time for.
This platter of food is also a great way to use up leftover beans, beef, and chicken. You only need 1/2 pound of skirt steak or similar cut and 1 chicken breast for this recipe so you might just already have these on hand!
Lay your chips out on a baking pan lined with foil and then pile on your beans, cheese, meats, veggies, and quesadillas. Then bake until the cheese has melted. Finally, add your favorite toppings and plenty of pico de gallo and guacamole.
Honestly, once you try this phenomenal South Texas botana you might never look at nachos the same way again.
South Texas Botana
Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 16 corn tortillas, divided
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable or canola oil,divided
- 1/2 lb skirt or flank steak, sliced into strips
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 chicken breast, sliced
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn
- 1 (14 oz) can refried beans
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices (or to taste)
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1/2 cup pico de gallo (or to taste)
Preparation
- Heat 2 cups oil to 350˚F in large skillet or stock pot. Cut 12 tortillas into quarters. Fry until lightly golden on each side, flipping as needed. Work in batches Set aside to drain on paper towel lined plate.
- While chips cook toss beef with garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat remaining oil in large skillet. Add onion and pepper and cook until onion is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan.
- Add steak to pan and cook over medium until done to your liking. For medium cook for about 2 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add chicken to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Wipe pan clean and add more oil if needed. Add remaining tortillas to skillet heated over medium. Top with mozzarella cheese and fry until golden. Close tortillas and fry until cheese around edges is golden brown. Remove from pan.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place chips on bottom and spread over entire tray. Top with refried beans. Then top with cheddar cheese and finally add on fajita meats and veggies. Bake for 4 minutes then add quesadillas on top. Return to oven and bake for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Top with jalapeño slices, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Share and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Arnie Tex.