Chicken Tinga Nachos Recipe

Name: Chicken Tinga Nachos Recipe
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 to 3 cups (500 to 750ml) canola or peanut oil; 6 small corn tortillas, cut into quarters; Kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 recipe) Easy Chicken Tinga; 6 ounces (170g) grated jack or pepper jack cheese; 1 cup guacamole; 1 radish, thinly sliced

Why It Works

It's juicy, flavorful chicken on a crispy, deep-fried chip, covered in melted cheese and guacamole. Do I really need to explain this?

As much as I love tacos, there are only so many I can eat before I want to move on to the next thing. With batch after batch of leftovers from working on my chicken tinga recipe, I looked for as many ways as possible to use them up. Tostadas were an obvious choice, topped with chicken, crumbled cotija cheese, and avocado. It also makes a great enchilada filling. All these things are delicious, but they also require utensils, or, at the very least, two hands and some awkward head-tilting, to eat. Not the ideal party or game-day food. Nachos, on the other hand, are where it's at.

Leftover Chicken Tinga? Make Nachos

Active: 15 mins

Total: 20 mins

Serves: 3 to 4 servings

Rate & Comment

2 to 3 cups (500 to 750ml) canola or peanut oil
6 small corn tortillas, cut into quarters
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 recipe) Easy Chicken Tinga
6 ounces (170g) grated jack or pepper jack cheese
1 cup guacamole
1 radish, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or wok over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F on an instant-read thermometer. Adjust flame to maintain temperature. Working in 3 batches, add quartered tortillas and fry, agitating with a metal spider, until edges just start to brown. Flip chips over and continue to cook until crisp and light golden brown. Transfer chips to a paper towel–lined tray, sprinkle with salt to taste, and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes to drain. Repeat with remaining batches.
Arrange chips in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Top each chip with approximately 1 tablespoon shredded chicken and 1 tablespoon cheese. Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Add a small dollop of guacamole to each chip and top with a radish slice. Serve immediately.