MUNCHIES IN MINUTES: Chicken nachos

Nachos are one of my favorite munchies, especially when I am at a local pub that does them well. I am not sure exactly how this dish came about, but it is part of the Tex-Mex food craze.

As a military dude, I love this story about nachos. I saw the history of Tex-Mex on The History Channel. Apparently nachos originated in the city of Piedras Negras, Mexico, just over the border from Texas. It is said that these cheesy, crunchy treats were first made at a restaurant called The Victory Club during World War II.

One day in 1943, the wives of 10 to 12 U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass, Texas were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip. After a busy day, they were famished, and it is said the ladies arrived at the restaurant after the kitchen had closed for the day. Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya had little on hand but wanted to feed his guests, so he took some tortillas and cheese sauce. Anaya cut the tortillas into triangles, added nacho cheese, quickly heated them and added sliced jalapeño peppers before serving. The guests ate the snack and told friends, and I guess from there we have nachos.

This delicious and easy to prepare recipe is sure to satisfy the biggest munchies attack late at night. It is even hearty enough to be a meal. The key is how you prepare the meat. If done right, it also makes a great filling for tacos and quesadillas. This recipe can be modified to meet your own taste. I recommend serving with sour cream and guacamole.

Start with chicken breast tenders and cook them in a pan with salsa ahead of time, because it gives the meat a great flavor. Grilling chicken is another option for nachos. Have the veggies diced up ahead of time, which allows for easy toppings. I made this dish with some basic toppings, like onion, tomato and fresh jalapenos.

Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over tortilla chips. Top with cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend and tomato. Bake or broil in the preheated oven or a toaster oven for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and sprinkle with green onion tops before serving.

Chicken Nachos