Grilled Tostones Nachos

The other day I was given a bunch of free plantains at work and inspiration hit me- what if I used tostones instead of chips to make nachos with a twist???? I'm all about the mash-up meal. Tostones, for those of you who don't know, are twice fried plantains. Their crispy outside and starchy inside give you a snack that is halfway between a chip and a french fry. They are a staple in Latin cuisine and they are freakin' delicious.

Since opening our grill for the season, all I want to do is cook outside. I opted to fry these babies up in my cast iron skillet right on the grill, but you can totally do this inside on your stove as well!

Grilled Tostones Nachos

Ingredients

For Chicken and Marinade:

3 chicken cutlets

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Juice of 2 small lemons

1 tbsp ground mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

For Tostones:

3 green (unripe) plantains

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

1 Lime

For Toppings:

1/2 cup cooked rice

Mexican blend grated cheese (as much as you want- the more the better in my opinion!)

1/2 can black beans

Sour cream

Guacamole (Check out my Holy Guacamole recipe HERE)

Cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a gallon sized ziploc bag, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, wocestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake until blended into marinade. Place chicken cutlets in bag, reseal, and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to a day.

2. Remove ends of plantains. Cut into 1 inch long pieces, and remove the peel. Note that the peels are VERY stubborn. You will need to use a knife to get them started.

3. Place cast iron skillet with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil on grill. Turn on high, close lid and pre-heat for 5 minutes, or until oil is hot. I use the spritz test- flick some water into the skillet. If the oil pops, you're hot enough.

4. Place plantain pieces in skillet to soften, turning to brown all sides for about 5 minutes. While they're cooking, place chicken directly on grill. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side.

5. Remove plantains from skillet onto a cutting board. Place 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and the garlic in the skillet. Using the back of a glass, gently smash plantains into rounds. I used a knife to peel them off. Once garlic is fragrant and starting to brown, place plantain rounds back into skillet in batches. Cook for 5 more minutes, turning to brown both sides. Remove to paper towel lined plate, sprinkle with salt and lime juice.

6. Remove chicken from grill, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 10-15 minutes. When cool enough to touch, slice or chop- whichever is your preference.

7. Carefully wipe excess oil out out skillet- cast iron retains heat so watch those fingers! Lower grill to medium heat. Layer tostones on bottom of skillet. Spread rice evenly over them. Top with as much cheese as your heart desires. Place skillet back on grill and close top. The contained heat will make the cheese oozy and perfect. After about 5 minutes, add chicken and black beans to top and close back up. Heat for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted (more cheese = longer melt time).

8. Remove skillet from heat. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro. Serve in skillet and enjoy!