Name: Grilled Chicken Nachos with Corn, Poblanos, and Black Beans
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1½–2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; ⅓ cup water; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 teaspoon table salt; ⅛ teaspoon pepper; 2 ears corn , husks and silk removed; 2 poblano chiles , stemmed, seeded, and halved; 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , divided; 1 pound sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack cheese , finely shredded (4 cups); 1 (15-ounce) can black beans , rinsed; 12 ounces tortilla chips; 2 scallions , sliced thin; Lime wedges

Grilled Chicken Nachos with Corn, Poblanos, and Black Beans

By Annie Petito

Published on June 4, 2024

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Grilled Chicken Nachos with Corn, Poblanos, and Black Beans

Ingredients

1½–2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed⅓ cup water 3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and halved2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided1 pound sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack cheese, finely shredded (4 cups)1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed12 ounces tortilla chips 2 scallions, sliced thinLime wedges

Before You Begin

You will need a (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan for this recipe. If grating your own cheese, use the smaller holes on the box grater; a finer shred makes for more even distribution and melting. Serve the nachos with Mexican crema or sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños or Quick-Pickled Red Onions. This recipe can certainly be halved but we recommend grilling the full amount of chicken, which is nice to have on hand. If halving the nachos; layer the chips, cheese mixture, and chicken in thirds instead of quarters.

Instructions

Pound chicken gently with meat pounder until ½ inch thick. Whisk water, fish sauce, honey, salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Transfer mixture to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add chicken, press out air, seal bag, and turn bag so contents are evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.

Rub corn and poblanos with 2 teaspoons oil until evenly coated. Remove chicken from refrigerator and open 1 corner of bag to drain and discard excess marinade. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to chicken, reseal bag, and turn to evenly coat.

Clean and oil cooking grate. Place corn and poblanos (skin side down) on half of grill. Place chicken, skinned side down, on other half of grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until corn is charred on all sides and poblanos are well blistered, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook chicken until dark grill marks develop and breasts register 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer poblanos to sheet of aluminum foil and wrap tightly to steam. Transfer corn and chicken to cutting board. Turn all burners to medium (if using gas).

Peel away skin from poblanos and slice into ¼-inch-thick strips. Cut kernels from corn. Combine cheddar, black beans, poblanos, and corn in bowl. Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces.

Spread one-quarter of tortilla chips evenly in disposable pan. Sprinkle with one-quarter of cheese mixture and one-quarter of chicken. Repeat layering of chips, cheese mixture, and chicken 3 more times. Place pan on grill; cover; and cook until cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with lime wedges.