Nachos with seasoned shredded chicken and plenty of melted cheese!
This Mexican Pulled Chicken Nachos is INSANELY delicious! It might be the best nachos recipe I’ve ever tried … Chicken breasts are richly seasoned with Mexican flavours, then cooked in a tomato sauce until melt-in-the-mouth tender. The chicken is shredded, mixed with luscious melted cheese, then served on crunchy corn chips with creamy avocado and sour cream and fresh herbs, lime and cherry tomatoes. I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.
Although the chicken does need 30 minutes to simmer on the stovetop, you only need one pan and the prep is simple. You can add as many or as few toppings as you want and they are customisable – I’ve made some suggestions below. The dish uses chicken breast, which is great as my kids prefer that cut, but the way it’s prepared in this recipe means it cooks down until meltingly tender – there is no rubbery chicken in sight!
Once you’ve made the pulled chicken for this dish, you’re going to want to use it in everything! I can highly recommend serving it in tacos, burritos, burrito bowls or enchiladas. Better yet, the chicken can be frozen, so it’s a great one to make in bulk for when you need it for super quick weeknight family dinners.
Can I make this recipe in a slow-cooker?
Yes, you can! To make this in a slow-cooker, combine all the ingredients, except for the shredded cheese and toppings, in a slow-cooker. Cook on low for 4–6 hours or on high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is tender enough to shred. Stir in the cheese just before serving, or melt it on top of the nachos.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well as breasts in this recipe. Cook them for 5–10 minutes longer, or until they are falling apart and can be easily shredded with two forks.
What other toppings can I add to my nachos?
Popular options include pickled jalapeños, guacamole, black beans, salsa, corn, shredded lettuce or even some crumbled feta.
What can I do with the leftover Mexican pulled chicken?
The leftover chicken can be repurposed in so many ways! Use it for tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or even in a salad with your favourite Mexican sides (think rice, salads and guacamole!).
Watch how to make Mexican Pulled Chicken Nachos
If you enjoyed Mexican Pulled Chicken Nachos, I think you’ll love:
One-pan Cheesy Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Beef Burrito Bowl Recipe
Mexican Beef Casserole Recipe
Chicken Fajita Tray Bake Recipe
Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos Recipe
Mexican Pulled Chicken Nachos
“I’ve made this more times than I can count now. It is amazing, amazing, amazing!!!! Such delicious flavor and leftovers are just as tasty!” Share PrintIngredients
- 600 g (1¼ lb) boneless, skinless chicken breast – can be substituted with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, see note 1)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo (optional)
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 375 ml (1½ cups) chicken stock
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 250 g (2 cups) shredded cheddar (or a Mexican cheese blend)
- 250 g (9 oz) corn chips
- 2 avocados, mashed with 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 125 g (½ cup) sour cream
- 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped (optional)
- 75 g (½ cup) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Equipment
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken – Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the cumin, paprika, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil. Coat the chicken breasts evenly in the marinade.
- Brown the chicken – Heat a large, deep, heavy-based pan over medium–high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until browned. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Build the sauce – To the same pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, chipotle in adobo (if using), and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then return the chicken breasts to the pan.
- Cook the chicken in the sauce – Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred with your spoon or two forks. If it’s not, continue cooking. If the sauce begins to dry out and catch on the bottom of the pan, add an extra 60 ml (¼ cup) of water as needed.
- Shred the chicken – Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred it using two forks.
- Allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered, for a further few minutes so that it thickens.
- Add the cheese – Return the shredded chicken to the pan, stirring it through the sauce. Turn the heat off. Sprinkle the pulled chicken with cheese. Return the lid to the pan for 1–2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve – To serve, spread corn chips on a large serving platter. Spoon the chicken over the corn chips and top with mashed avocado, sour cream, jalapeño, coriander, cherry tomatoes, red onion and lime wedges.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Amber says:
I’m looking for a taco recipe and think this might be the one! Feeding 6 adults so probably will need to increase the ratio’s. Big fan of your recipes!
Nicole says:
Hi Amber, the recipe does feed 4–6, but you could multiply all the ingredients by 1.5 (or even 2 if you want a lot of leftovers). So happy you’re enjoying the recipes. 🥰 Nic x
Rebecca says:
Looking forward to trying this! If cooking in the slow cooker does the chicken need to be seared first?
Nicole says:
Hi Rebecca, I actually have a slow-cooker chicken nachos recipe where the chicken isn’t seared first. You might like to check that one out! Hope this helps. Nic x
Greta says:
Made this tonight for my nacho (but dislike mince) loving kids. Got a 9.9 score from my pickiest eater and everyone else loved it too. Will definately be a staple in our house. Looking forward to trying different ways to use.
Nicole says:
This is the kind of feedback I love to hear, Greta! Love it when picky little eaters give the recipes a thumbs up! Thanks so much for the rating, Nic x
Emma W says:
Toddler approved. They absolutely INHALED it. Thank you.
Nicole says:
“Toddler approved” … those are magic words! Very happy to hear this. Thanks for the rating too. Nic x
Carol Chapple says:
Great flavours and all four adults loved it, but I would increase the amount next time though (I used thigh fillets) as it was not enough for a main meal for all four of us
Nicole says:
Hi Carol, so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks also for the useful feedback and the rating, Nic x
Mel says:
I want to make this ahead of time and freeze for a camping trip. Should I leave the cheese off and add when heating up? Or add now?
Nicole says:
Hi Mel, you can only freeze the chicken and the other toppings need to be added fresh. Nic x
Tarsh says:
Mine turned out too watery after i added the stock. I see in the video it doesnt look like you added it in only a tiny bit of water. Still a great recipe will just have to add less next time!
Dee says:
Winner winner chicken dinner!……..this was a hit, we used it for tacos and nachos, thank you
Nicole says:
Hi Dee, absolutely great to hear! I just love meals that I can serve in different ways … I don’t have to reinvent the wheel and create a new meal from scratch, just mix it up. Thanks for your lovely feedback. Nic x
Jennifer K says:
I’ve made this more times than I can count now. It is amazing, amazing, amazing!!!! Such delicious flavor and leftovers are just as tasty! I’ve put it on baked potatoes, taco shells, salads, and more!
Nicole says:
That is so wonderful to hear – you made my day! I love your tips for how you use the chicken, too. Brilliant!
Cathryn says:
Yummmmm! Made these tonight, so easy and delicious! Love that there’s no need for the oven. Will definitely be our go to recipe for chicken nachos 🙂
Wanluv says:
I made this in the slow cooker yesterday and my kids and husband raved about it. The entire tray disappeared. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Sandy says:
I made this last night. It’s the first recipe of yours I have tried and they were the best nachos I’ve ever had in my life!! This chicken was just absolutely delish. It will be on high rotation in our house for nachos, wraps, tacos, rice bowls etc. Thank you!!
Cas. says:
I’m a chicken breast girl so I was very hopeful for this recipe. So much so I double it to have a batch in the freezer during the school term. Maybe that was the issue. The chicken shredded fine but was quite dry. I thought I may need to leave them on longer given there were four large ones but they were dry on 25minutes with the stove on the lowest setting. Longer would have ruined them. The doubled liquid took so long to reduce. Definitely needs the lid off next time. I’d rather Nagi’s quick pulled chicken tacos as the method ensures the breast is moist because you shred while still partially raw then chuck it back into the sauce once it’s thickened. Probably didn’t help that the bang bang chicken video was where the video for this recipe should have been.