Keto Nacho Chicken: The Ultimate Guide To This And That

If you're craving Mexican food but want to stick to a keto diet, you can try making keto tortilla chips and loading them with chicken, salsa, avocado, and cheese. There are several ways to make keto-friendly nachos. Instead of using traditional tortilla chips, you can use grilled or crispy chicken strips, pork rinds, cooked cauliflower florets, or even keto chips as the base.

For the tortilla chips, you can use almond flour, spices, eggs, and mozzarella cheese to create a dough, roll it out, and cut it into triangles before baking. You can also make chips out of cheese by baking mounds of shredded cheddar cheese until crispy.

For the chicken, you can bake chicken tenders with olive oil and spices, and then top them with cheese and fresh chives. You can also shred the chicken and mix it with enchilada sauce, or top it with pico de gallo, avocado, and green onions.

How to make keto tortilla chips

Keto tortilla chips are a great low-carb alternative to regular tortilla chips, which are off the menu for those on a keto diet due to their high-carb content. They are also ridiculously simple to make, easy to customize, and fun!

Ingredients:

You will need the following ingredients:

• Keto-friendly tortillas
• Oil (e.g. avocado oil, olive oil, or another oil of your choice)
• Salt
• Seasonings of your choice (optional)

Method:

There are several methods you can use to make keto tortilla chips, including baking, air frying, or frying. Here is a step-by-step guide to each method:

Baking:

• Preheat your oven to 325-350°F (160-175°C).
• Cut your keto tortillas into wedges or triangles. You can use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen scissors for this step.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tortilla pieces in a single layer on the sheet.
• Brush or spray the tortilla pieces with oil and sprinkle with salt and any desired seasonings.
• Bake for 7-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Air Frying:

• Preheat your air fryer to 325°F (160°C).
• Brush or spray the tortilla pieces with oil and sprinkle with salt and any desired seasonings.
• Arrange the tortilla pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
• Cook for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through.
• Remove from the air fryer and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Frying:

• Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan to 350-355°F (176-180°C).
• Fry the tortilla pieces in batches until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and any desired seasonings.

Tips:

• For maximum crispness, avoid overcrowding the tortilla pieces when baking or air frying, and cook in batches if necessary.
• When frying, use a probe thermometer to ensure that your oil is the correct temperature. You can also test the oil by dipping the tip of a tortilla into the oil; if small bubbles start to form around the tortilla, the oil is ready.
• If you are making your own tortillas, roll them out as thinly as possible. You can use a tortilla press or a rolling pin to do this.
• Store leftover keto tortilla chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If they lose their crispness, you can pop them back in the oven or air fryer to crisp them up again.

How to make chicken nachos without tortilla chips

Ingredients

• Chicken breast
• Olive oil
• Taco seasoning
• Chili powder
• Canned tomato sauce
• Hot sauce
• Cheddar jack cheese
• Pico de gallo
• Sour cream
• Sliced black olives
• Guacamole
• Cilantro
• Chicken mince
• Salt
• Almond flour
• Egg
• Sweet corn extract
• Mozzarella cheese
• Spices (chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and sea salt)
• Avocado
• Bacon
• Black beans
• Jalapeno
• Green onions

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken breast with taco seasoning and chili powder. Cook chicken breast on both sides until deep golden and totally done in the middle, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and shred the chicken.

In the same skillet, add tomato sauce, hot sauce, and shredded chicken. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce.

To make the tortilla chips, mix almond flour and spices in a bowl. Add egg and sweet corn extract and mix until a crumbly dough forms. Melt mozzarella in a microwave-safe bowl and add to the dough mixture. Knead until a uniform dough forms.

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out into a thin sheet. Cut into triangles and place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden and firm.

Layer the tortilla chips, cheese, and shredded chicken in a heat-proof dish, ending with a small layer of chicken on top. Microwave or bake until the cheese is melted.

Serve with toppings of your choice, such as pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, avocado, bacon, black beans, Jalapeno, and green onions.

How to make chicken nachos in an instant pot

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts
• Chicken thighs
• Salsa
• Chicken stock
• Spices (chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, etc.)
• Tortilla chips
• Toppings of choice (cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, etc.)

Method:

• Add chicken, salsa, chicken stock, and spices to your Instant Pot.
• Gently toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
• Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 5-12 minutes.
• Release the pressure and shred the chicken using two forks.
• Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet with oil or non-stick spray.
• Spread tortilla chips in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Top the chips with shredded chicken, your choice of toppings, and extra cheese (if desired).
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
• Serve immediately with your favorite nacho toppings!

Tips:

• You can adjust the amount of chicken and type of chicken (breasts, thighs, or a combination) based on your preference.
• Feel free to get creative with your toppings! Popular options include cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, beans, salsa, and more.
• If you prefer crispier nachos, you can bake the tortilla chips first and then add the shredded chicken and toppings.

Enjoy your delicious and easy Instant Pot chicken nachos!

How to make chicken nachos in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Taco seasoning
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cheese
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Pico de gallo
• Jalapenos
• Red onions
• Black olives
• Avocado
• Lime juice
• Cilantro

Method

• Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
• Marinate the chicken pieces in olive oil, taco seasoning, salt and pepper for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for 10 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare your nacho toppings. Shred the cheese, dice the red onions, jalapenos, and avocado, and chop the cilantro.
• Once the chicken is cooked, assemble your nachos by layering the chicken, cheese, and toppings on a plate or in a bowl.
• Drizzle with sour cream and lime juice, and enjoy!

Tips:

• For a crispier chicken, spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray before placing them in the air fryer.
• If you're short on time, you can skip marinating the chicken and just season it with salt and pepper before cooking.
• Feel free to get creative with your toppings! You can add black beans, corn, tomatoes, or anything else you like on your nachos.

How to make chicken nachos in an oven

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts or tenders
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Smoked paprika
• Chilli powder
• Ground cumin
• Cayenne pepper
• Cheddar cheese
• Fresh chives
• Taco seasoning
• Enchilada sauce
• Chicken stock
• Chipotles in adobo
• Almond flour
• Sour cream
• Lime juice
• Garlic
• Green onions
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Bacon
• Black beans
• Jalapenos
• Pico de gallo

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C fan/200°C static/400°F.

Place chicken into the bottom of a casserole dish, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, smoked paprika, chilli powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Top with remaining ingredients (except cheese, chives, and toppings) and cover with a lid. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken with two forks.

Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Top the chicken pieces with grated cheddar cheese and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped chives. Serve with your choice of dips and toppings, such as sour cream, lime juice, garlic, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, bacon, black beans, jalapenos, and pico de gallo.

Tips

You can also make your own tortilla chips by creating mounds of cheddar cheese on a lined baking tray and baking until crispy. You can also make your own enchilada sauce by blending canned tomatoes, chipotles in adobo, and your choice of spices.

Frequently asked questions