BBQ Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ¾ cup barbecue sauce
• 6 oz tortilla chips
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 whole fresh jalapeño
• ¼ medium red onion
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
• ½ whole fresh lime
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Fill a 3-quart pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add 0.5 tsp of kosher salt to the water. Once boiling, gently add 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts. Reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle simmer — you want small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil, which would make the chicken tough.

2. 2

   Simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. To check for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the largest breast — it should read 165°F. Alternatively, cut into the thickest piece; it should be white throughout with no pink.

3. 3

   Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for 2 minutes. Shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your fingers — pull the meat apart along its natural grain. You should have roughly 3 cups of shredded chicken.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken with 0.75 cup of barbecue sauce. Toss until every piece is evenly coated. The chicken is now ready to top the nachos.

5. 5

   Spread 6 oz of tortilla chips across a large oven-safe platter or cast iron skillet, arranging them in a single layer with some overlap. You want enough chips so every bite includes both chip and topping.

6. 6

   Scatter the BBQ chicken mixture evenly over the chips, then sprinkle 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Set the platter in a 400°F oven for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns bubbly around the edges. Watch carefully — you want the cheese melted but the chips still crispy, not soggy.

7. 7

   While the nachos are in the oven, prepare the toppings. Thinly slice 1 fresh jalapeño crosswise into rings, removing seeds if you prefer less heat. Dice 0.25 of a red onion into 1/4-inch pieces. Roughly chop 3 tbsp of fresh cilantro. Cut the 0.5 lime into 2 wedges.

8. 8

   Remove the nachos from the oven and drizzle with 0.25 cup of sour cream in a thin zigzag pattern. Top with the jalapeño slices, diced red onion, and cilantro. Squeeze a lime wedge over everything and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Serve immediately with the second lime wedge on the side.

Tools you’ll need

• 3-quart pot
• instant-read thermometer
• cutting board
• 2 forks
• medium bowl
• large oven-safe platter or 12-inch cast iron skillet
• chef's knife

More recipes like this

• 

  Crispy Chicken Chalugas with Quick Lime Crema

  45 min

• 

  Southern Quick-Pickled Green Tomatoes

  50 min

• 

  Burritos de Carne Asada

  25 min

• 

  Crispy Seafood Batagor with Peanut Sauce

  30 min