Sure, chicken nachos are great, but a chicken nacho sandwich is even better. Plus it couldn’t be easier to make!
This is genuinely one of my favourite sandwiches to make. Mainly because it’s fun to say ‘it’s nacho sandwich’ but also because it’s outrageously delicious. Follow me…
Nacho Chicken
Whilst you could just make a regular nacho sandwich, today we’re stuffing in some juicy, flavoursome chicken. Because, well, must I justify chicken nachos?! In advance, yes you can skip this outrageously delicious chicken and just do regular nachos, but the chicken really does take this sandwich through the roof!
How to Prep Chicken for Nachos
Nachos are all about packing in the flavour, and the chicken aspect is no exception. We’re not going to marinate the chicken, but we are going to coat it in a concoction of spices. We’re also going to use chicken thighs which are slightly fattier and more flavoursome than breast.
Pan Fried Chicken Thighs
Now typically you’d shred chicken for nachos, and we’ll get to that part in just a sec. But first we’ll be frying them to gain a nice char and inject a nice smoky flavour. Once you’ve fried them, remove them from the pan and leave all that gorgeous char/flavour behind.
Process shots: add seasoning and oil to bowl (photo 1), whisk to combine (photo 2), add in thighs (photo 3), mix to coat (photo 4), add to frying pan (photo 5), fry both sides until lightly charred and cooked through centre (photo 6).
Shredded Chicken for Nachos
Whilst the chicken is resting to one side, we’re gonna whip up a super simple sauce, just to pack in even more flavour and keep the chicken EXTRA juicy. For the sauce all you need is chicken stock, lime juice, tomato paste and honey.
To shred the chicken just use two forks just before adding to the pan!
Process shots: fry tomato paste (photo 1), add honey, stock and lime juice (photo 2), simmer then add shredded chicken (photo 3), toss until the sauce gets soaked up (photo 4).
Nacho Sandwich
To make the chicken nacho part, just add some tortilla chips to a slice of lightly toasted bread, top with chicken and cheese, then whack under the grill until the cheese has melted. From there, the world really is your oyster as to which nacho toppings you add in the sandwich. Here I’ve gone for:
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Red Onion
- Jalapeños
- Sour Cream
You’d obviously usually dice up toppings for nachos, but just to keep in the ‘sandwich theme’ I’ve sliced them.
Process shots: add tortilla chips to bread (photo 1), add chicken (photo 2), add cheese (photo 3), grill/broil until melted (photo 4), add nacho toppings (photo 5), add bread (photo 6).
Serving a Nacho Sandwich
These are, as you can see, pretty hearty, so they make a pretty decent meal for either lunch or dinner! If you want something on the side you could go full carb and whip up a Potato Salad or play it cool with some Creamy Coleslaw!
Fancy a similar sandwich? Check out my Chicken Fajita Grilled Cheese and Mini Taco Sandwiches!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken nacho sandwich shall we?!
How to make Nacho Sandwiches (Full Recipe & Video)
Chicken Nacho Sandwich
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl & Tongs (for coating chicken)
- Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Cheese Grater
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless Chicken Thighs (approx 3.5oz/100g each)
- 3/4 cup / 180ml Chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp EACH: Honey, Lime Juice, Tomato Paste (Tomato Puree in UK)
- 1 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Cumin
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Salt
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
Sandwich
- 8 medium-large slices of Bread, lightly toasted
- 1 1/2 cups / 150g Cheddar, or as needed
- 4 small/medium Tomatoes, sliced
- 4 handfuls Tortilla Chips, (6 or so per sandwich, or enough to comfortably cover the bread)
- 2 small Avocados, thinly sliced
- 1 large Red Onion, sliced into thin rounds
- 1/2 cup sliced Jalapeños, or to preference
- 4 tbsp Sour Cream
Instructions
- Prep Chicken:Â To a mixing bowl add 1 tsp smoked paprika & cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, onion powder, garlic powder & salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir in 1.5 tbsp olive oil then add chicken and use a pair of tongs to fully coat the thighs.
- Cook Chicken:Â Add chicken to a large pan over medium high heat. Fry until they begin to char, then flip and continue frying until they're piping hot through the centre and charred on the other side. Lower heat to medium if you need more time to cook them through without them burning. Remove from pan and place in a bowl to one side.
- Chicken Sauce:Â Turn heat to medium and fry 1 tbsp tomato paste for a couple of mins. Add 3/4 cup chicken stock with 1 tbsp honey and lime juice. Give it a good stir then simmer for a couple of mins or until it thickens slightly. Meanwhile shred chicken with two forks, then add to the sauce and simmer for another couple of mins until the chicken soaks up the sauce.
- Chicken Nachos: Add tortilla chips to bread, then stack chicken on top and finish with cheese. Place on a baking tray and grill/broil until the cheese melts.
- Nacho Sandwich: Add on top onion, tomatoes, avocado and jalapeños. Spread a second slice of bread with sour cream then place that on top. Tuck in!
Quick Demo
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
If you loved this Nacho Sandwich Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
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