This dish starts with a very simple, extremely good recipe for pulled chicken and then you build a classic plate of nachos using it.
This chicken has just 3 main ingredients: chipotle salsa, garlic, and chicken. Cook it to death in a crockpot, shred it, then cook it in a skillet to reduce the liquid – and there you go! After that, it’s just a matter of piling the chicken and a bunch of other nachos ingredients on a big plate of tortilla chips and you’ve got a spectacular appetizer! There is also a lot of leeway here. Proportions do not need to be exact. You can also freeze the chicken after shredding it (before reducing the liquid) and you’ll be ready to serve it on a moment’s notice. It should keep in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
I also like to add diced green chiles to the shredded chicken while I’m cooking it to reduce the liquid. It adds that green chile flavor. I like it both ways – with the green chiles or without. I honestly can’t say which I like better.
This is a great dish for a Super Bowl party – that’s what I had in mind when I invented it!
- 3 lbs skinless boneless chicken (all-white, all-dark, or combination)
- 1 16 oz jar chipotle salsa (I used 505 Southwester)
- 20 large cloves garlic, minced
- optional: 1 cup diced green chiles
- 2 lb pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 8 cups)
- 4 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 cups diced tomato
- 16 oz sour cream
- 20 oz tortilla chips
- 2 15 oz cans black beans, drained
- Salsa
- optional: sliced black olives, diced bell pepper (red, yellow or green), green onions, cilantro, diced or sliced avocado, guacamole
- Put the chicken in a crockpot, pour the jar of chipotle salsa on top, and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Pull the chicken out and shred it with 2 forks. There will be a lot of excess liquid. (At this point you can put some of the chicken and liquid in a plastic container and freeze for later use.)
- Put the chicken and the liquid into a giant skillet (or 2 large skillets). Add the garlic (and, if desired, the green chiles) and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid is gone but chicken is still moist. This should be about 10-20 minutes.
- Pile tortilla chips on 3 to 4 large platters or serving dishes. Pile on the hot shredded chicken and all the other ingredients, however you want to arrange them.
- Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on the side.
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