Kettle Chip Stack Recipe

Roast the garlic

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice the top 1/4 off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap tightly and roast on a baking sheet for 35-40 minutes until soft and golden. Remove and let cool slightly.

Prepare whipped feta cream

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl and mash lightly with a fork. In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine roasted garlic, 6 oz feta, 2 oz softened cream cheese, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth and airy, scraping down sides as needed. Adjust consistency with up to 1 more tablespoon of water if too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning (add more lemon or salt if desired). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until assembly.

Dice pancetta into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, reserving about 1 teaspoon of rendered fat in the pan (discard excess or reserve for another use). Let pancetta cool slightly — it will crisp further as it cools.

If using store-bought salsa, taste and adjust with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt if needed. If making a quick fresh-cut salsa: finely dice 2 medium tomatoes (about 1 cup), 1/4 cup red onion, 1 jalapeño seeded and minced (optional), and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice. Let sit 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of roasted garlic whipped feta cream onto the bottom of a shallow serving plate or individual plates to create a stable base (reserve the remainder for topping).

Arrange 6 cups of kettle chips in a loose overlapping stack or pile on top of the whipped feta base so chips stick slightly to the cream.

Spoon the fresh-cut salsa evenly over the chips, using about 1 cup total, spreading so that chips are lightly coated but still visible.

Scatter the crisp pancetta (4 oz cooked) over the salsa-covered chips.

Sprinkle the crumbled feta (3 oz) and sliced green onions (from 3 stalks) across the top.

Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the assembled stack and evenly dust with 1 teaspoon tajín seasoning. If desired, add microgreens or additional sliced green onion for garnish.

Serve immediately so chips remain crisp. Provide extra whipped feta cream on the side for dipping.