Easy Chicken Nachos Recipe from The Food Charlatan (2024)

FAQs

Easy Chicken Nachos Recipe from The Food Charlatan? ›

The best nachos feature a mix of cooked and fresh ingredients, such as grilled shrimp and cilantro. Yet it's best to keep hot and cold separate throughout the preparation process, so fresh herbs and green onions don't wilt from heat, and guacamole and sour cream don't liquefy.

The best nachos feature a mix of cooked and fresh ingredients, such as grilled shrimp and cilantro. Yet it's best to keep hot and cold separate throughout the preparation process, so fresh herbs and green onions don't wilt from heat, and guacamole and sour cream don't liquefy.

Place them in a 300F oven to crisp up, keeping a careful eye on them so they don't burn. After they're hot all the way through, turn the heat up to 350F for about 5 minutes. I have NEVER had my nachos get soggy while I was cooking them!

Method. Tip tortilla chips on to a baking tray, pour over salsa and scatter over a few sliced spring onions.

A: While you can technically use any type of cheese for nachos, some cheeses work better than others. The best options include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Queso Blanco.

To make sure every chip is covered in cheese, lay down the cheese on the chips first. The cheese will serve as a blanket, protecting the chips from liquidy, sog-inducing toppings.

For better coverage, spread a single layer of tortilla chips, then scatter a minimal layer of your melting cheese of choice, making sure to coat the chips on the edges. Bake in a 300-degree oven until the cheese has melted, then scatter your beans or meats and vegetable toppings over the cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.

To achieve this, put one layer of chips on a baking sheet, then cover with cheese and toppings. Repeat until you've used everything up so that every bite is the same from beginning to end. Sprinkle on fresh toppings like cilantro, scallions, tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos on after the nachos come out of the oven.

The Double-Fry Method

When it comes to the actual cooking, you want to fry the french fries twice. The first round is at a lower temperature to cook the inside of the potato and the second time you'll use a higher temperature to make the fries golden brown and crispy.

What are the best chips for nachos? ›

Best Tortilla Chips for Nachos: Santitas Tortilla Triangles

These chips don't have a ton of flavor on their own, but the crispness and sturdiness of these chips make them the perfect vehicle for carrying hefty dips or nachos loaded with all of the toppings you enjoy.

Melting Salts:

We've found that the secret to perfectly velvety-smooth nacho cheese sauce is a combination of keeping the cheese at low temperature while cooking, and the use of sodium citrate (derived from citric acid) and SHMP (sodium hexametaphosphate).

Here's a fact: If you put a plate of tortilla chips topped with cheese in the microwave and zap them until the cheese melts, the cheese will melt way before the tortilla chips have the chance to take on any color or toasted flavor. With nachos baked in the oven, the chips toast while the cheese melts.

Start with a base of tortilla chips, cheese, salsa, jalapeño, and any warm fillings like meats and veggies. Once the cheese melts, remove from the oven, add another layer, and repeat. This extra step ensures your nachos are well-covered and evenly baked from top to bottom.

Arrange half of tortilla chips onto prepared baking sheet in single layer, overlapping chips slightly. Top with half each of meat mixture, corn and black beans. Top with 2 cups cheese. Repeat Step 3 to create second layer with remaining beef, corn, beans and cheese.

Bake, don't broil. Some nacho recipes will call for broiling, but we usually recommend baking instead. It may take a bit longer, but the cheese will melt more evenly, and the toppings will warm up thoroughly this way. If you do choose to broil, be sure to keep a close eye on the nachos, as they can burn quickly.