BBQ Chicken Nachos and Memes

Once in a while, I make shredded bbq chicken in the crockpot for chicken sandwiches and then the next night we do nachos.  

To make the chicken, I usually do 2-3 chicken breasts in the crockpot with seasoning (I like Weber mesquite) and then I pour in bbq sauce to cover it (maybe half a bottle? I like Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy) and let it cook on low for 5-6 hours. I take it out, shred the chicken, and then put in more sauce to coat well. I toast, usually, Hawaiian rolls and top the sandwiches with tomatoes, pickles, and sometimes coleslaw. 

I put the leftover chicken in the fridge and make nachos the next day. 

You need chips, the chicken, cheese (shredded or jarred queso, or both if you want), and homemade pico de gallo (tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime) or whatever other toppings you like on nachos. Sometimes we do sour cream, lime, guacamole...whatever is on hand. I also love the green verde sauce I mentioned a few weeks ago and a sprinkle of Tajin. Most people would probably do lettuce but I rarely buy it. 

These ingredients are pantry staples for us, so I know I can make this as long as I have the chicken pre-made.

You can make this one of two ways:

1. Layer chips, shredded cheese, and chicken right from the fridge onto a baking sheet. Broil until it's heated through and the cheese is bubbly (about 5 minutes). Top with pico and whatever else and enjoy. 

2. Spread the chips onto plates. Reheat the chicken and the jarred queso (or get crazy and make your own) in the microwave or on the stove, separately, and then top the chips. Add the cold toppings after that. This could also be a nacho bar for each person to customize. Sometimes I add black beans, or a packet of that microwaveable cilantro rice on the side. 

So this is either a sheet pan meal with minimal clean-up or repurposed leftovers just warmed up into a whole new meal. Either way it's two full meals made from one protein. For us, it's really just two adults who are eating and then the 7 year old will eat but he doesn't eat that much and the 3 year old won't touch the chicken. It's plain rolls and plain chips for her with maybe some queso.

Literally, it could not be any easier. I've been doing this once a month or so for the last few years and figured I should've shared it long ago. 

My favorite thing when watching football is when the announcers get in on it. There were so many penalties in this awful game on Thursday that, when the flags were thrown, the announcers started saying things like "there's a shock" and "big surprise".

I have been staying up til midnight and it's not good for me.