Baked homemade tortilla chips smothered in smoky salsa chicken, hearty beans, and all the best fixin’s, this shredded Chicken Nachos recipe does double duty as a tasty appetizer or satisfying main dish.
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Nachos: the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Kids and adults alike will rejoice at the thought of having chicken nachos for dinner, and they won’t suspect that they’re loaded with good-for-you ingredients. As if that’s not enough of a win, this recipe is quick (the prep work is only 10 minutes), making it ideal for a last-minute meal (just like my Taco Pasta).
Don’t let the simplicity fool you though! These chicken nachos are a masterpiece of textures and flavors. The shredded chicken is fall-apart tender, the flavor of the salsa with the spices is outstanding, and the creamy pinto beans blended with the cheese are pure pleasure.
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can adapt it however you see fit, piling on any of your favorite toppings. Or swap the chips for Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer French Fries for Mexican nacho fries. YUM!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chicken. Tender, succulent, spice-infused chicken is the crown jewel of these nachos. You can use chicken breast or chicken thighs.
- Salsa. Adds flavor and moisture to the chicken mixture. You can use any store-bought salsa you enjoy.
- Spices. A blend of cumin, chipotle chili pepper, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. It’s earthy, spicy, and full of rich flavor.
- Pinto Beans. Cooked in the same liquid as the chicken, salsa, and spices, the beans become incredibly creamy and flavorful.
- Tortilla Chips. Homemade tortilla chips are simple to make and much tastier than store-bought. If you prefer, you can swap the homemade chips for your favorite store-bought tortilla chips.
5 Star Review
“I have made this soooo many times now. I always double because my family just can’t get enough. Super flavorful.”
— Theresa —
How to Make Chicken Nachos
Cook the Chicken. Watch as it absorbs all those delicious flavors!
Shred the Chicken. Add the pinto beans.
Cut the Tortillas. I cut mine into 6 wedges.
Bake the Chips. Let them cool.
Broil the Nachos. Top the chips with the chicken mixture and cheese, then broil for a few minutes. Remove the chips from the oven and add any other desired toppings. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day in advance, prepare the shredded chicken as directed (through Step 2). Refrigerate the mixture in an airtight storage container until you’re ready to finish the recipe. You can also bake the chips up to 1 day in advance. Store them in a ziptop bag at room temperature.
The Best Chicken Nacho Toppings
- Avocado. Sliced avocado is wonderful, but adding some homemade guacamole would be next-level scrumptious.
- Cilantro. Fresh and delicious!
- Jalapeño. Dial up the heat with some sliced jalapeño or Pickled Jalapeños.
- Sour Cream. You can also use Greek yogurt for your cool and creamy element.
- Salsa. Use whichever kind you most enjoy.
- Onions. Try Quick Pickled Onions for a briny twist.
- Pico de Gallo. Pico de gallo or sliced cherry tomatoes would be delightful.
- Queso. For the cheese lovers! A drizzle of Vegan Queso would be tasty.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Pile Those Toppings High. While the chips and chicken mixture are delish on their own, the toppings are the true stars of these chicken nachos. The world (aka the nachos) is your oyster!
- Don’t Let the Chips Burn! Keep a close eye on your homemade tortilla chips, as things can escalate quickly. When you see them turn golden, go ahead and remove them.
- Spread the Love. When adding your chicken mixture and cheese to the chips, try your best to spread them evenly amongst all the chips. Not only do we want every chip to be as tasty as the rest, but big globs of the chicken mixture could cause the chips to become soggy.
Chicken Nachos
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Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 (16-ounce) jar prepared salsa choose mild, medium or spicy, depending upon your heat preference
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper 1 teaspoon will have more of a kick
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can low sodium pinto beans rinsed and drained
For the Baked Tortilla Chips (or swap your favorite store bought tortilla chips):
- 8 yellow corn tortillas
- Cooking spray
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For Topping:
- 6 ounces Mexican blend cheese
- Other desired nacho fixin’s: chopped green onions, sliced black olives, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, diced avocados, diced fresh tomatoes, nonfat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Place the chicken, salsa, cumin, chipotle chili, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and water in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot, then simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (it should reach 165°F on an instant read thermometer). Halfway through, use a large spoon to turn the chicken over and spoon some of the salsa mixture over the top.
- With two forks, shred the chicken on a cutting board (or directly in the pot). Stir it back into the salsa mixture. Stir in the pinto beans. Let simmer for 2 minutes, stirring often, until hot and slightly thickened.
- Bake the chips: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges (I cut mine in half, then slice each half into three evenly sized wedges), then arrange in a single layer on two ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 6 minutes, then with tongs (or quickly and carefully with your fingers), flip the chips. Lightly coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Rotate the pans between the top and bottom racks, then bake the chips an additional 6 to 9 minutes, until they are just beginning to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Turn the oven to broil.
