BBQ Chicken Nachos (Print Version)
Tortilla chips loaded up with BBQ chicken, crisp bacon bits, sweet red onion, and loads of melty cheese that's great for sharing.
# Ingredients:
→ Vegetables and Herbs
01 -
Fresh cilantro, chopped up for sprinkling
02 -
Half a small red onion, diced or sliced up thin
→ Cheeses
03 -
200 grams Monterey Jack, grated fresh
04 -
200 grams sharp cheddar, grated fresh
→ Base and Chips
05 -
1 to 2 bags of tortilla chips, size depending on the bag
→ Sauces
06 -
310 milliliters sweet BBQ sauce, use in parts
→ Oils and Seasonings
07 -
Dash of lemon pepper to your liking
08 -
2 teaspoons olive oil
→ Meats and Proteins
09 -
450 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
10 -
450 grams boneless, skinless chicken thighs
11 -
6 bacon strips
# Steps:
01 -
Right after you pull them out, shower cilantro over the hot nachos. Eat up while the cheese is gooey and chips are crisp. If you want, add sides like salsa, guac, or a scoop of sour cream.
02 -
Pop the nachos back in, middle oven rack, 160°C, about 10–15 minutes. The cheese should be nice and melty, and you'll notice the BBQ bits starting to bubble along the edges.
03 -
Pour the rest of your BBQ sauce on top. Use as much or as little as you want. It'll bubble up a bit and taste even sweeter after baking.
04 -
On a fresh rimmed pan, lay out your tortilla chips in one layer with some chips overlapping. Toss a thin layer of both cheeses over the chips. Spread BBQ chicken around, then cover with extra cheese, chopped bacon, and bits of red onion.
05 -
Dial the oven back to 160°C. Give it a minute so it cools down before you keep going.
06 -
Add 120–180 milliliters of your BBQ sauce to the shredded chicken. Give it a good stir so all the chicken gets saucy.
07 -
Take the chicken out and put it on a cutting board. Wait 5 minutes for it to cool a little. Shred it up with a couple forks so it's in small pieces. Toss it all into a big bowl.
08 -
Lay chicken thighs and breast on a rimmed pan. Splash on the olive oil and coat everything. Sprinkle a lot of lemon pepper over both sides. Put in the oven (middle rack) and cook 18–20 minutes, or until you’re sure the inside is at least 74°C.
09 -
Heat up a big skillet over medium. Toss in the bacon and cook till crispy, flipping now and then. Move bacon onto some paper towel to soak up grease. Let it cool, then chop or crumble into bits and keep it handy.
10 -
Crank up your oven to 200°C. Make sure the oven rack’s in the middle.
# Notes:
01 -
You’ll have enough to fill up one big half sheet pan or two smaller quarter pans.
02 -
Go for cheese that you grate yourself the melt is smoother than the pre-shredded stuff.
03 -
Turn up the spice with chipotle powder, or toss on some sliced jalapeños.
04 -
Want to save time? Shredded rotisserie chicken will work in a pinch.