Grilled nachos will satisfy some Minnesota State Fair cravings

Like so many in Minnesota, right now I'm missing the fun and festivities of the fair, and for many of us, the most important part of the fun is the food.

Since a freshly fried corn dog, piping hot cheese curds or crispy walleye fish cakes are not in the cards this year, I decided to satisfy my cravings for something decadent with another fair favorite: nachos. And not just any nacho would do. It had to be fair-worthy, and this week's Grilled Chicken Nachos With Charred Corn Salsa fits the bill perfectly.

Grilling nachos is easy to do and gives them an added smokiness that you don't get in the oven. To make firing up the grill worth the effort, I've grilled my protein of choice, skinless, boneless chicken thighs, along with a couple of ears of corn and some jalapeños.

The corn kernels, blackened in spots from the grill, are cut off the cob and mixed with fresh diced tomatoes, cilantro, red onion and lime juice for a simple, but flavorful salsa. The salsa's heat comes from the blistered jalapeños, which are peeled, and finely chopped. I recommend removing the seeds and the veins that hold them, if you like your salsa on the mild side. If you welcome the heat, go ahead and leave the seeds in.

The grilled chicken is cut up and scattered over chips, placed on a baking sheet or disposable foil pan that will fit on your grill, along with a generous amount of cheese. I like to do this in a couple of layers, so each nacho bite has some meat and cheese on it.

The assembled nachos are cooked for a few minutes on the grill, until the cheese is completely melted.

When the nachos are ready to serve, corn salsa is spooned over the top, along with some diced avocado and sour cream. You will have plenty of salsa, so you can pass around any extra on the side. There's no such thing as too much corn salsa.

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds.

Grilled Chicken Nachos With Charred Corn Salsa

Serves 4.

Note: No need to fire up the oven for these cheesy chicken nachos. Everything is done outside on the grill for this quick and easy family favorite. From Meredith Deeds.

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 3/4 tsp. salt, divided

• 1/4 tsp. cayenne

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 2 ears corn, husks removed

• 1 c. chopped tomatoes (about 1 medium)

• 1/2 c. red onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

• 1 bag (14 oz.) tortilla chips

• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped

• Sour cream, for serving, if desired

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cayenne. Brush the mixture all over the chicken. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes while the grill is heating.

Place the chicken on the grill over the direct-heat side. Grill for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping over halfway through, until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Place the corn and jalapeños on the grill over direct heat. Cook, turning frequently, until the corn is charred in spots on all sides and the jalapeños are completely blistered. Transfer the corn to a cutting board and the jalapeños to a paper bag to steam for 5 minutes.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob. Transfer to a medium bowl. Scrape the blackened skin off the jalapeños. Remove the stem and seeds and chop finely. Add to bowl with corn, along with the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.