These Thai sweet chili chicken nachos are the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. Grilled chicken tossed in sweet chili sauce and thrown on top of tortilla chips with onions, peppers, cilantro, guacamole, and lots of cheese! They are a perfect appetizer or a quick and easy dinner!
I’m calling this dish an appetizer but let’s face it – it’s also a complete and total dinner meal.
These homemade chicken nachos have protein and veggies, plus healthy fat from the guacamole. It’s a perfectly balanced meal and I’m 100% positive it will be your family’s new favorite nacho recipe!
This chicken nachos recipe is also a great use for leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. Of course, if you don’t have any of those lying around you could also just quickly grill or cook up some chicken.
Since I’m a lover of all things avocado I also opted to throw on a little guacamole. I made this quick version but whatever your favorite happens to be will work here.
And don’t forget the cilantro on top. It’s the perfect burst of freshness you want in a dish like this.
Table of Contents
What Makes Perfect Chili Chicken Nachos?
Everyone has their nacho preferences, but I personally think the number one thing that makes nachos perfect is hot and melty toppings.
That’s why I love to break my assembly into two steps.
I add half the ingredients to the sheet pan, bake it for 5 minutes to help start the cheese melting. Then I take it out and top it with the other half of the ingredients. This makes it possible for all those under layers to properly melt.
Plus, by putting the toppings on the nachos in two steps, you assure that all the chips that have the toppings.
No one likes ooey, gooey chili cheese nachos on top and plain tortilla chips on the bottom.
What is Thai Sweet Chili Sauce?
If you’re new to the world of sweet chili sauce let me tell you it’s delicious!
It’s typically found either in the Asian section of the grocery store or near where you would find hot sauce. “Frank’s” is a common brand that is found in most US grocery stores.
As far as the flavor, it’s the perfect combo of sweet and spicy. It’s made of sambal oelek which is an Indonesian chile paste made of crushed red pepper, vinegar, and salt.
To that, they add sugar, vinegar, and garlic and cook it down until it’s thick and luscious. It’s very similar to duck sauce in terms of texture.
What if I Can’t Find Sweet Chili Sauce?
No worries! If you’re in a pinch and cannot find sweet chili sauce just mix a basic hot sauce with a little honey. Or, cook down some spicy peppers and mix in honey.
You’re basically just looking for a sweet and spicy combination.
Another great option is to mix some crushed red pepper into honey. You can thin it out slightly with a little water or rice vinegar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1-1/2 pound grilled chicken, shredded or chopped
- 1 cup Thai sweet chili sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 (13 ounce) bag corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup prepared guacamole
- 2 tablespoons crumbled Cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
How Do I Store These Nachos?
Personally, eating leftover nachos is almost never a possibility at my house. My husband and I ate this entire tray ourselves for lunch.
However, if you anticipate leftovers I would make sure to put the guacamole on the side so that can be stored separately.
Then cover the nachos and store in the refrigerator.
How Do I Reheat Sweet Chili Nachos?
My personal favorite is to reheat them right back in the oven. This will ensure the tortilla chips stay crispy.
You will want to top the nachos with a little more shredded cheese, add back to a 425-degree oven and cook just until the cheese is melted and the ingredients are warmed through.
I also like to sprinkle on a little more cilantro after reheating because cilantro is the best. Ok, I think it’s the best even though I realize not everyone feels that way. It’s just so bright and fresh tasting!
Love these sweet chili chicken nachos? Try a few of my other delicious appetizer recipes!
- Easy Carrot Fritters
- Baked Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders
- Creamy Bacon Jalapeno Corn Dip
- Ultimate Italian Antipasto Platter
- Tahini Free Lemon Hummus
- Pineapple Mango Habanero Chicken Wings
Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pound grilled chicken shredded or chopped
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper cored and thinly sliced
- 1 13 ounce bag corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup prepared guacamole
- 2 tablespoons crumbled Cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small mixing bowl add shredded or chopped chicken with 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce, set aside.
- In a small skillet add olive oil and set over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot add the red onion and red bell pepper.
- Saute until the onions and bell pepper have just softened.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place half of the bag of corn tortilla chips.
- Top with half the chicken, half the peppers and onions, and half the Mexican blend shredded cheese.
- Add to the oven and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top the nachos with the remaining chicken, peppers, onions, and Mexican blend cheese.
- Add back to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and top with prepared guacamole, crumbled Cotija cheese, and minced cilantro.
- Drizzle with the 1/4 cup remaining sweet chili sauce.
- Serve immediately.