- Arrange the cooled tortilla chips on an oven-proof serving platter or pile all of them onto a single baking sheet. Spoon the chicken and bean mixture over the chips. Sprinkle with cheese, then place under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, then sprinkle with any additional desired nacho toppings. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover nachos in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. If possible, store the toppings separately from the tortilla chips. Store the tortilla chips in an airtight storage container at room temperature.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm nachos on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze the chicken mixture only in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can also freeze any unused corn tortillas.
Nutrition
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hey girl this is right up my alley! Yummy!
Oh, Erin, how perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration! Can’t wait to make! Thanks for posting! Ole!
Happy Cinco de Mayo to you Laurie! I hope you love the nachos!
They look great. Healthy nachos are the way to go, thanks for sharing
How fun to have a Chopped style challenge! Your dish would definitely win ;) I’m so all about this giant and delicious plate of nachos. This is what I want for dinner!
Usually every Friday night I get a craving for either chips and salsa or fries for dinner. Since I didn’t have any chips for Cinco de Mayo last night I see no reason why I shouldn’t eat these awesome nachos for dinner tonight! I love how easy they are to make!
Just made this tonight & it was so good!! The chicken & beans could be used to make so many different dishes too.
YAY Jill! I’m so glad you enjoyed the nachos. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this nice review!
So delicious! This is now my husband’s favorite dish to eat. I adjusted it & made it in the instant pot. Only took about 20 min! We will definitely be making this often.
Marlene, I am so happy to hear it. THANK YOU!!
How did you adjust this receipt for the instant pot!?
I’m new to the instant pot game would love some help
I actually made this in the instant pot! First I mixed the seasoning and put some on each side of the chicken then I used the saute mode to brown the chicken thighs. After about 5 min or less of sauteing them I poured the salsa on top of it and put the beans in and set it on high pressure for 20 minutes. Natural released. Delish!
YAY! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit for you, Marlene!
I wish you would’ve left a link to the older version of this that was made in the crockpot. :(
Hi Danielle! Email us at hello@wellplated and we will see if we can get you a copy of it. Hope this helps!
Made this on Friday for dinner and it was truly delicious. I did end up brushing the tortillas with avocado oil because I wanted the salt to stick. I meant to also toss with lime juice, but totally forgot. Topped ours with yogurt instead of sour cream, pickled red onion, jalapenos, and avocado. The best part about the homemade tortillas, is that when they get softer from juices they don’t fall apart, they just kind of turn back to their original tortilla shape.
What a fun dinner idea, thanks!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Candace! I’m SO happy this recipe was a hit for you!
Well done Erin! My new go to site.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Chris! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I have made this soooo many times now. I always double because my family just can’t get enough. Super flavorful. I haven’t done the homemade chips yet. I buy really good restaurant style chips and it’s delicious. This is great to make for a crowd because the flavors appeal to most. Toppings everyone can adjust to their liking.
Hi Theresa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
What happened to the crockpot recipe? And the original version?
Hi Jamie, this recipe has recently been updated from the original one that was posted back in 2016.
Did this used to be a crock pot recipe?? I swear I pinned this with crock pot instructions lol I still make it in the crock pot and it comes out great. Just curious
Hi Theresa! Yes it used to be, but we’ve updated it recently! Glad you enjoy it! Thank you!
Do you still have the crockpot recipe for this? I used to use it all the time, want to have these for dinner tomorrow but suddenly it’s not a crock pot recipe? Thanks!
Hi Angelina, Email us at hello@wellplated and we will see if we can get you a copy of it. Hope this helps!
Love you recipes, easy and delicious.
Thank you Ginny! Enjoy!
I don’t understand why you will cook this in a crackpot. Is a recipe of 14 minutes at the most. How many hours will you cook the chicken. It will be disintegrate like flakes. I see notes of people cooking chicken for 4 or 5 hours.
Hi Lillian, we’ve updated this recipe and it no longer requires the crockpot. Hope you enjoy it!
Love this one! We made it as a snack and ended up finishing it all. We were so full already so we didn’t need any dinner! Chicken was really tasty – I will be making it again soon.
So glad to hear, thank you Whitney!
Awesome recipe! Huge hit for mom’s birthday. Pretty easy to follow. I added a little more ground chipotle chili pepper and lime juice just to give it a little more kick, turned out perfectly. Sorry I forgot to take a picture.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Madeline! Thank you!
Made last night and my husband and I loved it. I used two small baking dishes so that we each had our own. Wonderful flavors. I will definitely be making these often. Thanks for sharing!
Great to hear, thank you Claudine!