Nachos are one of my family’s go-to meals, especially in the warmer months. They’re naturally served family-style and they are ridiculously easy to make! These nachos aren’t made the conventional way – you’ll be making them right on your barbecue’s grill!
The star of this dish is the LiberTerre chicken with a Cajun rub and paired with a fresh pico de gallo. LiberTerre chicken is air-chilled, instead of wet-chilled, which guarantees a great tasting product every time.
Cajun chicken and pico de gallo just scream summer, and I’ve put them together in this great nacho dish. I prepare the pico de gallo first, so the flavours have time to sit and mingle. The jalapenos heat intensifies, too, as it sits.
The colours in a fresh Pico de Gallo are so bright and beautiful — they really say summer!
Next, grill the chicken and then keep it warm while you assemble the nachos. Now, here’s the fun part, using a barbecue safe basket or cast iron skillet, assemble your nachos. Conventional methods call for parchment paper to hold the nachos and the oozing cheese. Use foil in this case because it won’t burn like parchment paper would. Place the nacho tray right on top of your barbecue grill and close the lid. You have all the heat you need to melt the cheese and toast the chips.
I love making these when I’m entertaining – they make an amazing late night snack with summer cocktails. Tip: They pair well with mojitos! Who can resist nachos and mojitos? Today I am enjoying them with an ice cold cerveza – perfection!
Enjoy the warm nights – just like these nachos, they won’t last long!
With Love,
Julie
Cajun Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast fillet
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
- Dry chicken with kitchen paper and add to a large bowl, set aside. Combine the spices and the oil in a small bowl to create a rub. In the bowl with the chicken, add the Cajun rub and work the rub into the chicken with your fingers, being sure to distribute the rub evenly.
- Heat a barbecue, griddle pan or grill to medium-high heat, then cook the chicken for 3-5 mins on each side until cooked through.
Pico de Gallo
Description
Makes 2-3 cups
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
- 4 to 6 plum tomatoes, medium chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Chop the onion and place it in a small bowl. Grate the garlic using a microplane into the bowl.
- Cut the lime in half and juice it into the bowl. Add the salt to the lime, garlic and onions, stir, and set aside for a few minutes while chopping the rest of the ingredients.
- Slice the pepper in half, remove the seeds and finely mince it. Add it to the onion mixture.
- Chop the tomatoes into medium-sized chunks and add to the bowl. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. Stir gently to combine. Add salt, lime juice and more cilantro to taste.
- Cover and let rest for a few hours in the refrigerator to blend the flavors. Pico de gallo is best if used the day it is made.
Grilled Cajun Chicken Nachos with fresh Pico de gallo
Ingredients
- Prepare the Nachos
- 4 pieces of grilled Cajun chicken (recipe above)
- 1 recipe of pico de gallo (recipe above)
- 1 large bag of corn nachos
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup black olives
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Sides: avocado, sour cream, hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your barbecue to medium-high heat. Chop the grilled Cajun chicken into small pieces and set aside.
- If you are using a barbecue safe basket or a cast iron skillet, line it with foil paper and spray with non-stick spray. Add one layer of nachos, then sprinkle with half the cheese, chicken, corn, beans, and black olives. Top with 1/3 of the pico de gallo. Make another layer of nacho chips on top and repeat with the rest of the cheese, chicken, corn, beans, black olives and another 1/3 of the pico de gallo. Reserve the last 1/3 of pico de gallo for serving.
- Bake in the preheated barbecue for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot with the rest of the pico de gallo and your favourite beer or summer cocktails!
*This post and recipe was created as part of a paid partnership between Daily Tiramisu and Retail Ready Foods Inc., however, and as always, all opinions are my own,
