I’m beat from working all week and the last thing I want to do is cook. But I worked out for the first time in a long time for an entire hour, practically non-stop and was hungry as hell.
Pinterest, you’re my sous chef always. This time, The BakerMama inspired me with her nachos recipe and I knew just what I’d made for this I’m-tired-but-still-have-to-cook-because-no one-else-in-my-house-does meal.
Loaded nachos for dinner? Hell yes.
Loaded Nachos with Chicken and Black Beans.
Ingredients:
2-3 boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp sour cream
Chili powder
Cumin
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of sweet yellow corn
1 can of black refried beans
1 small package of cherry tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp red onions, thinly diced
Juice from 1 lime
Sliced black olives
1-2 jalapenos, sliced
1 large package of Mexican blend shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Note for the chicken: I didn’t plan ahead when I cooked this so my plan was to cut corners and pick up a rotisserie chicken to use for the pulled chicken but Kroger was still cooking them so I cooked the chicken from scratch. When you make this, plan ahead and make it the right way. In a slow cooker, add the chicken breasts, season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cover it with enough water to cover the chicken. For a little kick, add cayenne pepper. Cook it on high for a few hours or on low while you’re at work. When the chicken falls apart, it’s perfectly done. Just add additional salt to taste and a large spoonful of sour cream and mix. But I’ll show you what I did with the chicken when I made it this time. It worked just fine.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Salt the water generously. Boil your chicken breasts with pepper, cumin, chili powder and oregano. About a teaspoon of each. Cover and let it boil while you prep the nachos.
Make your pico de gallo. Combine the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro (I also added a bit of chopped jalapeno) and the lime juice. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
Rinse and drain your black beans. Open up the can of corn and pour off the juice. Open the can of refried beans.
Get a cookie sheet pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Lay out the tortilla chips on the cookie sheet pan.
Spread about a teaspoon or a little less on each tortilla chip.
Start to layer your ingredients, making sure all nachos are covered. Corn, then the black olives, then the cheese. The black beans, then the pico de gallo and then the jalepenos. I also had some chopped cilantro left so I sprinkled that on it as well. Add salt over everything. Just enough to bring out the flavor in these ingredients.
By now your chicken should be done. Do not pour off the juice. It will help to keep the chicken nice and moist.
Using two forks, pull the chicken apart to shred it. Then add more seasonings – chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Be generous. The chicken should have great flavor. If you want your nachos a little spicy, add 3-4 dashes of cayenne pepper. Finally, stir in the sour cream and mix.
Put the chicken on top of your nachos. I didn’t add more cheese but I suggest you do. It will hold the nachos together well.
I had some chicken left over. If you do, keep it. There are tons of things to do with it. Make a breakfast burrito, a sandwich for lunch the next day or put it on top of a salad. Or just eat it as is.
Bake the nachos for 15-20 minutes. If some of the tortillas are brown and crispy, then you’ve baked it perfectly.
Serve the nachos with salsa and sour cream. Of course on a paper plate. It’s the weekend and you’re tired.
COOL CHIC MOM 