These loaded chicken nachos with two types of cheese, beans, avocado, and all the toppings are the perfect pick-and-eat nachos for a crowd.
When I was a kid, my dad was the nacho maker. He started with every chip perfectly aligned on a sheet tray like soldiers in formation. Precise with his toppings, he gave each tortilla chip the perfect schmear of refried beans, a square of cheddar cheese, and a pickled jalapeño slice. These Chicken Nachos are not those. This version is a scattering of layers where picking out the cheesiest chip—my special talent—is made even more satisfying with layered bites of enchilada-sauced chicken, black beans, puckery pickled jalapeño, scoops of salsa, chunks of avocado, and black olives. Like my Texas Trash Dip recipe, it’s a cheesy chip union cementing each topping to another like teenage BFFs clinging to each other on the first day of high school.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Each bite has a taste of fave Mexican flavors topping a blend of melted Mexican cheeses and tangy cotija cheese.
- Shredded chicken is mixed with your favorite enchilada sauce to add a saucy layer of protein that makes these nachos more than just an appetizer.
- Baked on a sheet pan, these nachos are quick to pull together and easy to clean up after.
What’s In Chicken Nachos
- Shredded rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breasts—I like the white meat of the chicken for these nachos because it’s easier to shred (and everyone’s favorite)
- Enchilada sauce—Use your favorite grocery store brand or make your own. I use red enchilada sauce but green would be good too.
- Yellow or white onion—Diced onion cooked in a bit of onion is added to the enchilada sauce for more depth of flavor.
- Tortilla chips—I like my chips made from white corn and I like them salty!
- Black beans—Thoroughly rinse the canned beans and drain well so they don’t leave dark beany streaks. Pinto beans work well too.
- Shredded Mexican cheese—I don’t usually use pre-shredded cheese but a good quality shredded cheese can come in clutch when you want to make these quick. If shredding your own, choose a cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Avocados—Here’s how to ripen avocados perfectly.
- Cotija cheese—This dry, crumbly cheese adds a tangy touch to the nacho bite.
- Black olives—I buy sliced black olives to save time, but halved olives work too.
- Green onion—A sprinkling of green onion adds a freshness to the baked nachos.
- Sour cream—Add a few dollops or thin the sour cream with a little water for drizzling.
How to Make Chicken Nachos
- Cook the onion until softened then add the shredded chicken and enchilada sauce. Cooking the onion adds a caramelized depth to the saucy chicken mixture.
- Use a sheet pan or oven-safe platter as your base for the nacho ingredients. If light cleanup is your thing, line the sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Layer ⅓ of the tortilla chips in an even layer on the sheet pan and sprinkle ⅓ each of the black beans, chicken mixture, and shredded cheese. Repeat the layers two more times.
- Bake in a 400°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chips are lightly browned along the edges. Be watchful of burning the chips!
- Remove from the oven and add the toppings. Sprinkle the melty chips with avocado, cotija cheese, black olives, green onion, and pickled jalapeno. Drizzle with sour cream and serve immediately with salsa on the side.
Recipe Additions and Substitutions
More Mexican Appetizer Ideas
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Chicken Nachos
These loaded chicken nachos with two types of cheese, beans, avocado, and all the toppings are the perfect pick-and-eat nachos for a crowd and are always a hit at parties.
Servings 6
Calories 395kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small white onion , chopped
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup canned enchilada sauce
- ½ bag white tortilla chips
- 1 15-ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces shredded Mexican cheese
- 2 avocados , skinned, pitted and chopped
- 4 ounces cotija cheese
- 1 4-ounce can sliced black olives
- ¼ cup green onion , chopped
- pickled jalapeno
- sour cream or Mexican crema
- salsa
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the shredded chicken and enchilada sauce, stir, and cook until warmed through.
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On a sheet pan or an oven-safe platter, add ⅓ of the tortilla chips in an even layer then top with ⅓ of the black beans, ⅓ of the chicken mixture, and ⅓ of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers two more times.
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Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chips are lightly browned along the edges. Remove from the oven and top with avocado, cotija cheese, black olives, green onion, and pickled jalapeno. Drizzle with sour cream and serve immediately with salsa on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 974mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 658mg | Iron: 1mg
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