Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo & Cheddar: The Ultimate Appetizer Recipe

Looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s sure to be a hit at your next party or game day gathering? Look no further than these irresistible Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo and Cheddar! These aren’t just any potato skins; they’re a flavor explosion waiting to happen. Imagine perfectly crispy potato skins, fluffy on the inside, and generously loaded with spicy chorizo and gooey cheddar cheese. This recipe elevates the classic potato skin to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• Step-by-Step: Making Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo
• Expert Recipe Tips for Perfect Potato Skins
• Make-Ahead Instructions
• Delicious Recipe Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Amazing Appetizers to Try
• Detailed Recipe: Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo

While twice-baked potatoes might be a classic, potato skins often get overlooked. But if you crave something crispy, crunchy, and bursting with flavor, these chorizo and cheddar potato skins are your answer. They’re easy to make, endlessly customizable, and perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or even a satisfying snack any time of day.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its flexibility. You control the heat level by choosing mild or spicy chorizo, and you can easily swap cheeses to suit your preferences. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, you can customize these potato skins with your favorite ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe for baked potato skins with chorizo and cheddar offers a winning combination of simplicity, flavor, and convenience, making it a perfect choice for any occasion. Here’s why you’ll absolutely love it:

• Minimal Ingredients: You only need six key ingredients to create this flavor-packed appetizer. That’s right, just six! Russet potatoes, butter, chorizo, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions are all you need to transform ordinary potatoes into something extraordinary.
• Crowd-Pleasing: This recipe is designed to serve a crowd, making it ideal for parties, gatherings, or game day celebrations. With 16 potato skins per batch, there’s plenty to go around, ensuring everyone gets a taste of the deliciousness. Plus, they’re always a favorite, so you can expect empty plates!
• Make-Ahead Convenience: Planning a party can be stressful, but these potato skins can be made ahead of time. Prepare them the day before, store them in the refrigerator, and simply pop them in the oven or under the broiler to reheat when you’re ready to serve. This make-ahead option saves you time and effort on the day of your event.
• Bold Flavors: The combination of crispy potato skins, spicy chorizo, and melted cheddar cheese creates an explosion of bold flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. The sour cream and scallions add a cool and refreshing contrast, balancing the richness of the other ingredients and adding a touch of elegance.
• Versatile: These potato skins are incredibly versatile, allowing you to customize them to your liking. Swap out the chorizo for other ground meats, experiment with different cheeses, or add your favorite toppings to create a unique and personalized appetizer. The possibilities are endless!
• Easy to Make: Despite their impressive flavor profile, these potato skins are surprisingly easy to make. The step-by-step instructions are clear and concise, making it simple for even novice cooks to achieve perfect results. With minimal effort, you can create a restaurant-quality appetizer that will impress your guests.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To create these delicious baked potato skins with chorizo and cheddar, you’ll need just a handful of fresh, high-quality ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need, along with some helpful tips and substitution ideas:

• Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the ideal choice for potato skins due to their starchy, firm interior and thick skins. These characteristics make them perfect for scooping out the flesh and creating a sturdy base for the toppings. Before baking, scrub and dry the potatoes thoroughly to ensure the skins get beautifully crispy.
  
  Swap: If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also use sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter flavor profile.
• Unsalted Butter: Brushing the potato skins with melted butter is essential for achieving that golden-brown, crispy exterior. The butter not only adds flavor but also helps the skins crisp up beautifully in the oven or under the broiler. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts to prevent splattering.
• Chorizo: The star of the show, chorizo adds a spicy and savory kick to these potato skins. Choose between mild, medium, or spicy chorizo depending on your preference for heat. The chorizo should be raw and have the casing removed before cooking.
  
  Swap: If you’re not a fan of chorizo, you can substitute any ground meat, such as sweet or spicy Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey. Just be sure to cook the meat thoroughly before adding it to the potato skins.
• Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar cheese provides that classic cheesy goodness that everyone loves. Feel free to buy pre-shredded cheddar cheese for convenience, and use whatever type you like – mild, medium, or sharp.
  
  Swap: Experiment with different cheeses, such as pepper jack, Monterey jack, or even mozzarella, to create a unique flavor combination.
• Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream is the perfect finishing touch for these potato skins. It adds a cool and creamy contrast to the spicy chorizo and cheesy filling, balancing the flavors and providing a refreshing element.
  
  Swap: For a lighter option, you can use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
• Scallions: Scallions, also known as green onions, add a pop of color and a subtle onion-garlic bite to these potato skins. Thinly slice just the green tops of the scallions for garnish.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-Step: Making Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo

Making these delicious baked potato skins with chorizo and cheddar is easier than you might think. Follow these step-by-step instructions for perfect results every time:

1. Bake the Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Use a fork to prick the potatoes all over (this allows steam to escape during baking). Place the potatoes directly onto the oven rack (this promotes even cooking and crispy skins). Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly until you can handle them.
2. Slice and Scoop: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise. Now, here’s how to scoop a potato without breaking the skin: Using a spoon, gently scoop out the center of each potato half, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides and on the bottom. Be careful not to scoop all the way down to the bottom of the potato. Place the scooped-out potato flesh into a separate bowl for another use (see the “Expert Tips” section for ideas).

