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Summertime Chicken Nachos with Corn Salsa

June 21, 2024

These crispy, loaded Summertime Chicken Nachos with Corn Salsa are gluten-free and perfect for serving a crowd… or, enjoying all on your own! This recipe is a collaboration between myself and the one-and-only “Chefbae” (aka TikTok’s favorite celebrity private chef) and we know you’re going to love it.

A colorful sheet pan of loaded nachos topped with shredded meat, melted cheese, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, sliced red onions, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. The nachos sit on a parchment paper-lined blue tray set on a marble surface.

Friends, want to hear something SO exciting? Last week, my friend Brooke (aka @chefbae) came up from LA to visit and cook with me in my home kitchen. If you don’t follow her, then you MUST. Not only is she the queen of Erewhon, but she is a private chef in Beverly Hills, serving up gluten-free and dairy-free recipes to some of your favorite celebrities. Her recipes are so healthy and flavorful, and I know you will be obsessed.

So, when we found ourselves craving nachos, we knew that we needed to create the ultimate gluten-free and dairy-free (optionally) nachos. And friends, we’ve done just that! This recipe is SO easy and comes together in just a matter of minutes. It’s perfect for serving poolside alongside some tacos and a margarita for the ultimate summertime meal!

A flat-lay photo of various nacho ingredients arranged on a marble surface, including a bowl of tortilla chips, shredded cheese, cooked shredded chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, corn, lime wedges, cilantro, and small bowls of spices. — To make these nachos, you will need rotisserie chicken, seasoning blend, frozen corn, cherry tomatoes, red onions, fresh cilantro, lime, sea salt, black pepper, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese.

A blue plate filled with shredded chicken is garnished with a sprinkle of spices. A fork rests on top of the chicken. Surrounding the plate are limes, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, a bowl of spice mix with a golden spoon, and a bowl of tortilla chips. — To make these nachos, you will need rotisserie chicken, seasoning blend, frozen corn, cherry tomatoes, red onions, fresh cilantro, lime, sea salt, black pepper, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese.

What You Need to Make These Gluten-Free Chicken Nachos

🍗 Rotisserie Chicken: Rotisserie chicken adds the perfect flavor to these nachos! Plus, it takes out the time of having to cook chicken from scratch, making this recipe come together in a pinch.
Seasoning Blend: To season the chicken, you’ll need a combination of coconut sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder. Yum!
🌽 Frozen Corn: To keep the corn salsa simple and easy, I recommend using frozen corn. Simply prepare the corn according to the package instructions!
Cherry Tomatoes: The cherry tomatoes add the perfect amount of acidity to this salsa.
🧅 Red Onions: Diced red onions add brightness and flavor to this recipe.
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro is essential to any good salsa recipe, and this corn salsa is no exception.
🍋 Lime: You’ll need both the juice and zest of one lime, for this recipe.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds the best flavor to the corn salsa, and truly brings it together.
Tortilla Chips: Pick your favorite gluten-free tortilla chips and use them in this recipe.
🧀 Shredded Cheese: Of course, it wouldn’t be nachos without the cheese! I like using a shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for this recipe. And if you want to keep it dairy-free, you can opt to use a dairy-free cheese!
Marinated Onions: These are optional, but my Quick Marinated Red Onions are the perfect finishing touch for these nachos!

A person's hands are sprinkling grated cheese over tortilla chips on a baking tray. Surrounding the tray are bowls containing shredded chicken, pickled onions, fresh cherry tomatoes, and a bunch of cilantro on a marble countertop. — Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tortilla chips out evenly across the baking sheet. Spread the chicken out evenly across the tortilla chips, then top with the shredded cheese.

How to Make These Perfect Summertime Nachos

To make these nachos, start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Next, use a fork to shred the rotisserie chicken and add it to a bowl alongside the coconut sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder. Toss until the chicken is fully coated in the seasoning blend.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tortilla chips out evenly across the baking sheet. Spread the chicken out evenly across the tortilla chips, then top with the shredded cheese. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted.

A tray of nachos topped with shredded cheese and pulled pork is placed on a marble countertop. Surrounding the tray are additional plates with tortilla chips, a bowl of fresh tomatoes, a bunch of cilantro, and a plate with pickled onions. — Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted.

A vibrant bowl of freshly made salsa in a beige bowl, featuring diced tomatoes, corn, red onions, and cilantro. The bowl has a blue and white patterned spoon. Surrounding ingredients include cherry tomatoes, lime wedges, cilantro, and a black pepper shaker on a marble surface. — Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted.

While the nachos are in the oven, prepare the corn salsa. Cook the frozen corn according to package directions and chop the cherry tomatoes, red onions, and cilantro. Add them to a bowl alongside the lime juice, lime zest, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Set the salsa aside. Once the nachos are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Then, top with the corn salsa and marinated red onions (if using) then serve and enjoy!

A hand reaching for a loaded nacho chip from a blue tray filled with nachos topped with shredded chicken, corn, sliced red onions, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and melted cheese. A bowl of corn salsa with a spoon and a lime wedge are on the side. — Once the nachos are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Then, top with the corn salsa and marinated red onions (if using) then serve and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these nachos vegetarian / vegan-friendly?

Yes! To make them vegetarian friendly, simply omit the chicken or swap it out for a plant-based chicken alternative. To make them vegan-friendly, omit the chicken and swap out the cheese for a dairy-free alternative!

What gluten-free tortilla chips should I use?

Use any kind that you like! I like using the Siete brand tortilla chips, which happen to be both gluten-free and grain-free.

What other toppings can I use for these nachos?

Any of your favorite toppings work well! Some of my favorites include different types of salsas or guacamole!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

gluten-free/Nut Free/Refined Sugar Free/snacks