These Loaded Chicken Nachos are the ultimate comfort food, featuring layers of crunchy chips, savory chicken, and fresh vegetables all baked together in a deep stack of cheesy goodness. Unlike flat sheet pan nachos, this recipe uses a cake pan to create a tall, substantial dish where every chip gets a bit of the toppings.
It is a quick and easy dinner or appetizer that brings the restaurant experience right into your kitchen.
Recipe Details
- Flavor: This dish is packed with savory Mexican-inspired flavors, sweet sautƩed peppers, and rich melted cheese, all brightened up with your favorite fresh toppings.
- Texture: You get the perfect crunch from the tortilla chips, creaminess from the melted cheese, and a tender bite from the chicken and beans.
- Time: With just about 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes in the oven, this meal is ready in half an hour.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves simple sautƩing and layering ingredients into a pan.
What Youāll Need
To build these nachos, you will need a base of sturdy tortilla chips. The filling consists of a sautƩed vegetable mix (onions and peppers), pre-cooked Mexican chicken, black beans, and sweet corn. A generous amount of shredded Mexican-style cheese binds everything together.
Ingredient Notes
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken ā This recipe uses pre-cooked shredded chicken, which makes assembly incredibly fast. It is a great way to repurpose leftovers.
- Tortilla Chips ā Choose a thick, sturdy chip that can hold up to the weight of the toppings without getting soggy.
- Bell Peppers ā A combination of red and green peppers adds color and sweetness. SautĆ©ing them first ensures they are tender in the final dish.
- Butter ā Used to sautĆ© the onion and peppers, adding a rich flavor to the vegetable base.
- Black Beans ā Make sure to rinse and drain these well to remove excess sodium and starch.
- Corn ā Canned corn adds a nice pop of sweetness. Ensure it is drained well so the nachos don’t get watery.
- Cheese ā A package of shredded Mexican-style cheese provides a great melt and a blend of flavors like Cheddar and Monterey Jack.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Switch the Protein ā If you don’t have Mexican chicken, plain rotisserie chicken mixed with a little taco seasoning works perfectly.
- Add Heat ā SautĆ© a diced jalapeƱo along with the bell peppers for an extra spicy kick cooked right into the stack.
- Extra Veggies ā Diced zucchini or red onion can be added to the skillet mixture for more nutrition and variety.
How to Make Loaded Chicken Nachos
- SautƩ the vegetables. Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet. Once melted, add the diced yellow onion, red pepper, and green pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until they are cooked to your liking. Season lightly with salt and set aside.
- Prep the oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 425Ā°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Layer the ingredients. To the prepared pan, add a layer of tortilla chips. Top with a portion of the sautƩed vegetables, the Crockpot Mexican Chicken, black beans, corn, and shredded cheese.
- Repeat. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, finishing with a generous amount of cheese on top.
- Pro Tip: Using a cake pan creates a “nacho cake” effect. Press the layers down slightly as you build to fit more goodness in and ensure the ingredients stay together when serving.
- Bake. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until everything has heated through and the cheese has melted completely.
- Serve. Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately with your favorite optional toppings like cilantro, pico de gallo, avocado, salsa, sour cream, and jalapeƱos.
Recipe Tips
- Line the pan: Don’t skip the parchment paper. Since the cheese melts down the sides of the cake pan, parchment prevents a sticky mess and allows you to lift the nachos out if desired.
- Drain ingredients well: Wet ingredients are the enemy of crispy nachos. Ensure your beans, corn, and chicken are not overly juicy before adding them to the chips.
- Covering is key: Covering the pan with foil helps steam the layers slightly, ensuring the cheese in the middle of the stack melts without burning the chips on top.
- Customize toppings: Add cold toppings like sour cream, avocado, and salsa after baking to keep the temperature contrast and fresh texture.
FAQs
- Why use a cake pan instead of a baking sheet? Using a cake pan creates a deep, multi-layered stack of nachos where the ingredients are concentrated, rather than spread out. It keeps the heat in and melts the cheese thoroughly through the layers.
- Can I use fresh corn? Absolutely. You can slice fresh corn off the cob and sautƩ it briefly with the peppers if you prefer fresh over canned.
- How do I prevent soggy nachos? Layering the cheese between the chips and the wetter ingredients (like chicken and beans) creates a barrier. Also, eating them immediately after baking is best.
Serving Suggestions
- Dip Trio: Serve with sides of guacamole, salsa verde, and queso dip for extra dipping options.
- Margaritas: A cold, limey margarita or a Mexican soda pairs perfectly with the salty, savory flavors of the nachos.
- Salad: A light side salad with lime vinaigrette can help balance the richness of the cheese and chips.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can sautƩ the vegetable mixture and store it in the fridge up to 2 days in advance. The chicken can also be shredded and prepped ahead of time.
- Storage: Nachos are best eaten fresh. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the oven or an air fryer to help crisp the chips back up. Microwaving will result in soft chips.
Loaded Chicken Nachos
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
These Loaded Chicken Nachos redefine the classic appetizer by using a cake pan to create a deep, cheesy stack of goodness rather than a flat layer. Packed with savory shredded chicken, sautĆ©ed peppers, black beans, and sweet corn, every chip gets its fair share of toppings. Ready in just 30 minutes, this “nacho cake” is the perfect easy dinner or substantial game-day snack.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
Loaded Chicken Nachos
- 1–2 bags (5.5 oz each) tortilla chips
- 1 cup cooked shredded Mexican chicken (or rotisserie chicken with taco seasoning)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
- 1 package (8 oz) shredded Mexican-style cheese
Optional Toppings
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Pico de gallo or salsa
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeƱos
Instructions
SautƩ the Vegetables
Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet. Once melted, add the diced yellow onion, red pepper, and green pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and cooked to your liking. Season lightly with salt and remove from heat.
Prep the Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 425Ā°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes it easy to lift the nachos out later.
Build the First Layer
Place a sturdy layer of tortilla chips at the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with half of the sautƩed vegetables, half of the shredded chicken, half of the black beans, half of the corn, and half of the shredded cheese.
Repeat the Layers
Repeat the process with a second layer of chips and the remaining toppings, finishing with a generous amount of cheese on the very top. Gently press down on the stack to fit everything in.
Bake
Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the ingredients are heated through. The foil helps steam the center layers so the cheese melts evenly.
Serve
Carefully remove from the oven and discard the foil. Serve immediately with your favorite cold toppings like sour cream and salsa.
Notes
The Cake Pan Method: Using a cake pan instead of a sheet pan creates a dense, multi-layered “cake” where the heat is concentrated. This ensures the cheese melts through all the layers while keeping the chips relatively contained.
Preventing Sogginess: Wet ingredients are the enemy of crisp nachos. Be sure to thoroughly drain the canned corn and rinse/drain the black beans before adding them to the stack.
Reheating: These are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, reheat them in an air fryer or oven at 350Ā°F to crisp the chips back up. Microwaving is not recommended as it will make the chips chewy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer/Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of pan)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: loaded chicken nachos, cake pan nachos, baked nachos recipe, easy game day food, shredded chicken nachos, layered nacho dip
