WTF’s for Dinner Wednesday: Trash-Pan Nachos (Surprisingly Not Trashy!)

WTF Are We Eating?

Here’s the truth: dinner can go straight to hell on Wednesdays. I see you, fridge-stocked-with-weird-leftovers. So, tonight’s recipe: Trash-Pan Nachos. Cheap, no-fuss, fully customizable. You chuck half the fridge and the last sad can of beans in, but somehow, nobody complains. Yes, even your kid who thinks paprika is “spicy.”

Ingredients

• 1 bag tortilla chips (about 12-13 oz, aka just not the tiny single-serve)
• 1 can black beans (rinse em, trust me)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or whatever questionable blend you found on sale)
• 1-2 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie, leftovers, or skip it and go meatless)
• 1 bell pepper (dice it; color doesn’t matter unless you’re Instagramming this)
• 1/2 red onion (dice or thin slice, or sub green onion for the drama-averse)
• Salsa (jarred, canned, the salsa you forgot in the back of the fridge—rescue it)
• Optional toppings: sour cream, avocado, jalapeños, olives, cilantro, shredded lettuce, whatever, I’m not your mom

How to Not Mess Up Nachos

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). We want sizzling cheese, not half-melted sadness.
2. On a big-ass sheet pan, scatter the chips. No sad chips hiding underneath. Let ‘em breathe.
3. Sprinkle the beans, chicken, bell pepper, and onion all over. Be evenly messy. There’s no nacho police.
4. Layer on that cheese like a responsible cheese lover (read: don’t skimp).
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese goes full sexy-melty and edges of chips start to tan a bit. Watch it. Nachos love to burn when your back’s turned.
6. Spoon salsa over the top and add whatever toppings will make your weird family happy (see swaps below).
7. Sling it straight from the pan. Zero plating, maximum devour.

Swaps, Shortcuts & Other Lazy Magic

• No chicken? Use cooked ground beef, pulled pork, or skip meat entirely for cheapskates/vegetarians.
• Picky eaters? Make a chip zone with cheese only (trust me, they ALL eat cheese), let everyone customize their quadrant after baking. Boom, harmony.
• No black beans? Pinto, kidney, or canned corn. Nachos are the Switzerland of dinners—neutral and non-judgmental.
• Crazy tight budget? Dollar-store chips, one can beans, and bottom-barrel cheese: still edible, still satisfying, zero shame.
• Too tired to chop? Use frozen grilled chicken strips or skip all fresh veggies entirely—chips, beans, cheese, oven, done.

Why Does This Work?

It’s dirt cheap, fast, and requires the attention span of an overstimulated squirrel. Everybody likes nachos, because nachos are like edible democracy—everyone gets what they want, and nobody has to eat something suspicious and green (unless they’re into that).

Need a recipe you can actually pull off between homework meltdowns and laundry hell? Here it is. Trash-Pan Nachos: not fancy, just fucking smart.

This is the kind of recipe I build my weekly plans around.