Chicken Chili Nachos

This recipe is pretty fast to prepare when I find I have extra teenagers in the house and they're really hungry.  I try to always have the ingredients available so I can throw this snack together in no time.

I found this recipe in the January/February 2006 issue of Quick Cooking magazine and it was a hit from the first time I made it, getting nothing but 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.  Equal marks are given by the numerous teenagers who've feasted on these tasty nachos.

As I stated above, I like to always have all of the ingredients on hand for this dish, so sometimes I have precooked chicken instead of raw.  The method is the same except that instead of having to cook the chicken, I just cube it and heat it a bit in the pan before adding the rest of the ingredients.  I heat it because it's cold, having been in the refrigerator, and I find that the seasonings adhere to the meat better when it is warm.  As you can see from the picture above, I used precooked chicken this time.

Once I get the chicken going in the pan, I drain and rinse the kidney beans in a colander.

To the warmed (or cooked according to the recipe below) chicken I add the seasonings, tossing to combine.

Then I add the drained kidney beans, the chili beans with the sauce (I like to use the S&W brand chili beans with zesty sauce), and the tomatoes with green chilies, stirring to combine.

When combined, the juices are pretty thin, so I cook the mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it reduces a bit and becomes much thicker.

When ready to serve, it's as easy as arranging some plain tortilla chips on a plate,

adding some of the chicken chili mixture,

and topping that with some shredded Mexican cheese blend.

My guys like the cheese completely melted, so we microwave each plate on high for about a minute to make them happy!  These nachos can be built on a large platter for a crowd.  Depending on the size of the platter, you may have to melt the cheese in the oven.  Just be careful because the platter will be hot, so use a hot mitt and protect the table you put it on!    Also, when and if there are leftovers, the chicken mixture is easily reheated for a quick lunch another day.  Enjoy!

Chicken Chili Nachos

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes

1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15.5 oz.) chili beans in zesty sauce, undrained

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 package (13 ½ oz.) tortilla chips

1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook chicken in skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink.  Add tomatoes, beans and seasonings, stirring to combine; cook for 10 minutes or until juices reduce and thicken.  Arrange tortilla chips on individual plates; sprinkle with chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese.  Microwave on high for 25 – 30 seconds to melt cheese.