3. Crisp the Skins: Turn the oven to broil. Brush both sides of the potato skins with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the skins, cut-side down, onto a baking sheet. Broil for 2 minutes, then flip and broil for another couple of minutes, until the skins are golden brown and crispy. Keep a close eye on the potato skins while broiling, as they can burn quickly. Remove the skins from the oven.

4. Cook the Chorizo: While the potato skins are broiling, cook the chorizo. In a large frying pan, cook the chorizo over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it’s browned and crispy. You don’t need to add any extra oil, as the chorizo will release its own fat. Drain off any excess fat, if desired.

5. Fill and Broil: Divide the cooked chorizo evenly among the potato skins, then top each skin with the shredded cheddar cheese. Place the filled potato skins back on the baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Personally, I’ll just eat three of these and call it a meal! You can enjoy them as-is, but I especially like to top these crispy potato skins with a dollop of sour cream and chopped scallions. Feeling fancy? You could absolutely make salsa and/or guacamole to go on top (store-bought works, too!).

Expert Recipe Tips for Perfect Potato Skins

To ensure your baked potato skins with chorizo and cheddar are a resounding success, here are some expert tips to keep in mind:

• Remove the Chorizo Casing: If your chorizo has a casing, it’s important to remove it before cooking. This allows you to easily crumble the sausage and ensures it cooks evenly. To remove the casing, use a sharp knife to make a slit along the length of the sausage. Then, peel back the casing carefully, working your way around the sausage until it’s completely removed.
• Don’t Waste the Potato Flesh: After scooping out the potatoes, you’ll have leftover cooked potato flesh that shouldn’t go to waste. There are many delicious ways to use it up. For example, you can make mashed potatoes, turn it into gnocchi or mashed potato pancakes, or even whip up cheesy mashed potato waffles. Get creative and find your favorite way to repurpose the potato flesh.
• Thinly Slice the Scallions: When preparing the scallions, you’ll want to trim off the (often wrinkly) ends before thinly slicing them. Instead of a knife, you can use sharp kitchen shears to cut the scallion greens into small pieces. This is a quick and easy way to prepare the scallions for garnish.
• Broiling is Quick: Be extremely vigilant when broiling the potato skins. The high heat can quickly turn them from golden brown to burnt. Watch carefully and adjust the broiling time as needed.
• Add Seasoning: Taste the chorizo after cooking and adjust seasoning as needed. Depending on the type of chorizo, you may want to add a pinch of salt, pepper, or other spices to enhance the flavor.

Make-Ahead Instructions

One of the great things about these baked potato skins is that they can be made ahead of time, saving you valuable time and effort when you’re entertaining. Here are two options for making them ahead:

• Fully Assembled: You can make the potato skins completely up to a few days in advance. Simply bake the potatoes, scoop out the flesh, cook the chorizo, fill the skins, and bake them until the cheese is melted. Then, let them cool completely, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat them in the oven or under the broiler when you’re ready to serve.
• Partially Prepared: Alternatively, you can bake the potatoes a few days in advance, then scoop out the flesh, cook the chorizo, and store everything separately in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply fill the potato skins with the chorizo and cheese, and broil them until the cheese is melted. This method is great if you want the freshest possible flavors.

Delicious Recipe Variations

Looking to switch up your potato skins game? Try out these delicious recipe variations for a fun twist on the classic appetizer!

• Vegetarian Potato Skins: Skip the chorizo and instead, fill the potato skins with a mixture of black beans, corn, diced bell peppers, and shredded cheese. Top with salsa, guacamole, and a dollop of sour cream for a delicious vegetarian twist.
• BBQ Chicken Potato Skins: Use store-bought shredded rotisserie chicken (a great time-saving trick!) tossed in barbecue sauce, then top with shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onions, and chopped cilantro.
• Tex-Mex Potato Skins: Fill the skins with cooked ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, black beans, diced tomatoes, and shredded Mexican cheese blend. Top with diced avocado, sliced jalapenos, and a drizzle of hot sauce.
• Loaded Breakfast Potato Skins: Create a hearty morning meal by filling the skins with scrambled eggs, cooked breakfast sausage, crispy bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese. Top with chopped scallions and a dollop of sour cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Amazing Appetizers to Try

If you’re looking for more delicious appetizers to serve at your next gathering, here are some of our favorites:

• Easy Pizza Dough Soft Pretzel Knots
• The Ultimate Sheet Pan Nachos with Chicken
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Whipped Brie Cheese
• Baked Asparagus Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli

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Detailed Recipe: Baked Potato Skins with Chorizo