These foil pack chicken nachos combine crisp tortilla chips, leftover chicken, taco sauce, cheddar cheese, and all your favorite nacho fixings to create an easy, mess-free (no clean-up!) camping lunch or snack.
If you've got leftover chicken hanging around in your cooler or fridge, make these chicken nachos! They're super simple to toss together with your favorite nacho toppings and can be cooked on the grill or over the campfire in minutes, making them perfect for a quick camping lunch.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken--This chicken nacho recipe is a fantastic way to use up leftover cooked chicken, whether from a whole grilled chicken or shredded cooked chicken breasts or thighs. Feel free to swap in rotisserie chicken.
- Chips--I like using the big restaurant-style tortilla chips for nachos as the irregular edges prevent them from clumping together in the foil packet, but you can use your favorite or whatever you have on hand.
- Cheddar cheese--I recommend using full-fat and to grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt well.
- Taco sauce--Use your favorite, whether medium, mild, or spicy!
How to Make Chicken Nacho Foil Packets
1. Combine the chicken and taco sauce in a medium bowl and mix to coat.
2. Layer the nacho ingredients on a double layer of aluminum foil. Repeat for a second foil pack.
3. Fold up the foil to create two foil packets.
4. Cook over indirect heat on the grill or over the campfire until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warmed through.
FAQs
You can, but if you're using the oven, I recommend just layering your nachos on a sheet pan and baking them in a 350°F (180°C) oven until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warmed through.
Serve with any sauces that you like, such as salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or sour cream.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Cook over indirect heat to avoid burning your chips. If you're cooking on a grill, try to have heat on either side of the indirect zone for even cooking. If that's not possible, rotate your foil packets 180° once during cooking.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets, assuming you use a gluten-free taco sauce, such as Sky Valley Taco Sauce.
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Recipe
Foil Pack Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
- 1 to 2 tablespoons taco sauce
- 4 handfuls tortillas chips (about 4 oz | 113 g)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional toppings: refried beans, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, pickled or fresh jalapeño slices, olives, and chopped onion
- Salsa, sour cream, and guacamole for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill for indirect medium heat or prepare a bed of hot coals in your campfire.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and taco sauce. Mix well to evenly coat the chicken.
- Arrange four large sheets of foil in two stacks (2 sheets each) to make two foil packets.
- Place a large handful of chips in the center of each foil sheet and top with ¼ of the chicken and ¼ of the cheese, along with any other desired toppings.
- Repeat the layering with another handful of chips, chicken, cheese, and any desired toppings.
- Fold up each foil packet. Cook over indirect heat until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole, if desired.
Notes
- Use indirect heat--Cook over indirect heat to avoid burning your chips. If you're cooking on a grill, try to have heat on either side of the indirect zone for even cooking. If that's not possible, rotate your foil packets 180° once during cooking.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets, assuming you use a gluten-free taco sauce, such as Sky Valley Taco Sauce.
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