Summer Corn, Chicken, and Cheese Nachos
Our spring was something of a damp squib. It rained pretty solidly throughout April and May and while the garden is now as lush as it’s been in years, we haven’t had much of a chance to get out there and enjoy it. Now, at last, the heat is on, the tees and shorts are in rotation, and we’re ready to get into the swing of the season.
So we wanted to celebrate with a dish that represented all the things we love about summer eating: the flavors of grilling and barbecue, the conviviality of outdoor parties with shareable foods, and delicious fresh seasonal produce like corn and tomatoes. And so our thoughts, as they often do, turned to nachos.
There’s nothing fundamentally seasonal about nachos—the typical toppings of beans and cheese are, after all, available year-round. For this recipe, we decided to keep the cheese (in two forms!), but we removed the beans and replaced them with a bright mixture of summer-specific produce: grilled corn, juicy tomatoes, diced onion, sliced jalapeños, and pickled radishes. Some shredded chicken tossed in a homemade bourbon-spiked barbecue sauce rounds the whole thing out.
As for the process, the first thing we do is pickle the sliced radishes (any standard red radish is fine, no need to spend extra money on the fancy varieties), which takes at least a few hours. While it’s an extra step, it’s easy to do in advance and adds a bright, vinegary bite—and, of course, color—to the assembly. If you can, make them a day or two ahead to really maximize the tang!
You can also make the barbecue sauce ahead of time, if you prefer. At this stage of the year, we like to slather it on pretty much anything we can get away with—it has sweetness and depth from brown sugar and molasses, enough savory flavors to provide balance, and the bourbon ends up adding a smoky aroma once all its alcohol is cooked out. We toss the sauce with shredded, cooked chicken meat (you can buy a rotisserie bird for this, or roast or grill your own).
Nachos wouldn’t be nachos without cheese—we’re not completely throwing out the rulebook—so we use Kenji’s recipe for cheese sauce which uses evaporated milk to help sharp cheddar melt into a silky smooth liquid. But wait, there’s more! We’re also adding grated Monterey Jack in two layers to make sure we get that essential “gooey pull,” without which you may as well pack up and go home.
Finally, the chips, which are the backbone of the nachos. It’s tempting to use store-bought chips here, as they’re a major time- and effort-saver. But unless you have access to some really good sturdy ones, we think it’s better to fry them yourself. You should make them pretty close to assembly, since you want them to be ultra-fresh (there is nothing worse in this world than a stale nacho).
Once all your elements are ready, layer the chips, sauced chicken, cheese sauce, grated cheese, and grilled corn in a baking dish or baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melted and gooey and the chips are slightly browned on top. Add the fresh tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and pickled radishes, drizzle with crema, and serve, preferably in the sunshine.
For the Pickled Radishes: In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and let cool 5 minutes. Pack sliced radishes into a 2-cup heatproof Mason or other glass canning jar. Pour brine into jar, making sure to cover the radishes completely. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Seal jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake or rotate it to evenly distribute the brine and spices. The pickles will be ready in about 1 hour, but are best after a few hours. They can be refrigerated up to 1 week.
For the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: In a small saucepan, stir together ketchup, chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, 1/4 cup bourbon (60ml), onion, Dijon, molasses, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one-third (sauce should be glaze-like). Stir in the remaining tablespoon of bourbon and add more vinegar or hot sauce to taste, if desired. Cooled barbecue sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
For the Nachos: Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or wok over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F. Adjust flame to maintain temperature. Working in batches, add tortillas and fry, agitating with a metal spider, until edges just start to brown. Flip chips over and continue to cook until crisp and light golden brown. Transfer chips to a paper towel-lined tray, sprinkle with salt to taste, and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes to drain. Repeat with remaining batches. Set aside until ready to use.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken with 3/4 cup (180ml) of Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and add more sauce if needed.
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 375°F.
Layer 1/2 of chips in the bottom of a rimmed 9-by-13-inch baking sheet or baking dish. Drizzle with half of the cheese sauce and scatter half the shredded barbecue chicken on top. Top with half the corn kernels and sprinkle with half the grated cheese.
Layer the remaining chips on top. Drizzle with remaining cheese sauce, chicken, and corn. Top with jalapeños and sprinkle all over with remaining grated cheese. Bake until grated cheese is completely melted, about 5 minutes.
Top with tomatoes, onion, and avocado and drizzle all over with sour cream or crema. Garnish with cilantro leaves and drained pickled radish slices. Serve immediately.
Special Equipment
2-cup Mason or other canning jar; wok, Dutch oven, or 12-inch cast iron skillet; metal spider; rimmed baking sheet
Notes
Frying your own tortilla chips yields the best results, since they’re guaranteed to be thick and crisp enough to stand up to the toppings; if you have a good source of store-bought tortilla chips, feel free to skip the frying step and use them here. For the chicken, you can buy a rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off, or roast or grill your own.
