Shredded Chicken Nachos

These shredded chicken nachos are easy to make, hearty and delicious. In this take on the restaurant favorite, corn tortilla chips are loaded with flavorful shredded chicken, black beans, corn, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, and of course, cheese. Serve them with sour cream and hot sauce on the side to add even more flavor.

This recipe makes a nice big batch so it can easily be dinner, and nachos are perfect for game day, movie night or weekend fare.

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Tips for making the best chicken nachos

• Hand shred the cheese to top these nachos. Pre-shredded packaged cheese contains cellulose (which is wood pulp) and sometimes potato starch, added in to prevent caking. The cheese melts better when you shred it yourself.
• Use hearty corn tortilla chips. These nachos are loaded with ingredients. Use a thicker tortilla chip that will hold up to the toppings. Two brands that I know are pretty thick are Tostitos Cantina Traditional style and Santitas.
• Make the nachos on a sheet pan. It’s large, rimmed and (if you line it with foil) easy to clean. Aside from all that, the presentation of sheet pan nachos is just so pretty. We use a quarter sheet pan which is 9-by-13 inches. Use a casserole dish that’s about the same size if you don’t have a sheet pan.

Loaded chicken nachos ingredients

• Spices – Chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper
• Meat – Boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Oil – Use a neutral (flavorless) oil, we use canola oil
• Liquid – Tomato sauce and water
• Toppings – You can customize your nachos with your favorite toppings. Here we use corn, black beans, black olives, green onions and tomatoes. Other topping ideas include: sliced jalapenos, diced red or white onions, diced avocado and chopped cilantro.
• Cheese – Cheddar, cheddar jack, Monterey jack, or use your favorite cheese as long as it melts well.
• Chips – Corn tortilla chips that are thick rather than thin.

Prep Work

Make the homemade taco seasoning: add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper to a small bowl, stir to combine.

Prep the nacho toppings while you cook the chicken. Store the unused canned black beans and corn in the refrigerator in airtight containers for 2-3 days. Use them to make this delicious turkey taco soup or these loaded sheet pan nachos that are made with ground turkey.

Prepare the chicken

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken. Cook for 3 minutes per side to brown.
2. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set on a plate or pan. Do not wash the skillet. We want to make the sauce in the delicious pan juices.
3. Set the skillet back over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, water and prepared seasoning mix, stir well to combine. When the sauce comes to a simmer return the chicken to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and continue cooking the sauce, covered on low heat. It should be barely at a simmer. Place the chicken on a cutting board or pan and let it cool a bit, then shred it using two forks.
5. Add the shredded chicken to the skillet.
6. Stir it well and cook a few minutes to allow most (or all) of the sauce to be absorbed. Stir occasionally. Let the chicken cool a bit before building the nachos.

Build the nachos

Preheat oven to 350°F

1. Add a layer of tortilla chips to a 9×13 sheet pan or shallow baking dish. Try not to overlap the chips too much but do place them close together.
2. Arrange about half of the shredded chicken over the tortilla chips.
3. Sprinkle the top evenly with half the shredded cheese.
4. Sprinkle with half of the toppings: corn, black beans, black olives and green onions.
5. Add another layer of tortilla chips.
6. Top with the remaining chicken, cheese, corn, black beans, black olives, and green onions.

Reserve the chopped tomatoes and a few green onions to garnish when the nachos come out of the oven.

Bake the chicken nachos for 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and some of the tortilla tips are starting to brown. Top with the chopped tomatoes and some extra chopped green onions. Serve immediately with sour cream and hot sauce on the side if desired.

You may also like these recipes:

• Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Turkey Tortilla Soup
• Shredded Chicken Tostadas
• Chorizo Cheese Dip
• Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
• Chicken Taquitos

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Shredded Chicken Nachos

These shredded chicken nachos are easy to make, hearty and delicious. In this take on the restaurant favorite, corn tortilla chips are loaded up with flavorful shredded chicken, black beans, corn, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, and of course, cheese.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

shredding the chicken10 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, nachos, shredded chicken

Servings: 6

Calories: 553kcal

Author: Elizabeth

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt (we use kosher salt)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Oil
• ¾ – 1 pound Chicken Breast boneless and skinless (2 breasts)
• 1 (8 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
• 8 ounces Water
• 8-10 ounces Corn Tortilla Chips
• 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese shredded (or use your favorite – we use medium cheddar)

Suggested Toppings

• ¼ cup Corn canned drained and rinsed (if using frozen cooked to package directions and drained)
• ¼ cup Black Beans drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup Black Olives sliced into rounds or chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons Green Onions sliced
• ¼ cup Diced Tomatoes
• Sour Cream for serving if desired
• Hot Sauce for serving if desired

Instructions

• Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper to a small bowl, stir to combine.

Brown the chicken

• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes per side to brown.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and set on a plate or pan. Don’t worry that it’s not cooked all the way through; it will finish cooking in the sauce.

Make the sauce

• Do not wash the skillet. Set it back over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, water and the prepared seasoning mix (chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and black pepper), stir well to combine.
• When the sauce comes to a simmer return the chicken to the skillet.
• Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of at least 165°F at the thickest part). Keep the sauce at a simmer, raise or lower the heat as needed. Turn the chicken about half way through the cooking time, and stir occasionally.
• Remove the chicken from the skillet and continue cooking the sauce, covered on low heat. It should be barely at a simmer.

Shred the chicken

• Place the chicken on a cutting board or pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Then shred using two forks.
• Return the shredded chicken to the skillet and stir well to combine with the sauce. Leave it on low heat for a few minutes while stirring to let most or all of the sauce to be absorbed.
• Let the chicken cool a bit.

Build the nachos

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Add a layer of tortilla chips to a 9×13 sheet pan or shallow baking dish. Try not to overlap the chips too much but do place them close together.
• Arrange about half of the shredded chicken over the tortilla chips.
• Sprinkle the top evenly with half the shredded cheese.
• Sprinkle with half of the toppings: corn, black beans, black olives and green onions.
• Add another layer of tortilla chips, and top with the remaining chicken, cheese, corn, black beans, black olives, and green onions.
• Reserve the chopped tomatoes and a few green onions to garnish when the nachos come out of the oven.
• Bake the nachos for 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and a few tips of the tortillas are starting to brown. Top with the chopped tomatoes and some extra chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
• Serve with sour cream and hot sauce on the side if desired.

Video

Notes

• Prepare the toppings while the chicken cooks.
• Hand shred the cheese it will melt better.
• Use a thicker tortilla chip that will hold up to the toppings.
• Use a sheet pan (9-by-13 inches) or a casserole dish that’s about the same size if you don’t have a sheet pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 1234mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 383mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.