Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless
  • skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • About 1 quart water
  • Salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 onion
  • halved
  • Parsley stems and or thyme
  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 4 slices meaty bacon
  • finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 sweet
  • mild pepper
  • such as a bell pepper
  • seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 onion (yellow
  • white or red)
  • finely chopped
  • 2 small hot chile peppers
  • such as jalapeno
  • Serrano or red finger
  • seeded and finely chopped
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Splash of apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • About ½ cup ketchup or tomato sauce
  • About 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons mild to hot cayenne pepper sauce (Rach likes Frank's RedHot or Chipotle Tabasco sauce)
  • About 1 tablespoon pimenton (smoked sweet paprika; add a little ground cumin and coriander
  • if you have it)
  • 1 cup poaching liquid
  • chicken stock or broth
  • Corn tortilla chips
  • About 2 cups shredded Jack
  • pepper Jack or cheddar cheese or a combination
  • Guacamole (jalapeno
  • onion
  • garlic
  • lime
  • salt
  • avocado and optional cilantro)
  • homemade or store-bought
  • or diced avocado

Instruction

  • For the poached chicken, add chicken, water to cover the top of the chicken, salt, bay, onion and herbs to skillet
  • Bring to low boil, reduce heat and keep at low simmer until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally
  • Turn off heat and let stand to cool 10 minutes
  • Strain and reserve poaching liquid, then thinly shred chicken with forks or fingers
  • For the barbecue chicken, heat a skillet over medium heat with oil, 1 turn of the pan, add bacon (if using; see Tip) and render 2 to 3 minutes
  • Add peppers, onions, jalapeno, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, for a few minutes
  • Grate in the garlic
  • Add vinegar, Worcestershire, ketchup, sugar, hot sauce, pimenton and reserved poaching liquid, stir and bring to a bubble
  • Add chicken, stir and cover, then simmer to reduce and combine flavors 10 minutes
  • For the nachos, warm chips in skillet or on an ovenproof tray and top with chicken and cheese
  • Broil until bubbly and browned and top with guacamole