JOHNNY CARINO'S ITALIAN NACHOS

Don't you love yummy restaurant dishes that you can replicate at home?  I've been making this one for years and thought you might want to try it, too!

I don't eat out terribly often, so when I do I'm usually guilty of sticking with what I know I'll like and not branching out and trying something new so I won't be disappointed, but my husband is better at trying new things.  One day he came home from a lunch meeting at work and raved about the Italian Nachos at Johnny Carino's, and I tried them too the next time we were there.  They were an instant new favorite!  Here's how to make your own:

Italian Nachos
serves 6

12 oz. package of won ton wraps
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Cooked, shredded chicken
Cooked, crumbled Italian sausage (could substitute cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage)
Alfredo sauce (jar or home-made)
Sliced jalapeño peppers
Sliced pepperocini peppers
Diced tomatoes
Sliced black olives
Shredded parmesan cheese

Now, if you have a Johnny Carino's locally, you can make this recipe even easier by purchasing the chips there.  If you call in they will sell a bag of them for a few dollars.  When I have purchased the chips in the past, one bag is usually enough for about 2 servings.

If you don't have a Johnny Carino's near you, no worries!  You can easily make your own chips.  If you're like I was when I first made this recipe and have never made anything with won ton wraps, here's what they look like in the package.  They are usually found chilled in the produce section.

Begin by slicing each section of won tons into thirds.  Cut this way, this package makes enough dinner plate sized servings for 6 people.

Heat up an inch or two of oil in a deep pot.  You'll want it hot enough to brown the won tons fairly quickly.  Drop each piece in one by one and let brown on one side before flipping over to brown the other side.  It nice to have a helper, one dropping the strips in and the other frying, but you can do it by yourself if you work quickly.  We worked with around 10 at a time.

Remove from oil after golden brown and drain onto paper towels.  Check out that pile of golden, crunchy goodness!

From here on out, the recipe can be made to your liking.  I didn't include amounts of the other ingredients, because you just load everything onto the chips according to what or how much you want like any nacho recipe.  

Using an oven-proof plate, spread chips out then start layering the other ingredients.  I usually start with the mozzarella cheese, then the meats (all chicken, all sausage, or combo), then drizzle with warm alfredo sauce.  Then I add the rest of the ingredients (I was out of tomatoes for the photos but they're a good addition too!) and top it off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Place your plate in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or until everything is nice and hot and melted together.  You could also just make a big portion on a cookie sheet if you don't want to make individual servings.

I've made these for parties in the past or for dinner and they're always a hit!  What about you, have you had the privilege of eating Italian Nachos from Johnny Carino's?  Are you hooked like me?