Delicious and Satisfying Skillet Nachos!

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Do you ever just wish you could just eat nachos for dinner? These skillet nachos are so more than a snack or appetizer. They make a hearty, protein-packed meal that will satisfy every member of your family. Everyone will love the tasty combination of flavors and textures: crunchy chips, gooey cheese, sweet and spicy beans, chicken, onion, pico de gallo, sour cream, and sauce to drizzle all over the top.

Another thing that makes these skillet nachos really fun is the use of personal-sized cast iron skillets! We love these in our family because you can cook the same basic dish for everyone and then personalize each one. It’s definitely a special way to serve meals for a large family or for company.

This recipe for skillet nachos has a variety of components and may look like a lot of steps at first. However, you can definitely multi-task and work on different elements of the dish at the same time. It’s actually pretty easy!

For the Chicken:

In a medium skillet, melt the olive oil and butter together for the chicken. When the skillet is sizzling hot, put in the chicken and cook until well-done. This will probably take about 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken you use. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from heat and allow it to cool.

While the chicken cools, mix up your seasoning blend using the: garlic salt, seasoned pepper, taco seasoning and brown sugar. If you don’t want to mix your own spice blend, I recommend this seasoning, which is totally delicious and has a nice hit of lime.   Cut the chicken into 1/4 inch slices, toss the slices in the seasoning, and return them to the skillet on low heat until combined and warm. Cover the skillet and turn off the heat.

For the Beans:

You are going to see a lot of ingredients for these beans, but trust me: the combination is really good. While the skillet nachos will still be tasty if you skimp a little bit on this component, you owe it to yourself to try it with everything at least once! If you are like me, you may have more of these ingredients hidden in your spice cabinet than you realize!

The beans are the most filling and decadent part of the skillet nachos. To make them, simply combine the following ingredients in a large sauce pan:  black beans, pork-n-beans, Ranch style beans, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, honey, Ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, seasoned salt, minced garlic, and bacon.

Stir all ingredients together until well blended. Bring beans to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately turn heat to low. Let beans simmer for 30 minutes.

Prep and Assembly:

While beans and chicken are being kept warm , chop the sweet onion and ripe tomato for topping. Place the enchilada sauce in a small saucepan, and add 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar to the Enchilada sauce. Heat sauce until the brown sugar melts and the sauce is bubbling.  Turn off heat, and set aside.

Now comes the part where each person can customize his or her own nachos a little bit. Start by spraying the bottom of the iron skillets with cooking spray.  Place a double layer of Tortilla chips in the skillet, and on top of chips, place three or four slices of chicken. Add beans on top of chicken and sprinkle cheese on top of beans.  Repeat the layer(s) until the skillet is full. The big eaters in your group can really load it up for a hearty meal!  Top it all off with cheese, of course!

Place the iron skillets in a 350 degree oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.  Remove from oven, and place on wire racks to cool for 2 – 3 minutes.  Drizzle enchilada sauce over the top of the melted cheese, and top with chopped onion and tomato.  Serve with Pico de Gallo and sour cream on the side, if you like.

I hope you love this this classic-appetizer-turned-satisfying meal! It would be perfect to serve at a party or social gathering. We’d love to know if you make it and what you think of it! If you are like me and enjoy using the personal-sized cast iron skillets, what are some things that you love to cook in them?

Delicious and Satisfying Skillet Nachos!

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• Author: Trish Corlew
• Yield: 4 -6 1x

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Description

Turn one of your favorite appetizers into one of your family’s new favorite weeknight meals! These fun and satisfying skillet nachos pack a punch of protein and include a variety of delicious flavors and textures!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Tortilla chips – thin white corn chips – 1 to 2 bags

2 cups of shredded cheddar and jack cheese

1 small jar of Pico de Gallo

1 small container of Sour cream (4 – 6 ounces)

1 small sweet onion – peeled and chopped – for topping

1 large ripe tomato – washed and chopped

1 small can of Enchilada Sauce – Mild – (I used Old El Paso)

2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

4“- 6” iron skillets – 1 for each serving

FOR THE BEANS:

1 can of black beans (14 – 16 ounces) – drained and rinsed

1 can of pork-n-beans (14 – 16 ounces)

1 can of Ranch style beans (14 – 16 ounces)

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1/2 cup of chopped green pepper

1 small can of tomato sauce  (4–6 ounces)

1/2 cup of brown sugar

2 Tablespoons of honey

1/4 cup of Ketchup

1 Tablespoon of cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder

2 teaspoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of coarse ground garlic salt

1 teaspoon of seasoned salt

1 teaspoon of garlic – minced

1/2 cup of cooked bacon – crumbled

FOR THE CHICKEN

2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil

1 Tablespoon of butter

1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon of seasoned pepper

1 Tablespoon of Taco seasoning

1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

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Instructions

For the Chicken

1. In a medium skillet, melt the Olive oil and butter for the chicken.
2. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook on medium heat until well done, about 30 -40 minutes.
3. When chicken is done, place the chicken on a plate, and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Slice the chicken in 1/4 inch slices, and return to the skillet on low heat.
5. In a small bowl, mix the garlic salt, seasoned pepper, taco seasoning, and brown sugar until completely blended, and sprinkle the seasonings over the sliced chicken, and toss chicken in seasonings.  Cover skillet, and turn of heat, leaving chicken in covered skillet.

For the Beans

(While you have the chicken in the skillet to cook, start the beans.)

1.  In a large saucepan, place the black beans, pork-n-beans, Ranch style beans, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, tomato sauce, brown sugar, honey, Ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, seasoned salt, minced garlic, and bacon.
2. . Stir all ingredients together until well blended.
3. Bring beans to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately turn heat to low, and let beans simmer for 30 minutes.

Prep and Assembly

1. While beans and chicken are cooking, chop the sweet onion and ripe tomato for topping.
2.  Place the Enchilada sauce in a small saucepan, and add 2 Tbs of brown sugar to the sauce. Heat sauce until brown sugar melts, and sauce bubbles.  Turn off heat, and set aside.
3.  Now it’s time to assemble. Spray the bottom of the iron skillets with cooking spray.  Place a double layer of Tortilla chips in the skillet.
4.  Next, add your toppings. On top of chips, place three or four slices of chicken, add beans on top of chicken, and sprinkle cheese on top of beans.  Repeat the layer(s) until the skillet is full, and ending with cheese.
5.  Place the iron skillets in a 350 degree oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.  Remove from oven, and place on wire racks to cool for 2 – 3 minutes.
6.  Drizzle enchilada sauce over the top of the melted cheese, and top with chopped onion and tomato.  Serve with Pico de Gallo and Sour cream on the side.

Enjoy!

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