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.

Shredded Beef Nachos (Crock Pot)

This is a great dish to serve a bunch of hungry teenagers; I know from experience.  It's also great for those times when I know I'll be gone all day and won't have much time to prepare a meal, plus everyone seems to be eating at different times.  I usually serve it as a meal and the leftovers are used by my boys as a snack later in the week.

I think boys like almost anything that can be eaten with their fingers!  That and the crunch of the chips makes this a winner with my guys.  I found this recipe in slow cooker recipe book at the check out counter in the market and I love that there is so little work involved in preparing this dish.  That made it a perfect choice during the busy holidays!  My guys give this recipe 8's and 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.

After trimming the chuck roast of any extra fat around the outside, I place it in a cool crock pot.  Tip:  Only hot foods should be placed in a heated crock pot, cold or room temperature foods should be placed in a cool crock pot before cooking.

I added the minced garlic to the top of the roast and distributed it as evenly as possible.

In a small bowl, I combined the taco seasoning mix and brown sugar.  I always use dark brown sugar unless a recipe specifies otherwise.

This mixture was then sprinkled over the beef.  I covered the crock pot and cooked it on low for 8 hours.  If time is an issue, it can also be cooked on high for 4 - 5 hours.

Once fully cooked, the roast had shrunk a bit and there was a flavorful sauce at the bottom of the pot.

The meat was so tender, I had to remove it from the crock pot in sections.  I placed it on a cutting board and shredded it using 2 forks, discarding any fat.

The shredded beef was returned to the crock pot and mixed in with the juices.  That's all it took and it was ready to serve.  This is how we assemble our nachos:

We place tortilla chips on a microwave safe plate and, using a slotted spoon, top them with some of the shredded beef (left).

We top the beef with a pre-shredded Mexican cheese blend -Monterey Jack and cheddar (right).

We put the plate in the microwave for 1 minute on high to melt the cheese (left).


Then we add any desired toppings such as salsa, sour cream, cilantro,
green onions, and/or fresh tomatoes (right).

These nachos can be served as a snack or as a meal.  Any way you serve them, they're sure to be a hit!  Enjoy!

Shredded Beef Nachos

Nachos

1 (3 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Tortilla chips

Suggested Toppings:

Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Sour cream

Salsa

Green onion

Olives

Cilantro

Diced tomatoes

Place beef roast in a 3 ½ or 4 quart slow cooker.   Distribute garlic evenly over beef.  In a small bowl, mix together taco seasoning and brown sugar; sprinkle over roast.  Cover and cook on low 8 – 9 hours.

Before serving, place topping ingredients in individual serving dishes.  Remove beef from slow cooker; place on a large plate or cutting board.  Shred beef with 2 forks; return to slow cooker and mix well.

To serve, have guests place chips on serving plates; using tongs or a slotted spoon top chips with shredded beef.  Top the beef with cheese and any other desired toppings.

Beef mixture can be held on low setting for up to 2 hours.