This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
Think your chicken nacho recipe can’t be improved? Well, it can! Mexican street corn chicken nachos are a turbo-charged, layered and loaded, deep dish of tortilla chips, rotisserie chicken, Tajín, cheese, more chips, more cheese, jalapenos, lime crema and more cheese! Dive on in!
And if you’re not planning on feeding a small village, try this single layer of standout nachos supreme, made with chorizo and significantly less cheese.
Spending the summer in North America means I’ve been spoiled for choice when it comes to Mexican food options and it’s renewed my passion for creating easy, do-it-yourself dishes at home.
I’m re-starting with this loaded chicken nachos recipe. Depending on your budget, resources or effort levels, you can go 100% authentic and use the typically Mexican ingredients listed or substitute for the close equivalents suggested. Your choice, both will be deliciosa!
Nachos with chicken and corn
This chicken nachos recipe is a street fiesta that everyone is invited to. Not only does it combine two of my favourite Mexican dishes; elote (grilled Mexican street corn) and crunchy nachos, it also invites layer upon layer of shredded rotisserie chicken, cotija cheese, lime crema, more cheese, and juicy, pickled jalapeno peppers. PHEW!
And that is not all. I’ve seasoned these loaded chicken nachos to Mexican perfection with two teaspoons of This is an affiliate link.Tajín. If you’re a spicy tequila cocktail fan, you’ll have some in your stores. The powdery mix of chilli, salt and dried lime gives the chicken a boost of pow-wow!
Speaking of chicken, I’m not shy to cut a corner or two-I’m a busy woman after all! So, this is a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken recipe. Buy it from the supermarket especially for your street corn nachos or re-purpose your leftover Sunday roast. Thrifty and convenient!
Now, let’s talk elote. Traditionally, this is corn-on-the-cob charred to fragrant divinity over hot coals, smothered in creamy mayo and sour cream sauce, topped with tangy and crumbly cotija cheese. Being sweet and juicy, salty and sour it hits all the pleasure receptors and I have worked the original recipe seamlessly into this one to make Mexican street corn chicken nachos. Clever, right?
Important recipe tips and notes
- Mexican cotija cheese comes in two textures: crumbly (a young cheese) or firm in a block (more mature). I used firm and grated it.
- Substitute feta for crumbly or Parmesan for firm if you can’t source cotija.
- Layer your nachos two times before baking. That’s 1) chips, chicken and seasoning, cheese, 2) chips, cheese, jalapenos. Then all the toppings when they’re out the oven. Think: sandwich.
- Heat the nachos to the cheese’s melting point. Any further and it will harden. Not good.
- Keep this recipe meat-free and veggie-friendly by leaving out the chicken.
- The chicken adds a protein bonus. Keep it simple by using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover roast.
- Mexican blend cheese is a mash up of Tex-Mex cheeses, and it is available in big supermarkets.
- Mild cheddar cheese will do fine if that’s more accessible to you.
What goes with it
Just because your chicken nachos are loaded with rotisserie chicken, Mexican street corn, melted cheese, jalapenos and a crema doesn’t mean you can’t keep layering the flavours with dips! Serve these guys on the side:
- guacamole needs no introduction!
- pico de gallo is a refreshing, chopped and chunky salsa, but if you’re short on time go to…
- 5-minute salsa fresca the blended version of pico de gallo.
Nachos with chicken works as a standalone movie night snack (keep the paper towels handy), or as a sit-down meal with a garden salad.
Storage and leftovers
Loaded chicken nachos is not a dish for saving for later. It’s entire appeal is in the crispy tortilla chips and oozy cheese topping fresh from the oven. Get it while it’s hot!
More game day snacks
- Philly Cheesesteak Loaded Fries
- Asian Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Loaded Potato Skins with Chorizo and Bravas Sauce
- Queso Fundido with Chorizo
Mexican Street Corn Chicken Nachos
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.BBQ grill
- This is an affiliate link.Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2-3 ears corn
- 1 tsp oil
- 60ml / 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled or grated if aged (can use feta)
- 2 tsp This is an affiliate link.Tajin seasoning, or Valentina
- 300g / 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 60ml / 1/4 cup sour cream, or plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 lime, juice only
- 250g / 8 oz salted tortilla chips
- 200g / 2 cups Mexican blend cheese mix, grated
- 1-2 jalapeño, or serrano peppers, sliced
Instructions
- To start you will need to grill the corn until slightly charred. Preheat the grill and brush the oil on the corn or spray them with an oil spray, cook while turning occasionally until the corn is cooked and slightly blistered in places, which should take approximately 10-15 minutes depending on the heat setting of your grill.
- Take off the grill and allow to cool. Meanwhile mix the sour cream, mayonnaise and lime juice to prepare the crema. Now preheat the oven to 200C/400F. While the oven is preheating, take the chicken off the bones and either shred it or chop with a knife. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and set aside till needed.
- Line a large and shallow pan with parchment paper and scatter half the tortilla chips on the bottom, then top with the chicken and 1 tsp of the Tajn seasoning, now sprinkle half of the grated cheese followed by the remaining tortilla chips, the remaining cheese and sliced green Jalapeño or Serrano pepper, put in the preheated oven for 5–7 minutes, until the cheese is melted. The cheese should be oozy by the end of the cooking time, not hard.
- Now top the baked nachos with the corn all over, then drizzle with the crema and sprinkle with the cotija cheese generously. Finally top with the Tajin or Valentina seasoning and serve immediately with guacamole while the cheese is still warm and melty.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
