Fajita Chicken Nachos

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Sizzling fajita chicken with charred peppers and onions piled over a single layer of tortilla chips, blanketed in freshly grated cheese and broiled until molten. Building the nachos flat on one sheet pan means every single chip comes out loaded — no sad naked chips buried at the bottom.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 8 oz sturdy restaurant-style tortilla chips
• 8 oz sharp cheddar, grated
• 6 oz Monterey Jack, grated
• 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 cup pico de gallo or diced tomato
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp pickled jalapeño brine or lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 425°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment or foil.
2. In a bowl, toss the chicken strips with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and cayenne until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes while you slice the vegetables and grate the cheese (grate it yourself — bagged shreds are coated in starch and melt poorly).
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 3 minutes to develop a dark crust. Stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until cooked through (165°F internal). Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, still over high heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook, stirring only every 45 seconds or so, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the edges are blistered and blackened in spots but the vegetables still have snap.
5. Return the chicken to the skillet, add the lime juice, and toss for 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Remove from heat. Roughly chop the chicken and vegetables into bite-size pieces so they sit flat on a chip.
6. Spread the tortilla chips over the sheet pan in one overlapping-but-flat layer — resist stacking. Scatter the black beans over the chips, then distribute the chicken and pepper mixture evenly across the whole pan.
7. Combine the cheddar and Monterey Jack and sprinkle in an even blanket over everything, making sure the chips at the edges get cheese too. Top with the fresh jalapeño slices.
8. Bake on the upper rack for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. For browned, blistered cheese, switch to the broiler for 60 to 90 seconds, watching constantly — chips burn in seconds.
9. While the nachos bake, whisk the sour cream with the milk until it is pourable, about the consistency of heavy cream.
10. Pull the pan out and let it rest 2 minutes so the cheese sets enough to hold together. Drizzle with the thinned sour cream, then scatter the pico de gallo, avocado, and cilantro over the top. Serve straight from the pan with lime wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem