January 28, 2016

Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken Nachos

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Jackson’s Honest. Thank you for supporting brands and companies that I love and trust. All opinions are 100% my own.

Football isn’t something that I get excited about. I never have. And I probably never will.

So while everyone else is glued to the television, not wanting to miss a single second of game day action or inaction (if you’ve ever really watched a football game, then you know exactly what I mean by “inaction”), I’ve got my face buried in a mountain of nachos.

I have my priorities straight. Clearly.

As much as I love the traditional nachos (= cheesetopia) that are typical of most bars in America, I’ve recently found myself craving something a bit different. Realizing that the nachos of my dreams probably wouldn’t be found at my local watering hole, I got to work creating these Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken Nachos in my own kitchen. They are fresh, colorful and have a wonderful mix of unexpected flavors. And they aren’t just all about the cheese. Fresh vegetables and lean chicken play a starring role in these Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken Nachos. So much so, that I even dare to say that you can actually feel good about enjoying these on game day…or any other day.

I’m excited to partner with Jackson’s Honest today, a company that is wholeheartedly committed to using real, nutrient dense ingredients in the food products they produce. Their potato chips and tortilla chips, which are cooked in organic coconut oil, have a clean and fresh taste that is like no other. Yes, I know. The words “clean” and “fresh” aren’t words that are typically used to describe chips. But it’s true. I would not lie to you.

I used a bag of Jackson’s Honest Blue Corn Tortilla Chips for this recipe. When I flipped over the bag to look at the ingredients I saw this: organic blue corn, organic coconut oil, sea salt. THREE INGREDIENTS PEOPLE! That’s pretty amazing.

Speaking of the number three, I have three notes on the recipe that I think are worth mentioning. (1) Because I like my nachos with a little bit of kick, I used two whole serrano peppers. But if you want something more mild, you can replace the serrano peppers with jalapeño peppers, which are less spicy. (2) I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for the cooked, shredded chicken. This is a perfectly acceptable shortcut, in my humble opinion. (3) Pre-shredded bagged cheese is not a shortcut I recommend taking. That stuff just doesn’t melt properly. So buy some blocks of cheese and shred your own. It’s worth it!

Check out Jackson’s Honest store locater to discover where you can buy their potato chips and tortilla chips. I know once you taste them, they’ll become a regular part of your snacking and cooking routine!

Cheers,

Liz

Sweet and Spicy Thai Chicken Nachos

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if you aren’t gluten free)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 lime, divided
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 (10 ounce) bag Jackson’s Honest Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
• 3/4 cups diced red bell pepper
• 2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped red cabbage
• 2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a heat safe bowl, microwave the peanut butter for 20-30 seconds to help loosen it. Then stir in the tamari, honey, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and juice from 1/2 a lime. Combine the peanut sauce with the shredded chicken, tossing until well coated.
3. Spread about half of the tortilla chips out onto a large rimmed baking sheet or in a cast iron pan. Top with half of the coated chicken, half of the cheese, half of the diced red pepper and half of the sliced serrano peppers. Then add the remaining tortilla chips and repeat the layers with the remaining chicken, cheese, red pepper and serrano peppers.
4. Transfer the nachos to your pre-heated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
5. Meanwhile, toss the chopped red cabbage, scallions and cilantro with the juice from the remaining 1/2 a lime.
6. Remove the nachos from the oven and top with the cabbage mixture and the peanuts. Serve immediately.

3.1

https://www.floatingkitchen.net/sweet-and-spicy-thai-chicken-nachos/