Fajita Nachos Recipe
Fajita chicken or beef, refried beans, mixed cheeses, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo
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Ingredients
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Protein & Marinade
Vegetables (for fajita sauté)
Base & Beans
Cheese & Assembly
Toppings
Method
Protein & Marinade
- 1
Marinate protein
Pat the chicken or steak dry and place in a bowl. Add 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs lime juice, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss to coat and let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
- 2
Cook protein
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add a light drizzle of oil if skillet is dry. Add the marinated meat in a single layer and cook chicken 4–6 minutes per side (until internal temp 165°F) or steak 3–5 minutes per side for medium, stirring or flipping so slices sear but don’t overcrowd. Remove cooked meat to a plate and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly (if using whole pieces) or separate strips.
Vegetables (for fajita sauté)
- 3
Sauté vegetables
Wipe the skillet used for the meat (keep any browned bits). Return to medium-high heat and add 1 tbs olive oil. Add sliced bell peppers and onion, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, and sauté 4–6 minutes until softened and slightly charred at edges. Push vegetables to the side and return the sliced cooked meat to the pan to warm and mingle with vegetables for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Base & Beans
- 4
Prepare beans
Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and heated through (about 5 minutes). If beans are very thick, stir in 1–2 tbs water to loosen.
- 5
Layer chips and beans
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). On a large rimmed baking sheet or oven-safe platter, spread half the tortilla chips into an even layer. Spoon half of the warm refried beans over the chips in dollops, leaving some chips exposed. Sprinkle half of both cheeses over the chips and beans. Add the remaining chips in another layer, then dollop the rest of the beans over them and top with remaining cheese.
Cheese & Assembly
- 6
Bake nachos
Place the layered chips on the center rack and bake 7–10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling and chips at edges are golden. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- 7
Top with fajita mixture
Remove nachos from oven. Immediately scatter the warm fajita meat and sautéed vegetables over the melted cheese so they nestle into the layers.
Toppings
- 8
Finish and serve
Spoon guacamole, dollop sour cream, and add pico de gallo across the top in several spots so each portion can get some. Add pickled jalapeños if using, sprinkle chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing. Serve hot.