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Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos. Slow cooked chicken, braised in cider beer, chipotle peppers, and enchilada sauce, then layered with tortilla chips, topped with two cheeses, baked in the oven until melty and perfect, and finished with avocado salsa. TOO GOOD! Equally as great for entertaining as they are for a fun dinner at home. No one can not love these nachosโ€ฆeasy to make, and so delish!

overhead photo of Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos on plate with beer in photo

Thursday night nachos anyone? Kind of perfect for tonight, right?

First, thereโ€™s Thursday night football, which means game day food all around. Two, itโ€™s Thursday, which means tomorrow is Friday, which really just means the weekend is pretty much here, and we should start celebrating. Obviously.

So, nachos it is!

Okay, please excuse all my excitement, Iโ€™m just loving these nachos. Plus, itโ€™s been a long week, and my brain is kind of all over the place right now. So Iโ€™m very much ready to enter weekend mode, even if it means pushing it a little. Anyone else in the same place today?

In all seriousness though, these nachos are really delicious, pretty easy to make, indulgent, but not overly so. And equally great for snacking as they are a Thursday night family dinner.

overhead photo of tortilla chips

Hereโ€™s the story with these nachos.

Itโ€™s probably pretty obvious that I donโ€™t tend to make nachos all that much. Well, let me rephrase that, I make nachos, but I donโ€™t share them here on HBH very often.

Why? Itโ€™s pretty simple and comes down to two reasonsโ€ฆ

One, nachos are down right one of the hardest foods to photograph, and we all know that Iโ€™m not the fondest of ugly food. That said, sometimes ugly food is just too good to not share.ย I just have to accept that itโ€™s just not that pretty, but itโ€™s extra delicious.

Two, if Iโ€™m being honest, when I do make nachos at home, I just cover tortilla chips in cheese, bake them, sprinkle with them herbs, and call it a day. Yep, thatโ€™s pretty much just cheesy chips. And while those are good, theyโ€™re not worthy of sharing the recipe (because it isnโ€™t a recipe).

These nachos however? Much, much, more than cheesy chips, and 100% worth sharing the recipe.

side angle photo of Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos

When I set out to make these nachos, I made them with one person in mind, my oldest brother, Creighton.

Heโ€™s the Cleveland Brownโ€™s most loyal fan, and with the Browns recent win (their first in 635 daysโ€ฆyes you read that right). I knew I had to create a recipe that heโ€™d love. Enter in these extra cheesy, spicy, chicken filled nachos.

overhead close up photo of Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos

The details.

To start, youโ€™ll braise a few chicken breasts in a mix of cider beer, chipotle peppers, and enchilada sauce. Yes, beer, chipotle and enchilada sauce. Complete game day food, and completely delicious.

The chicken slowly cooks in the cider beer, peppers, and enchilada sauce, soaking up all the spicy/smoky flavors. This takes about twenty or so minutes. Then youโ€™ll shred the chicken and layer it with tortilla chips, and cheddar and pepper jack cheese.

Throw the nachos into the oven to melt the cheese, and while they are baking, make a quick avocado salsa. I love the addition of the avocado salsa. The creamy avocado adds a nice coolness to the dish, along with a bright pop of fresh green color.

Once the nachos are topped with salsaโ€ฆDEVOUR.

The key to nachos is eating them immediately after baking, so donโ€™t let these sit. As soon as you take them out, top with salsa, eat and enjoy! Trust me, if you make these tonight your Thursday night will be the highlight of your week.

Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos half eaten on plate

If you make these Chipotle braised chicken nachos, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโ€™t forget to also tag me onย Instagram!ย Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos

Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos | halfbakedharvest.com #nachos #gamedayrecipe #football #fallrecipes #chickenrecipes
4.49 from 82 votes
6
calories 1151kcal
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
Total1 hour
Slow cooked chicken, braised in cider beer, chipotle peppers, and enchilada sauce, then layered with tortilla chips, topped with two cheeses, baked in the oven until melty and perfect, and finished with avocado salsa. Equally as great for entertaining as they are for a fun dinner at home.
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Instructions 

  • 1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, chipotle peppers, paprika, honey, and a pinch of salt. Toss well to combine, making sure all the chicken gets coated in seasonings.
    2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large brasier or dutch oven over medium high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and sear on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the beer and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
    3. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and continue to cook another 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens around the chicken. If desired, add the remaining 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. Remove from the heat. 
    4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
    5. To assemble, layer the chips, chicken, and cheeses on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, being sure to not over crowd the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 
    6. Meanwhile, make the avocado salsa. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. 
    7. Top the nachos with the avocado salsa. Serve immediately. Enjoy! 

Nutrition

Calories: 1151kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.

horizontal photo of Chipotle Braised Chicken Nachos

Meet Tieghan Gerard

I'm Tieghan, the recipes you'll find here are inspired by the people and places I love most. I try to live simply, eat seasonally, and cook with whole foods. My hope is to inspire a love for amazing food, as well as the courage to try something new!

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4.49 from 82 votes (67 ratings without comment)

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62 Comments

  1. Steph Withrow says:

    5 stars
    Nachos were โ€œbangin!โ€ in the words of my son – thank you as our team was not! Made exactly as directed and added you yogurt, jalapeรฑo, lime creama from another one of your nacho recipes. Really good!!! Thank you!

    1. Tieghan says:

      Hey Steph! Thank you for trying out this recipe! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT

  2. Maddie says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious!! Fun to make, fun to eat! The chicken being braised added a delicious depth of flavor and the avocado salsa added a fresh, zippy element. SO GOOD!

    1. Tieghan says:

      Hi Madeline! Thank you so so much! Sooo glad you enjoyed this recipe! Have a wonderful weekend! ๐Ÿ™‚ xT