Loaded Chicken Nachos

For part two of my posts today, I'm bringing you the less healthy way to please a Super Bowl crowd using the base from my Crockpot Chicken Tacos. Less healthy, but worth every calorie if, for some reason, you are counting.

These nachos have two layers of chips, chicken, cheese, corn and black beans. The top layer is also topped with pico de gallo, avocado and sour cream when it comes out of the oven. Basically, it's everything you could want in a nacho masterpiece. 

All of the toppings are pretty standard as far as loaded nachos go. I used canned beans and frozen corn, but didn't go so far as to add any canned jalapenos or other not-so-fresh items that sometimes end up on nachos. I made my own pico de gallo since I cooked these during the snowpocalypse in DC, and Safeway was out of their fresh salsa (pico demand is high in times of peril). Assuming pico de gallo supplies are back to normal, you can use the store-bought kind to make this recipe even easier. 

If you make the full batch of crockpot chicken tacos, you will have enough chicken for the taquitos, chicken nachos and plenty of tacos. I made the chicken using only four chicken breasts, and I still had more than enough for all three. 

Serve the nachos immediately while the cheese and chicken are still hot. I took the nachos outside to photograph when they came out of the oven, and within seconds I could see everything cooling down. No one wants cold nachos, so I sacrificed decent pictures for the food (which is pretty much what I do every time I'm faced with this sort of dilemma). 

Enjoy!

Loaded Chicken Nachos

Serves 8

2 cups shredded chicken from Crockpot Chicken tacos recipe

1 14 1/2-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1     10 package frozen corn, thawed 

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2   teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4   teaspoon salt

20 ounces shredded cheese* (pepper jack, cheddar, monterey jack, etc. all work well for this)

1 bag tortilla chips*

1 cup salsa fresca / pico de gallo (store bought is fine)

3/4   cup sour cream

2      avocados, peeled, seeded and cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking pan or large oven-proof dish with alumnium foil. Make sure the pan has high edges so that the toppings do not spill over. 
2. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add beans, corn and spices. Stir to combine, and heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add shredded chicken and stir to combine. Heat through.
4. Spread a layer of tortilla chips over the baking pan. They should overlap at points and cover the pan completely, but keep in mind that this is only one of two layers! 
5. Add half of the chicken, corn and beans mixture over chips. 
6. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the layer. 
7. Repeat, adding another layer of chips, the remaining chicken mixture, and the remaining cheese.
8. Bake pan in oven for 12-15 minutes, or until both layers of cheese have completely melted and chips have crisped but are not burnt on the edges.  
9. Remove nachos from oven and top evenly with pico de gallo, avocado and sour cream.
10. Serve immediately.

* Use a brand that has good, sturdy chips. Often times loading nachos with toppings before baking leaves you with soggy chips. I used Mission Brand, which I usually like, but they didn't work as well for this. 

* Hand shredding cheese will give you a meltier cheese that's better for nachos. I buy the 10oz blocks of Cracker Barrel for these and use one cheddar and one pepper jack.