Taco Beef Nuggets With Dipping Sauce

Brenda.'s Note:

Recipe from P.Hurd, MN. First place recipe in Handheld Kid Pleasers category in the 2003 National Beef Cook-Off.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb ground round
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
• 1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilies, drained, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) package colby-monterey jack cheese (cut into 16 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 cups nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips, crushed
• 6 tablespoons taco sauce, thick style
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine ground beef, taco seasoning and green chilies in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
3. Divide beef mixture into 16 portions; shape each portion around a cheese cube, completely covering cheese.
4. Beat egg white with water in shallow dish until blended.
5. Place chips in second shallow dish.
6. Dip each meatball into egg white mixture, then into chips to coat completely.
7. Press each meatball with palm into a flattened nugget shape, generously coating both sides of nugget with chips.
8. Spray large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place nuggets in baking pan; spray tops of nuggets generously with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Bake in 400°F oven 15 to 20 minutes until no longer pink and juices show no pink color.
10. Meanwhile combine taco sauce & honey in a small microwave-safe dish. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until warm.
11. Serve nuggets with sauce.

Reviews

[Chef of 5]

These are the best appetizers I've made in a long time! Something new and different from the same ol, same ol! Gave some to my neighbors and they loved them as well. These are easy to make and SOOOO good. Make sure that if you see the cheese leaking out, they are more than done. Watch them so that doesn't happen. When they just start leaking, they are done. They continue cooking as they cool. And make sure you use doritoes. Tortilla chips would not remotely be the same! I did not try the taco sauce but made a creamy dip with sour cream, taco seasoning, cumin, cilantro and lime juice. Very good, would definitely recommend!

[Sam #3]

Made these tonight, minus the sauce and the dorito crust (only cause I didn't have any). They turned out super yummy! I think because I was missing the doritos crust, my cheese leaked out of them. I also love this meatball baking method. I'll be making them again!

[Skylar]

These came out pretty good, a little messy to make since it's hard to throughly drain the chilies. Next time I would cut the cheese cubes smaller so I could use less meat to wrap them with and it would have been more like nuggets, also I would spray the bottom of the pan since it sticks. I could have crushed my chips into smaller pieces and I didn't try the dipping sauce.