Sweet corn salsa is a winning topping for gameday nachos

Salsa, in my mind, should be the official condiment of summer. It's the perfect vehicle for almost all of the season's produce bounty.

While perfectly ripe tomatoes are one of the most popular bases for fresh salsa, it's certainly not the only one. At the end of summer, my salsa ingredient of choice is often corn. Its sweetness offers a nice balance to the heat of the chiles and the tartness of lime juice.

When the weather is too hot to turn on the stove or oven, I'll grill extra ears of corn and chiles, along with whatever else I'm grilling, just to have on hand to toss together a quick batch of this salsa. The corn and chiles can also be roasted, or, as I'm doing in today's recipe, sautéed in a skillet.

And don't think of using it just on nachos. A bowl of corn salsa in the fridge has myriad uses and can help you get a delicious meal on your table in minutes. Use it to top grilled fish or chicken or in salads or wraps. You can add black beans and chopped tomatoes to it and turn it into a hearty salad, or add a little mayo and cotija cheese for an elote-inspired side dish.

Of course, it can also be used as a dip for tortilla chips or a topping for tacos.

Today, I'm using my corn and poblano salsa to perk up a batch of sheet-pan nachos. This recipe couldn't be simpler to make and is a delicious choice for gameday snacking.

Rotisserie chicken is shredded and tossed with your favorite tomatillo salsa before being layered on a sheet pan with tortilla chips and a generous amount of cheese. The nachos are baked until hot, then topped with the corn salsa and dollops of sour cream.

The combination of sweet corn, savory chicken and salty chips is absolutely addictive. You should have leftover corn salsa, which will take some of the stress out of your weekday meal planning. So you'll be winner, even though you team might not be.

Serves 4.

A fun twist on an old favorite, this version of an iconic gameday snack takes full advantage of our sweet end-of-summer Minnesota corn. The salsa recipe makes more than you'll need for one batch of nachos, but it's delicious to use in salads, tacos, wraps or in burritos. You can even add black beans and chopped tomatoes and turn it into a lovely side dish. From Meredith Deeds.

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 3 c. corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

• 2 medium poblano chiles, seeded and chopped

• 2 1/2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken

• 2/3 c. tomatillo salsa (store-bought or homemade), plus more for serving

• 8 oz. tortilla chips (about 6 to 7 c.)

• 1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1/2 c. chopped red onion

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro

• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and chopped

• 1 tbsp. lime juice

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• Sour cream, for serving

• Lime wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and poblano chiles and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until corn is browned slightly. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and the tomatillo salsa. Stir to combine.

Arrange half of the tortilla chips on prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheeses and half of the chicken mixture over the chips. Top with remaining chips, chicken and cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, just until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, add red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and salt to the bowl with the corn and poblanos. Stir to combine.

Remove nachos from oven and top with some of the corn and poblano salsa, along with sour cream and lime wedges. Serve with more corn and poblano salsa and tomatillo salsa on the side, if desired.