Sheet pan chicken nachos
A whole pan of crunchy chips, spiced chicken, black beans and two layers of melted cheese, piled with every topping you like.
- 35 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.40 a serving
- 720 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Most of the time here is hands-off, so you can sit down while it cooks.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 8 oz tortilla chips
- 1½ cups Mexican blend cheese, divided
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- ½ cup pico de gallo (optional)
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream (optional)
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
Each serving has about 720 calories, 46 g protein, 58 g carbs and 34 g fat, and costs about $2.40 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No chicken breasts? Boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins work.
- No Mexican blend cheese? Shredded cheddar or cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese works.
- No black beans? Pinto beans or kidney beans work.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No pico de gallo? Salsa works.
- No avocados? Guacamole works.
- No sour cream? Plain Greek yogurt works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F and line a large with .
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
Cut the chicken into ½-inch pieces and them on the with the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Wash your hands and board.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Spread the chicken out and 10 to 12 minutes, until the biggest piece reads 165°F. Scrape it into a bowl.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 11 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Spread the chips over the same pan, then scatter half the cheese, the beans, the chicken and the rest of the cheese over the top.
Dolly’s tip: Two layers of cheese means no naked chips at the bottom.6 to 8 minutes, until the cheese has and is bubbling.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 7 min
Top with the pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream and jalapeños, squeeze lime over, and eat right away.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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