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When Chicken Fajitas meet double decker nachos, good things happen. These Chicken Fajita Nachos are the perfect crowd pleaser!
Chicken Fajita Nachos
If you’re anything like me, when you’re feeding a crowd, unless your guests are waddling out on all fours, you’ve completely failed as a host. I mean heaven forbid anybody walks out even the slightest bit hungry. Genuinely sends shivers down my spine 😂 These nachos are PERFECT for sending a room of people into a food coma, but here’s why else I think you’ll love them:
- Easy – Even the most beginner of cook can master these nachos!
- Flavoursome – Not just regular cheese and tortilla chips, these chicken nachos really pack a punch in the flavour department.
- Adjustable – Easy to adjust for smaller or bigger crowds.
Ok, gimme a nacho, I’m getting hungry all over again…
Homemade Fajita Chicken
For this recipe, I go with chicken breast and dice it up nice and small. I find larger chunks of chicken tend to overpower the nachos a little. In terms of seasoning, you can just grab store bought fajita seasoning, or make my Homemade Fajita Seasoning. Of course, I recommend the latter 😏
Apart from that, it’s just a case of using mixed peppers, onion, jalapeños (optional) and a nice squeeze of lime juice. Simples!
How to make Fajita Chicken for Nachos (quick summary)
- Dice chicken.
- Add seasoning.
- Stir to combine.
- Add to medium-high heat with oil.
- Fry until cooked through/lightly charred.
- Remove & add peppers/onion/jalapeño.
- Fry until soft, add seasoning.
- Mix in chicken and lime juice.
What oil to use? – I recommend using Avocado Oil as it adds flavour and has a high smoking point. Fajitas have a classic char to them and an oil like avocado oil helps when cooking at high heat. Having said that, any oil you have on hand will be a fine sub.
Double Decker Nachos
Because seriously, are nachos even nachos if they aren’t double decker?! I mean yes. All nachos are great. But double decker is better.
How do I prevent my nachos from going soggy?
- Chip – ensure you choose a sturdy chip. Nothing thin a flimsy. A nice strong tortilla chip to hold the weight.
- Moisture – when you fry the veg make sure you properly sweat it all down to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Speed – make sure you eat ’em fast! No messing around, straight out of the oven, straight into the face. The longer they sit the more chance they steam themselves into a soggy infinity.
How to make Chicken Fajita Nachos (quick summary)
- Spread tortilla chips.
- Top with fajita chicken.
- Top with cheese.
- More tortilla chips.
- More chicken.
- Finish with cheese and bake!
Chicken Fajita Nachos FAQ
What cheese to use for chicken fajita nachos? – I recommend cheddar and/or Monterey Jack. You can add a bit of mozzarella for a cheese pull, but not too much as it’ll dilute the cheesy flavour.
Can I use beef?
You could sub the chicken and use ground beef with the exact same spice mix. It would just be less ‘fajita nachos’ and more ‘Mexican ground beef nachos’. I recommend 500g/1lb.
Can I use leftover rotisserie chicken?
Sure! Just shred the chicken with the spices and fry for a few mins in some oil, just to lock in the flavours.
How spicy are these nachos?
They do have a good kick of spice, but nothing overly dramatic. If you’re at all wary of spice, you can reduce the cayenne pepper in the spice mix and/or reduce/omit the jalapeños. You can then serve with more jalapeños on top if you want more spice!
Serving Chicken Fajita Nachos
When it comes to serving the nachos, I love to finish with some coriander/cilantro for a pop of flavour and colour. I also like to serve with some Guac, Salsa and Sour Cream. I recommend serving these in pots to one side, not on top of the nachos. Mainly because not everyone might like them, but mostly because you’re adding unwanted moisture to the nachos.
If you like the sound of these nachos, I’m confident you’ll love my BBQ Chicken Nachos, No Bake Nachos, Irish Nachos and Gnocchi Nachos. Also give these similar recipes a ganders:
Easy Tex Mex Recipes
- Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Sweet Potato Quesadillas
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
Alrighty, let’s tuck into these fajita chicken nachos shall we?!
How to make Chicken Fajita Nachos(Full Recipe & Video)
Chicken Fajita Nachos
When Chicken Fajitas meet double decker nachos, good things happen. These Chicken Fajita Nachos are the perfect crowd pleaser!
5 from 4 votes
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Servings (click & slide): 8
Course: Appetizer / Finger Food
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Calories per serving: 394kcal
Author: Chris Collins
Cost per serving: $1 / £1
Equipment:
8" x 12" Baking Tray (or similar size)
Large Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
Medium Size Mixing Bowl & Spatula
Cheese Grater
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Ingredients (check list):
- 7-9oz / 200-250g thick/sturdy Tortilla Chips, or as needed
- 3 cups / 300g Cheese, or as needed (see notes)
- 1lb / 500g Chicken Breast, diced into very small chunks (at room temp)
- 3 tbsp Fajita Seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 3 small Peppers, finely diced (1x Red 1x Green 1x Yellow)
- 1 medium Red Onion, finely diced
- 1/2 Lime, juice only
- 1/4 cup Pickled Jalapeños, finely diced (optional)
- Avocado Oil, as needed (or oil you have on hand)
To serve (optional)
- finely diced Coriander/Cilantro,
- 1 cup Guac
- 1 cup Salsa
- 1 cup Sour Cream
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
Place chicken into a mixing bowl. Remove 1 tsp from your fajita mix (this will be used for the veg) and pour the rest in with the chicken. Use a spatula to combine until completely coated, then place to one side.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Fry until white through the centre and nicely charred on the outside. Remove from pan.
Heat up 1 tsp oil (or as needed) then add the peppers, onion and jalapeños if using. Fry until they begin to soften, then stir in 1 tsp fajita seasoning. Continue frying until completely soft and starting to char.
Turn off heat.
Add chicken back in and stir through the juice of half a lime. Place pan to one side.
Stack half the tortilla chips, followed by half the chicken, followed by half the cheese. Repeat another layer, then pop in the oven for 15mins or until the cheese goes nice and gooey.
Garnish with coriander/cilantro and serve with guac, salsa and sour cream!
Quick 1 min demo!
Notes:
a) Half portion - The whole recipe will comfortably feed 8. It's easily divided in half, just use the serving slider at the top of the recipe card.
b) Cheese - I usually go for 3/4 cheddar and 1/4 mozzarella. Pepper Jack/Monterey Jack also works great.
c) Lime Juice - This is optional, but does add a nice kick of flavour and brings out the spices in the chicken. Just don't go overboard or you'll add too much moisture and risk the nachos ending up soggy!
d) Tortilla Chips - Opt for a nice thick, sturdy chip. This will keep things keep them from going mushy too quickly, especially if you're doing double-decker.
e) Eat 'em up quick - The longer you leave them, the less melty the cheese will be and the more chance of the tortilla chips going soggy. Also, 15mins is just a guidance. You really only need them in the oven long enough the melt the cheese (as the chicken is already cooked).
f) Calories - shared between 8 people, using 3 cups Monterey jack cheese and 1 tbsp + 1 tsp avocado oil to fry. No side dips.
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Nutrition:
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Fajita Nachos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 394Calories from Fat 191
% Daily Value*
Fat 21.21g33%
Saturated Fat 9.208g46%
Trans Fat 0.016g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.124g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.347g
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 593mg25%
Potassium 432mg12%
Carbohydrates 24.79g8%
Fiber 2.5g10%
Sugar 1.49g2%
Protein 25.61g51%
Vitamin A 642IU13%
Vitamin C 129.8mg157%
Calcium 359mg36%
Iron 1.72mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
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