Fajita Nachos - The Flavorful Journey

Imagine everything you love about fajitas piled on top of cheesy nachos – pure yum! These fajita nachos are perfect for a fun casual dinner, game day gatherings, movie night snacking or any time you’re craving some epic sheet pan nachos.

Ingredients

For the fajita topping mixture:

3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or substitute for steak), about 1-1½ pounds
2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
3 bell peppers, cut into strips (I like to use a variety of colors)
1 onion (any color), halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lime

For the nachos:

1 (13-ounce/368 gram) bag tortilla chips (thicker sturdy chips work best)
3 – 4 cups shredded cheese, or the amount that brings you joy (I like to use a mix of Monterey Jack, cheddar and mozzarella)
Serve with: salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and lime wedges on the side

COOK MODE PREVENT YOUR SCREEN FROM GOING DARK

Instructions

Season the chicken (or steak): Set aside 1 teaspoon of the fajita seasoning. Sprinkle the rest on both sides of the chicken breasts or steak, using your hands to rub it all over and press it in.
Cook the chicken (or steak): Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts on both sides until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165F (about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness). If cooking steak, cook until it reaches your preferred level of doneness. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
Sauté fajita veggies: In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced bell peppers and onion and sauté while stirring frequently until veggies are tender crisp and slightly charred in spots. This will take about 5 minutes (or longer if you prefer softer veggies). When the veggies are almost done cooking, stir through the teaspoon of fajita seasoning that was set aside, dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste (if needed).
Prep nachos: While the meat and veggies are cooking, prep the chips. Preheat oven to 400F / 200C. Spread half the chips out in an even layer on a large baking sheet (optional: line it with parchment paper first for easy cleanup). Sprinkle half of the cheese over the chips. Top with another layer of the remaining chips and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and chips are crispy.
Cut up chicken (or steak): Cut up the cooked chicken or steak and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. You can slice, dice or chop into small pieces.
Finish assembling nachos: Once the sheet pan of chips with melted cheese are removed from the oven, top with fajita veggies and the cut up chicken (or steak). Serve immediately with salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Fajita Seasoning: Use homemade or store bought. I like to use this homemade fajita seasoning. The recipe makes the perfect amount for these nachos but I tend to mix together a big batch to store in a jar so that I have it on hand.
Use a thermometer! Using an instant read meat thermometer is the best way to achieve perfectly cooked chicken breasts or steak. It takes the guess work out! The Thermapen is my favorite and one of my must-have kitchen tools.