Old Chicago’s Italian Nachos Copycat Recipe

This is a copycat recipe for Old Chicago’s Italian Nachos with crispy fried wonton chips, a layer of pepperoni, Italian sausage crumbles, pepperoncini, and melted mozzarella and pepper jack cheese served with marinara dipping sauce.

Have you been to Old Chicago and tried their Italian nachos? They’re so tasty!

We were going to have a get-together one night, and I thought, “I wish I could make those. It’d be perfect with our lasagna.”

My recipe uses wonton chips instead of pasta chips. I’ve tried making pasta chips at home, but nothing came close to wonton chips.

They even have a slight saltiness, so I never have to salt them.

Why You’ll Love These Italian Nachos

Just Like Old Chicago’s: If you love Old Chicago’s Italian nachos, you’ll love being able to make them right at home!

Crispy Wonton Chips: Instead of pasta chips, these nachos are made with crispy fried wonton wrappers that are perfect for piling on toppings.

Loaded with Good Stuff: Italian sausage, pepperoni, gooey melted cheese, and tangy pepperoncini make these nachos so good!

Make Them Your Own: Switch up the cheeses, leave off toppings you don’t like, or add your favorite pizza toppings.

Great for Sharing: These are always fun to put out for game day, get-togethers, or even a snack night at home.

Ingredients

• Wonton Wrappers: Find these in the cooler sections of the produce section of the grocery store.
• Ground Italian Pork Sausage: This is pre-seasoned ground Italian pork sausage, not breakfast pork sausage. They have very different flavors.
• Pepperoni: Use regular sliced pepperoni or minis so it’s easier to spread evenly over the nachos.
• Pepperoncini or Banana Peppers: Pepperoncini are more robust and tangy, while banana peppers are sweeter and milder.
• Mozzarella Cheese & Pepper Jack Cheese: The combination of cheeses gives these nachos plenty of gooey, melted cheese with a little kick from the pepper jack.
• Marinara Sauce
• Canola Oil

How to Make Old Chicago’s Italian Nachos

• Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally to make triangles. In another pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
• Once hot, working in batches, add wonton triangles to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes on both sides. They can cook fast, so watch them carefully. Place the cooked wonton chips on a paper towel-lined plate.

• Cook Italian sausage over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes and drain grease.
• On a baking sheet, place a layer of crispy wonton chips. Layer with pepper jack cheese, Italian sausage crumbles, pepperoni, pepperoncini, and top with mozzarella.

• Bake at 375℉ for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Variations and Add-ins

One of the great things about Italian nachos is that you can change up the toppings.

Change Up the Meat: Try ground beef, grilled chicken, or crispy cooked prosciutto instead of Italian sausage and pepperoni.

Try Different Cheeses: Swap the mozzarella or pepper jack for provolone, Monterey Jack, or grate some fresh Parmesan on top.

Add More Veggies: Diced bell peppers, red onions, black olives, or sautéed mushrooms would all be great additions.

Make Them Spicy: Add sliced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or use spicy Italian sausage for a little extra heat.

Tips

• Fry the wonton wrappers in batches so they are in a single layer.
• Watch their color closely because thin wonton wrappers brown quickly.
• Drain the cooked Italian sausage to prevent greasy nachos.
• Drain the pepperoncini to avoid making the wonton chips soggy.
• Spread the toppings evenly so each chip gets sausage, pepperoni, and cheese.
• Serve immediately while the chips are crisp and the cheese is melted.

FAQ

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