Grilled Chicken Fajita Nachos

Are you noticing a theme with these titles? I am. The grill is just too easy. It’s my oven substitute, perfect for those summer days.

But first, let’s talk about Ox. If you’re following my stomach on Instagram, you saw the deliciousness already. We went to this hugely popular restaurant for a friend’s birthday, which I’ve decided is the best birthday party ever. An excuse for a super good meal? Count me in. I’ve been itching to go since it opened, but there is always a ridiculous wait. You can only get a reservation for groups of six or more.

The fare is Argentinian inspired, which means an emphasis on grilled meats, but I can assure you that they do amazing, amazing things with vegetables, too. I had the hardest time narrowing down what I wanted. Highlights included — the cauliflower bisque amuse bouche [served in an espresso mug!]; bruschetta of dungeness crab, avocado, radish, cucumber, shiso; maple-brined pork loin chop; heirloom hominy, braised pork belly, fava beans, chiles, cilantro, olive oil-fried duck egg; cocoa-braised lamb shoulder, sautéed spinach, chickpeas, shiitake mushrooms, peaches, cilantro. It was way more delicious than a piñata, and arguably just as fun.

So nachos.

We eat nachos a lot. There is a taco shop down the street that has them for practically no dollars, and they’re the best thing on the menu. I wanted to use up the two avocados on my counter make my own, though. I could sneak on a few more vegetables, use less oil, and throw them on the grill. Win-win. In a fit of laziness, I threw chicken fajita fixins into a big pan on the grill so they could roast and marinate together. Hot Hatch chilies are so good [and they make me think of my grandpa]. They lose a lot of their heat in the cooking process, though. I had to add more chili flakes of my own, and a bottle of Tapatio was polished off in the devouring of these nachos.

They’re easy enough on your stomach that you can, in fact, make it to a restorative yoga class an hour afterward without any severe consequences to you or your fellow mat mates.

Ingredients

• 1lb chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 4oz can fire roasted roasted chilies, drained
• 15oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• salt/pepper
• tortilla chips
• 4oz shredded jack cheese
• avocado, hot sauce, cilantro

Preparation

Preheat your grill to medium [approx. 400°]. If it has three burners, turn off the middle one. In a 13″x9″ baking pan, layer the onions, green peppers, chopped chicken, tomatoes, and chilies. Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili flakes. Place the pan, uncovered, on the grill. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes to prevent burning.

In a large rimmed baking sheet, create a layer of tortilla chips. Sprinkle on half of the cheese. Spoon the chicken fajita topping over the chips. Cover with remaining cheese. Return to the grill for approximately 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Top with your favorite garnishes. Enjoy straight from the pan or use a spatula to break them apart.