Skillet Chicken Nachos

Nachos.  The epitome of a big messy pile of yum.  You know I love chips and salsa any chance I can get, and nachos are something Dave and I order often when we go out.  And these nachos let me bring that big messy pile of yum right to my kitchen.  Chunks of flavorful chicken mixed with beans, corn and sweet peppers, then topped with lots of melty cheese--and it all came together in less than 20 minutes.  I topped this with pickled jalapenos, sour cream and chopped scallions, and we dove right in, scooping this up onto tortilla chips.  I love the chunkiness of these nachos and the flavors are wonderful.  We ended up sharing these for dinner, but these would be perfect for a buffet, game night, or a tailgate party.

Is it the second Monday of the month?  Then that mean's it's Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  Each Monday a group of bloggers post a recipe they've made from another blogger's repertoire.  Nobody knows who's featuring their blog until that day and it's a fun chance to visit new blogs and try something different. Visit some of the other bloggers in my group by checking out the blog hop at the bottom of this post.  To learn more about Secret Recipe Club, click here.  This month I was assigned Morsels of Life, a fun blog with lots of eclectic flavors by CJ.  CJ pulls together simple recipes, with everyday ingredients--just my kind of cooking.  I struggled with what to make this month, first thinking about Sweet Potato Gnocchi or Bacon Beer Pancakes, then struggling between Cheddar Cheese Crackers or Cranberry Scones, but finally settling on these amazing Skillet Nachos.  Much as we loved these, I think the next time I make these (yes, these will definitely happen again), I might add more taco seasoning with the beans and veggies, maybe even some cumin or sub in some chili powder for a real kick of heat.  I didn't have fresh cilantro, so I added some dried cilantro with the veggies to include a subtle hint of flavor.  Rather than stirring in all the cheesy, I stirred in part, got it nice and melty, then topped the dish with the rest of the cheese before giving it a slight broil.  Absolutely perfect. If you love nachos, you need to make this skillet version for a great dinner with beer and a movie, or a fun party snack.

Skillet Nachos

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, chopped
15.5 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese, divided (Nacho blend, Mexican blend, cheddar, Monterrey Jack or some combination)
sour cream, scallions, pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  While that heats, cut chicken into about 1/2 inch chunks.

Add chicken to skillet, add taco seasoning and cook through.

Stir in tomato paste, then add pepper, beans, corn, and cilantro.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  (Note: If you want to add more or different seasonings, do that here.)

Stir in 1/2 cup cheese until melted.  Remove from heat, top with remaining cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes in a preheated oven.

Remove from oven, top with sour cream, scallions and pickled jalapenos.  Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

Printer Friendly Recipe