These smokey chipotle-chicken nachos with creamy beans, spicy jalapeños, and silky avocado are a 10-minute appetizer. Every bite is a crunchier Tex-Mex bite than the last with lots of red onions, sweet corn, and your favorite toppings.
Why This Is The Best Chicken Nachos Recipe
If you love effortless Tex-Mex appetizers you can easily entertain with, these creamy chicken nachos with herby cilantro will be your new go-to recipe.
- Homemade. You can add more of your favorite veggies, chicken, crumbly cotija cheese, and smokey bacon.
- Gluten-free. Using gluten-free tortilla chips means more people can dig into this easy appetizer.
- Prep-friendly. Prep the chipotle chicken and measure the ingredients for the nachos. Keep everything in the fridge and throw them together right before dinner.
- Tex-Mex. There’s tender beans, melty cheese, avocado, and creamy chipotle sauce in every bite.
What You’ll Need
The tangy chipotle sauce helps break up the savoriness of it all with a bit of smokey goodness. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
Chipotle Sauce
- Limes – Lemon juice works too.
- Chipotles in adobo – These usually come in the can. Bottled chipotles are fine as well but they tend to be sweeter.
- Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper are best.
To Make the Nachos
- Chicken – Make sure it’s boneless and skinless.
- Tortilla chips – They can be gluten-free or regular.
- Cheese – I used mozzarella and parmesan, but any melty cheese works.
- Black beans – Use homemade or canned (drained and rinsed).
- Red onion – White or yellow onions are good swaps.
- Corn – Fresh, canned, or frozen (thawed).
- Jalapeños – Fresh or canned chilis work.
- Avocado – Feel free to use fresh guacamole.
- Fresh cilantro – Remove the yellow and brown stems because they’re bitter.
More Topping Ideas
The combination of fresh, creamy, and smokey toppings you add will change your Tex-Mex nacho game.
- Sour cream – Mexican crema works too.
- Cotija cheese – Queso fresco is a great swap.
- Pico de gallo – Make sure it’s fresh and crunchy.
- Salsa – You can use red or green salsa for this.
- Crumbled bacon – Chicharron or pork rinds can be used.
What To Serve With Nachos
These chicken nachos with fresh toppings is an easy appetizer for gatherings and game days. I love serving them with Grilled Tri Tip or Turkey Black Bean Burgers. You can also enjoy them with my Chicken Burrito Bowls or Chipotle Pork Burrito Bowls. For side options, try my Grilled Corn and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
Proper Storage
The only ingredient you don’t want to stick in the fridge are the tortilla chips because they’ll soften.
- Fridge: Store the unassembled nacho components in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- To reheat them: Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon water and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again until warm.
More Appetizer Recipes To Try
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Cauliflower Chips
- Chickpea Bruschetta with Basil Pesto
- Pepper Mushroom Onion Crostini
Chicken Nachos
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Chipotle Sauce:
- 2 limes
- 2 adobe chilis in sauce
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 2 bags Tyson® Grilled and Ready® Fully Cooked Refrigerated Fajita Chicken Strips or Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Fully Cooked Refrigerated Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast {either will work}
Nachos:
- Thick Gluten Free Tortilla Chips
- Grated Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese mix
- 1 14.5 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup red onion diced {1/4 of medium sized onion}
- 1/2 cup frozen corn rinsed
- 1 jalapeno pepper or serrano chili trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 avocado diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
Chipotle Sauce:
- Add all ingredients in a blender and process until completely blended.
- In a medium bowl tear chicken into smaller pieces, pour chipotle sauce over chicken and stir to coat. Set aside.
Nachos
- Preheat oven to broil.
- On a baking sheet spread out tortilla chips and top with cheese {as much as you like}. Place in oven for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Remove.
- Evenly spread chicken, black beans, corn, red onion, jalapeno and avocado over nachos.
- Place back in the oven to warm all your ingredients for about a minute.
- Remove top with cilantro and serve and enjoy.