Loaded with chicken, tortilla chips, lots of cheese and whatever toppings you may desire, these skillet chicken nachos are the perfect appetizer recipe. It doesn’t hurt that they can be finished in under 30 minutes.
I mean who doesn’t love nachos? It’s just one of those dishes that is comfort 101. What makes them even better is they are made in one dish so less cleanup, making it really tough to beat this chicken nachos recipe. That and the fact that it is loaded with tons of cheese.
Anyways this chicken nachos recipe couldn’t be easier or tastier! And if you love guacamole, make your own. Fresh is so much better than store-bought.
What Ingredients are in this Chicken Nachos Recipe?
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
- Olive oil
- Taco seasoning
- Tortilla chips
- Pepper Jack cheese
- Toppings – black beans, dice tomatoes, green onions, black olives, jalapeños (all optional)
- Salsa, sour cream and guacamole
How to Make Skillet Chicken Nachos
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in cast iron skillet. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Shred and add taco seasoning and mix until the chicken is coated. Remove chicken and wipe down skillet.
- Spread tortilla chips in even layer over the bottom of the skillet. Add half the chicken, half the toppings of your choice
- Add half the cheese.
- Add a second layer of tortilla chips and top with the remaining chicken, beans and cheese.
- Place skillet in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with green onions and serve with some salsa, sour cream or guacamole or all three.
Best Cheese for Chicken Nachos
You want a cheese that melts well so cheddar, Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack all work great. I personally like Pepper Jack as it is Monterey Jack with a kick. Or you could just combine a few different cheeses.
What Cast Iron Skillet Do You Use?
I use a Lodge cast iron skillet. It’s surprisingly affordable and will last years if you take care of it. That said, if you want to make the chicken nachos recipe in a sheet pan that will work too. However you still have to cook the chicken before assembling the nachos.
Tips for Great Tasting Chicken Nachos
- Use a Cast Iron Skillet: While you can make in a sheet pan just fine, I believe everything tastes better in a cast iron. Plus it means less dishes to clean as you cook the chicken in the skillet and then just bake the nachos in the skillet in the oven.
- Use Block of Cheese: Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. Yes it is easier to buy and use but the quality isn’t nearly as good as shredding a block of cheese.
- Use Toppings You Like: The beauty of nachos is that you can customize them based off the toppings you like. So if you aren’t a fan of black olives, then don’t add them or if you love tomatoes, add extra.
- Layer the Nachos: To me the biggest key with amazing nachos is layering everything. Don’t just throw the chips in and then add all of the toppings. Just add half of the chips, then half of the toppings and repeat again. That way you get multiple layers of chips with cheese, which is the best part.
Other Appetizer Recipes
- Chorizo and Avocado Quesadillas
- Homemade Pizza Rolls
- Corn Mango Salsa
- Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Fig Jam
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
If you’ve tried this Chicken Nachos recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.
Skillet Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts or tenderloins
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 10 cups tortilla chips
- 16 oz Pepper Jack cheese, grated
- 1 (15 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup each of diced tomatoes, black olives and green onions
- 1/4 cup jalapeños, thinly sliced
- salsa, sour cream or guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in cast iron skillet. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Shred and add taco seasoning and mix until the chicken is coated. Remove chicken and wipe down skillet.
- Spread tortilla chips in even layer over the bottom of the skillet. Add half the chicken, half the toppings of your choice and half the cheese. Add a second layer of tortilla chips and top with the remaining chicken, beans and cheese.
- Place skillet in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with green onions and serve with some salsa, sour cream or guacamole or all three.
Notes
- Use a Cast Iron Skillet: While you can make in a sheet pan just fine, I believe everything tastes better in a cast iron. Plus it means less dishes to clean as you cook the chicken in the skillet and then just bake the nachos in the skillet in the oven.
- Use Block of Cheese: Don't buy pre-shredded cheese. Yes it is easier to buy and use but the quality isn't nearly as good as shredding a block of cheese.
- Use Toppings You Like: The beauty of nachos is that you can customize them based off the toppings you like. So if you aren't a fan of black olives, then don't add them or if you love tomatoes, add extra.
- Layer the Nachos: To me the biggest key with amazing nachos is layering everything. Don't just throw the chips in and then add all of the toppings. Just add half of the chips, then half of the toppings and repeat again. That way you get multiple layers of chips with cheese, which is the best part.
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