Chicken Nacho Salad

Chicken nacho salad – with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, soured cream, jalapeños, chicken and cheesy nachos – is a simple and fast salad that’s perfect for warm evenings.

This chicken nacho salad is one of those recipes that is so quick and easy, it’s barely a recipe. There’s very little cooking involved – just popping the nachos in the oven – and very little other work.

It’s simple, it’s tasty and it’s toddler approved! I developed it from a need to make an extremely quick dinner for a hungry child after a busy day, and this was an absolute win.

Looking for more ways to use your roast dinner leftovers? Why not try:

Duck: Hoisin Duck Stir Fry

Chicken: Leftover Roast Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Filo Pie, Chicken and Pea Risotto, Chicken and Lentil Soup, Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Beef: Leftover Beef Cottage Pie, Warm Beef and Lentil Salad

Ham: Leftover Ham Pie, Leek and Ham Pasta

Lamb: Leftover Lamb Shepherds Pie

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations

  • Tortilla chips– use the cheapest, simplest ones you can find, flavoured only with salt.
  • Grated cheese – you can use any melting grated cheese. I went for mozzarella.
  • Cooked chicken– leftover roast chicken is great for this, as is rotisserie chicken. You can also bake some chicken breasts to use in the recipe.
  • Cucumber, lettuce, tomato – this was just the salad mix I happened to have to hand. You could also use sweetcorn, avocado, bell peppers…get creative!
  • Jalapeños – optional, but the kick of spice takes this to the next level.
  • Soured cream – a dollop of soured cream on the side of each bowl is just enough to add some moisture and sharpness to each mouthful.

Top Tips

  1. Get ahead You can make the salad up to 48 hours ahead – just cook the nachos as you’re about to eat.
  2. Grill or bake You can either grill or bake the nachos. I baked mine, but they would be just as good under the grill.
  3. The chicken You can have the chicken hot, if you like. You can cook chicken breasts in the oven (I would coat them with smoked paprika for a warm, smoky flavour) and slice and serve in the salad when ready.

More delicious salad recipes to try:

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Chicken Nacho Salad

Harriet Young
July 18, 2024
A simple and quick salad with cheesy nachos, chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, jalapeños and soured cream.
5
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g tortilla chips
  • 100 g grated cheese
  • 4 cooked chicken breasts
  • 1 iceberg lettuce
  • ½ cucumber
  • 100 g plum tomatoes
  • 4 tbsps soured cream
  • 4 tbsps sliced pickled jalapeños

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
  • Put half the tortilla chips into an ovenproof dish and top with half of the cheese. Top with the rest of the tortilla chips, then the rest of the cheese. Put in the oven and bake for around 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  • Meanwhile, slice the chicken. Chop the lettuce, cucumber and tomato into small pieces.
  • Get four bowls and share the chicken, lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes between the bowls. Add a tablespoon of soured cream and jalapeños to each. When the nachos are ready, add a handful to each bowl. You’re ready to serve!
Keyword chicken, Nachos, salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


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5 responses to “Chicken Nacho Salad”

  1. 5 stars
    So brilliant to turn nachos into a salad! Loved this so much.

  2. 5 stars
    I loved the flavors and textures in this nacho salad!

  3. 5 stars
    Yum! Whipped up this chicken nacho salad for a lunch with a few friends on the deck. Was delish, satisfying and quick to put together. Adding it to my family dinner list also!

  4. 5 stars
    This Chicken Nacho Salad recipe is delish! It’s easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. Perfect for a quick meal. Thank you!

  5. 5 stars
    This is such a great quick and easy recipe idea! And I happen to have everything in the house! Dinner sorted, thank you!

5 from 5 votes

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Hi there!

I’m Harriet, writer and cook, and I’m so pleased to have you here! I love nothing more than cooking delicious food and sharing it with the world. You can find out more about me here.