Nachos de Camarón al Chipotle (Chipotle Prawn Nachos)
A big tray of crisp tortilla chips under refried beans, queso and smoky chipotle prawns, finished with avocado and pickled jalapeño.
Made with Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips) and Refried beans (frijoles refritos) and Queso (Mexican cheese sauce). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.58 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the prawns with the chipotle paste, half the oil and a squeeze of lime juice.
- 2
Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Cook the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until pink and opaque all the way through. Set aside.
3 min - 3
Break the totopos into a large ovenproof dish or tray in an even layer. Dot your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) over the top in small spoonfuls.
- 4
Bake for 5 minutes until the beans are hot and the chips are crisp. Meanwhile, warm your ready made queso (see the base recipe) in a pan, stirring, until steaming hot.
5 min - 5
Scatter the prawns over the chips and pour the warm queso over everything.
- 6
Top with the tomatoes, spring onions, avocado, jalapeño slices and coriander. Squeeze over the rest of the lime and serve straight from the tray.
Tips
- Dollop the beans rather than spreading them. Spoonfuls leave more crisp chip exposed.
- Add the queso and cold toppings only at the table or just before serving so the chips stay crunchy.
- Thick, sturdy corn tortilla chips hold up best. Thin chips collapse under wet toppings.
- Check the chipotle paste label if you need gluten free, because some brands add wheat.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten at once. Leftover prawns, beans and queso keep separately in the fridge for 1 day, and should be reheated until steaming hot all the way through. Loaded nachos do not keep.
Questions
Can I make it with cooked prawns?
Yes. Use 300 g cooked peeled prawns and warm them in the chipotle oil for 1 minute only, since cooked prawns turn tough if heated for long.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Replace the prawns with fried sliced peppers and sweetcorn or a tin of drained black beans. Check the queso base is made with vegetarian cheese.
How do I stop nachos going soggy?
Use sturdy chips, spread toppings in layers rather than all at once, and serve immediately. Baking beans on the chips first creates a thin seal that slows sogginess.
More made with tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Chilaquiles de Carnitas con Salsa Roja
GFNFHPMacarrones con Queso y Chile Poblano (Poblano Mac and Queso)
GFEFNFTostadas de Carnitas con Lechuga y Aguacate
EFNFTostadas de Frijol con Aguacate y Queso Fresco (Bean and Avocado Tostadas)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.