Restaurant Style Chicken Nachos

Happy Wednesday! I guess my husband and I are on a Tex-Mex kick lately, or rather just me, I'm pretty sure he could have it every day of the week and be perfectly happy. It's not my favorite, but the things I do like I LOVE :) Chili's makes delicious chicken nachos and we get them pretty much every time we go, and that is where the idea behind these came from. They were a hit and declared even better than Chili's from the hubbie - score! Want to know the best part? He loved them so much that he cleaned the entire kitchen for me when he was finished eating - double score! Now I'm just wondering how many football-filled Sunday's will these be requested for in the next several months??? Enjoy! ;)

Ingredients:

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, rinsed and trimmed of excess fat

16 oz. Can Re-fried Beans

8 oz. Medium Cheddar Cheese, shredded

8 oz. Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

(Once I shredded the cheeses I mixed them together, you could skip this step and get a cheddar-jack or colby-jack blend)

18 Taco Shells

2 Tablespoons Lime Juice (All my store had that day was the bottled kind, fresh is always better though)

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Optional garnish:

Classic Guacamole, Shredded Lettuce, Diced Tomatoes, Sour Cream

Directions:

(This recipe makes 2 large baking sheets full, feel free to scale it down!)

Mix all of the herbs and spices together; set aside. Either on a grill pan or a skillet, coat it with your olive oil with the heat set to medium high. Place your chicken on and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the lime juice evenly over the 3 pieces. Sprinkle each piece with the spice mixture, reserving some for the other side (you may not use every last bit of the seasoning depending on how heavily seasoned you want the chicken..I used mostly all of it). Let the chicken cook for 4-6 minutes and then flip it and drizzle your remaining tablespoon of lime juice evenly over the 3 pieces and sprinkle each piece with the spice mixture. Let the chicken cook for another 4-6 minutes on that side. (Always check to make sure your chicken is fully cooked though, as all ovens/stoves/grills cook at slightly different temperatures. You can check your chicken by either inserting a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees, or you can cut into the thickest part and make sure that the juices are running clear and not pink.) Remove Chicken to a cutting board and set aside.

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees and line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Take your taco shells and break them in half at the fold, then take each of those pieces and break them in half again.

Take your beans directly from the can and spread a little on each chip, placing them on the baking sheets as you go, repeat until done. Cut your chicken into slices and then place 1-2 slices on each chip and sprinkle with your cheese. Place baking sheets into the oven and cook until cheese is completely melted. Remove and serve with optional garnishes.