Protein-rich Loaded Nachos (a.k.a. how I made a wholesome dinner in 15 minutes)




Dinnertime can be craaaazy for us, since it's usually the time of day when both kids are MELTING DOWN and all I want is a delicious, good-for-us meal that won't take forever to make. Enter: these loaded nachos. (Yes, some people make them for parties. But I'm here to tell you that everyone likes eating nachos for dinner!)

This whole dinner can be made in only 15 minutes, since all you really have to do is open some cans and chop an onion...and then artistically scatter (that's the professional cooking term) everything over a layer of chips. We've made these with 3-5 layers because the more, the better (but in the pictures, I only did a single layer since I was just making them for myself. For lunch. After the kids went down for a nap. #Selfish)

Besides adding pinto beans and cheese to the tortilla chips, I also layered Tyson Grilled and Ready® Chicken. They come already cooked, seasoned, and in strips, so all I had to do was microwave some and toss them on. It was so easy, and they tasted really good with the seasonings they had! I also grabbed Tyson® Frozen Chicken Breasts, which I plan on cooking from frozen in this recipe. (Honest moment: I got them both at Sam's Club, where we've been members for years, because when I get things at Sam's I  can get them in bulk a.k.a. fewer grocery shopping trips where I'm schlepping two little kids around. Money and a time saver? Yes please.)

Make the loaded nachos seem fancier by squeezing a lime over the whole platter after you bake it.





What you need (serves 2-3): 

  1. Tyson Grilled and Ready® Chicken (about a 1/4 of the package)
  2. 1 can pinto beans, rinsed (bonus points if you add a can of black beans, too!)
  3. 1 can of whole-kernel corn
  4. A bag of restaurant-style tortilla chips
  5. 3-4 cups of cheese (we happened to have mozzarella on hand, but cheddar or colby jack sounds good too!)
  6. Queso sauce or salsa
  7. Half a medium onion, finely chopped
  8. A slice or two of lime for "garnish" (is that the right word??)
Other ingredient ideas:
  1. Chopped bell peppers
  2. Olives
  3. Jalapeño peppers
  4. Sour cream
  5. Guacamole
  6. Black beans

What you do: 
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
  2. Spread a layer of chips on the bottom of your 13x9 pan. 
  3. Put Tyson Grilled and Ready® Chicken strips on top of the chips, shredding with your hands if you want smaller pieces.
  4. Scatter all other ingredients on the chips so that every chip has something on it. (This is an exact science at our house. My husband is a pro at this!)
  5. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used up OR it looks like more food than you'll be able to eat in a night ;) 
  6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.








What are your go-to, quick dinners? 

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