It’s true: The food game is full of imitators. After the triumph of limited-edition Secret Aardvark Serrabanero Nacho Fries at Taco Bell in the spring of 2024, folks came out of the woodwork online with their own recipe variations.

Not to be outdone, we thought we’d keep the spirit alive with our very own Aardvarked-out variation on this can’t-miss snack—now featuring our brand-new Serrabanero Ranch Spicy Dressing & Dip.

You can, of course, make super-simple nacho fries by just grabbing a bag of frozen fries, cooking them up, and dunking them in Serrabanero Ranch. But follow along here for a recipe inspired by the Nacho Fries that drew rave reviews—and sold out much too quickly.

The magic of Secret Aardvark’s own signature Nacho Fries? Secret Aardvark Serrabanero Ranch featuring green tomatoes, roasted tomatillos, serrano, and green habanero peppers in a savory, zesty, punchy ranch dressing. Combine that with crispy fries seasoned with Mexican spices and topped with roasted chicken (or ground beef), shredded cheese, sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, and pico de Gallo. 

Preparation Time: 20 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Mexican Spice Mix

(Or substitute 2-3 tablespoons prepared Taco Seasoning, like McCormick’s Taco Seasoning Mix):

2 teaspoons paprika 

2 teaspoons chili powder 

1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)

1 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce

(You can grab pre-made nacho sauce at the store if you’re short on time. Or read on for instructions on making your own, which is bound to be tastier and generally considered a crucial life skill).

1/2 cup milk (whole or two percent)

1 tablespoon butter

8 oz. Cheese – American, cheddar, jack, Velveeta, whatever you have (chopped into small chunks for melting)

The Rest

1 lb. of “extra crispy” frozen fries from your local grocery store.

2 – 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded, and heated (Quick tip: Grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store).

2 – 3 tablespoons Secret Aardvark Serrabanero Ranch Dressing and Dip

1 tablespoon Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce or Smokey Aardvark Chipotle-Hab Sauce (or more to taste)

1 – 2 tablespoon sour cream

1 – 2 tablespoon pico de gallo (chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt). (Find prepared pico de gallo in the deli section of your local store or make it yourself. In a hurry? Just dice tomatoes and onions and add a dash of lime juice).

Shredded cheese (pick your faves and pile it on)

Instructions

Combine the Mexican spices. You may have some left over, so maybe use a small jar or shaker bottle to store extra for later.

Make the nacho cheese sauce. Combine milk, cubed cheeses, and Habanero Sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until fully melted and nacho cheesy.

Cook the fries according to package instructions. Place the cooked fries on a wire rack over a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with the Mexican spices. Transfer seasoned fries to plates or bowls, dividing them into 4 servings.

Top with the warmed shredded or cubed chicken, 2 tablespoons of melted nacho cheese sauce, 2 tablespoons Aardvark Serrabanero Ranch Dressing and Dip. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and add a dollop of sour cream and pico de gallo on top.

Want to see how Taco Bell put their version of Secret Aardvark Nacho Fries together? Check out this video of the Aardvark’s sneaky visit to the test kitchen at Taco Bell Headquarters.

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