You can serve these Fully Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins as an appetizer before a meal, as a snack while watching sports, or as a casual weeknight meal. If you are sensitive to spicy foods choose mild chiles; if you like heat use a hot variety. If you want a vegetarian option, just omit the bacon.
Hallelujah, football season is back! The Artist is thrilled and I am happy to see his smiles and listen to the yelling at the TV. When you grow up with three older brothers and a father who are all sports fanatics, a little of it is bound to rub off. I am a fan!
I love watching sports, just not as attentively as most people. I am usually either working on the computer or napping in front of the fire with the game on and everyone cheering! But I always stay awake for the Niner games, LOL.
Today for the Food Network’s SummerFest, we are all creating recipes that highlight potatoes, my favorite root vegetable! When my mind put two and two together (football and potatoes) there was only one recipe that I wanted to create for you – an improved and more flavorful platter of potato skins just perfect for game day!
We have all had the traditional version – and I didn’t stray too far from the classic – but I wanted to make them a little healthier by including some of the last fresh tomatoes from my garden. I am always looking for ways to utilize them and they are so tasty in these appetizers!
I love potatoes. What can I say, I’m Irish. 😉 Potatoes are extremely good for us but so often get a bad rap because we tend to heap on the extras that send the calorie count skyrocketing. If you are watching your weight, you can still use the toppings, just cut back on the amount you add and use alternates that give you great flavor without the weight gain.
Potatoes are packed with Vitamin C; have more potassium than bananas, spinach or broccoli; contain B6; they have no fat, sodium or cholesterol; and potatoes are a complex carbohydrates a great source of energy!
Mexican flavors might not be the first thing you think of when you hear that potato skins are on the menu, but the combination of ingredients is really great.
I love the subtle heat of the chiles and if you can find them, use the one from Hatch, New Mexico. Each year I order fresh roasted chiles online and keep them in my freezer for dishes just like this. If you don’t have access to fresh chiles, the canned version is just fine. I always have a can in my pantry just in case!
I didn’t have any fresh cilantro, but it would be great as a sprinkling on the top of these. Anything green will always add a nice touch of bright color on the plate.
The combination of fresh tomatoes, chiles, green onions and cheese was amazing, but what really made these potato skins special was the Taco Cream topping. It couldn’t be simpler to make or more delicious.
Use your favorite taco seasoning mix and add it along with a little fresh lime juice to sour cream, whisking until smooth. The creaminess blended with the seasonings from the mix make a dip that would be perfect for chips, nachos, taquitos, as well as these potato skins.
The next time you are hosting friends for game day at your home, put these Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins on your menu.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Fully Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins:
- Potatoes, bacon, butter, cheese, green chiles, tomatoes, onions
- Sour cream, fresh lime juice, taco seasoning, lime wedges
PRO Tip:
You may be tempted to use a different type of potato, but Russets are the perfect variety for this application. They bake up light and fluffy giving you exactly the kind of texture that you want!
How to make Fully Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins:
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool, crumble into small pieces.
- Place the scrubbed potatoes on a baking sheet and roast them until soft, about 1 hour (larger potatoes will take longer). Alternately you can microwave them, flipping over halfway through.
- Heat the broiler. Slice each potato lengthwise and scoop out some of the flesh, leaving about 1/2-inch on the skins. Place the scooped potato halves cut-side-down on the baking sheet and brush with about half the melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, place back in the oven and broil until the butter starts to bubble, watching carefully.
- Turn all the potato halves over to cut-side-up and brush with the remaining butter. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper and return to the oven. Broil until the potatoes begin to brown and get a little crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven.
- Fill each one with some of the bacon bits, chiles, and tomatoes in the hollowed out centers and then sprinkle the tops with the cheese. Broil until melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with green onions, and set aside to cool a bit while you make the Taco Cream.
- Whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Place two halves on each serving plate and garnish with lime wedges and drizzle some of the Taco Cream on each one and serve while hot, passing additional cream at the table.
PRO Tip:
*You can eat the scooped out potato centers with a little butter or use it in another recipe such as gnocchi or potato patties if you are making a lot of the skins.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Baking sheet pan
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowls
- Silicone pastry brush
- Cheese grater
Gluten-Free Tips:
There are a couple of places where gluten might hide. Watch the bacon you use and be sure it is safe. Also the taco seasoning may contain gluten ingredients. McCormick and Penzey’s are very good at labeling their products with all the ingredients listed. You can also make your own taco seasoning. My friend Traci has a great recipe for you that you will love.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Fully Loaded Green Chile Potato Skins
You can serve these green chile potato skins as an appetizer before a meal, as a snack while watching sports, or as a casual weeknight meal. If you are sensitive to spicy foods choose mild chiles; if you like heat use a hot variety. If you want a vegetarian option, omit the bacon.
Ingredients
Taco Cream Topping
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 to 2 tbsp gluten-free taco seasoning mix, such as McCormick or Penzey’s brands or homemade (see Note)
- Lime wedges, for garnish
Potato Skins
- 6 slices gluten-free bacon
- 8 medium-sized Russet potatoes, scrubbed thoroughly
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick; 57g) melted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-1/2 cups (170g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 oz (113g) finely chopped, roasted green chiles, such as Hatch brand chiles, or to taste
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, and finely diced
- 3 green onions, very thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Make the Taco Cream: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, and taco seasoning mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and keep cool until about 20 minutes before ready to serve.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces. Set aside.
- Roast the Potatoes: Place the scrubbed potatoes on a baking sheet and slide into the hot oven. Bake until potatoes are soft, about 1 hour. Depending on the size of the potatoes it may take a bit longer. Alternately, you can microwave them on high, flipping them over halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool until you can comfortably handle them.
- Turn the oven’s broiler on and set a rack about 8-inches from the broiler element.
- Slice each potato in half lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out some of the flesh from the center of each half, leaving about 1/4-inch of potato in the skins*.
- Place the potato halves cut-side down on the baking sheet and brush the tops with about half of the melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place back in the oven with the door ajar and cook until the butter starts to bubble, about 2 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
- Pull the baking sheet out of the oven and using tongs, turn all the potato halves over so the cut-sides are up. Brush with the remaining melted butter, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and return to the oven. Cook until potatoes begin to brown and get a little crispy on the edges. Watch carefully. Remove from the oven.
- Place some of the bacon, chiles and tomatoes down the center of each potato and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tops. Broil just until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the green onions over the top. Turn off the oven. You can slip the baking sheet with the potatoes back into the oven on a lower rack to keep warm if desired.
- To Serve: Place two potato halves on each serving plate and garnish with lime wedges. Drizzle some of the taco cream on each potato and serve while hot, passing additional cream at the table.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
There are a couple of places where gluten might hide. Watch the bacon you use and be sure it is safe. Also the taco seasoning may contain gluten ingredients. McCormick and Penzey’s brands are very good at labeling their products with all the ingredients listed. For the most control, you can make your own taco seasoning. My friend Traci has a great recipe that you will love.
*You can eat the scooped out potato with a little butter or use it in another recipe such as gnocchi or potato patties if you are making a lot of skins.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 457mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 10g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Sept 2013. The article was updated in 2023.
