Elevate your nacho game with this delicious twist! Crispy tater tots piled high with nacho toppings. Flavor explosion in every bite - Tachos!
Tot Nachos
Tachos are like loaded tater tots had a baby with nachos on your plate. Picture this: all the goodness of loaded tater tots combined with the irresistible flavors of nachos, all conveniently served up on your plate.
I love a good crunchy tater tot. But add a bunch of stuff on top of a good crunchy tater tot and you are speaking my love language. The best thing? Tachos come together in minutes.
I love them covered in chili in my Loaded Tater Tot Casserole, but I was hankering for a good nacho variation, and created this variation. Because no matter how big my kids are, they still love Nacho Night.
Here's how it goes down: I start by popping some tots onto my largest sheet pan and baking them until they reach the perfect level of crispiness.
Then, it's time to get creative with the toppings. Chicken infused with taco flavors, gooey cheese, and all the fixings in between, you're the boss when it comes to customizing your Tachos.
Once the toppings are in place, it's back into the oven for a final round of baking, just until the cheese is perfectly melted and bubbly. And here's the best part: I simply place the sheet pan right in the center of the table, and we all dig in. Easy peasy.
Make them to your taste and let me know what you think.
Ingredients for Tachos
Flexible to match your family's taste preferences.
- Chicken, diced - I like boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe as they stay juicy.
- Chicken Taco Seasoning - try our recipe for the most delicious taco meat, ever.
- Frozen Tater Tots - Cook them nice and crunchy for the best texture.
- Baking Spray - Spray tater tots before baking to make your tots crispy.
- Seasoning Salt - I used Lawry's Seasoning Salt.
- Shredded Cheese - I like sharp cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese, but other kinds are delish too.
- Green Onions or Red Onion, diced - pickled red onions are delish here, too!
- Jalapeno Peppers, minced or sliced.
- Avocado - mashed or chunks add a delicious creaminess.
- Cherry or roma tomatoes, halved - these are always in season.
- Sour Cream - mix in some taco seasoning for an extra kick.
- Fresh Cilantro - Adds a fresh flavor layer.
- Pico de Gallo- add a cup of pico.
- Melted Queso - cheese sauce drizzled on top for liquid cheese fun.
- Other Favorite Nacho Toppings such as green chilies, black olives, BBQ sauce,
How to Make Chicken Tachos
- On a large baking sheet, spray tater tots with baking spray, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake frozen tater tots according to package directions. Make sure you bake them until crispy.
- While tots bake, cook chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle with 1 to 2 Tablespoons Chicken Taco Seasoning. Add ¼ cup water and allow to simmer until tender and flavorful.
- Top crispy tots with shredded cheese and cooked seasoned chicken. Bake for 2-4 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Put desired toppings after done and enjoy!
FAQ
Preheat your oven to 425. Add some fat to your tots by spraying them with baking spray or brushing them with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the tots and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Absolutely! Bake the tots as directed, layer with nacho toppings, and heat through.
Top Tips for Tachos
Crisp Tots - Bake tots until crispy for best results. If they don't seem to brown well for you, spray the tots with cooking spray before baking.
Juicy Chicken - I use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. The extra fat in the chicken is needed here, IMO.
Fresh Toppings - Supply a variety of cheeses and toppings to let everyone build their own Tacho platter.
Substitutions and Variations
Beef Tachos - Use lean ground beef taco meat instead of chicken thighs for an inexpensive, fantastic beef version. The homemade taco seasoning is just as tasty on beef.
Chorizo Tachos - A high-quality ground chorizo would be delicious in this dish. I buy mine from the local Hispanic Market (along with weekly purchases of the largest avocados in town.)
Rotisserie Chicken Tachos - Skip the chicken cooking part and use rotisserie chicken. Toss the taco seasoning into a bowl of deboned chicken, add the water and sprinkle on top of the cooked tots. Your chicken will heat while the cheese melts.
Sheet Pan Tachos - Spread all the toppings on a sheet pan full of crispy tots and place in the middle of the table for a big sharable supper.
Vegetarian Tachos - Substitute black beans for the chicken in this recipe for filling vegetarian tachos.
Storing Tachos
This recipe is best if stored not assembled in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Top Tips for Tachos
Chop all ingredients a little smaller than bite-sized. Having a little bit of everything in each and every bite is always my goal. This means the "perfect bite" every time.
Serve immediately: Tachos are best served right away. No one likes soggy nachos or cold taco meat. If you need to do some prep in advance do all of the chopping and put in covered bowls in the fridge until you're ready.
Build Your Own Tachos: Let everyone build their own! That way people like me can have alllll of the olives! 🤭
Something Else to Try
Need a sweet treat that goes along with Tachos? Finish your meal with Rice Pudding with Sweetened Condensed Milk for a dessert with a little Mexican flavor.
Mexican Mac and Cheese is another quick Mexican-inspired recipe my family loves. Or if you're after something with an Asian flair, try my Quick Korean Bulgogi Bowl.
Have a Question? ❤️
Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer you!
And, if you made Tachos following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!
And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Tachos
Ingredients
Method
- On a large baking sheet, spray tater tots with baking spray, sprinkle with seasoning salt, and bake frozen tater tots according to package directions. Make sure you bake them until crispy.1 package Frozen Tater Tots, Seasoning Salt, Baking Spray
- While tots bake, cook chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle with 1 to 2 Tablespoons Chicken Taco Seasoning. Add ¼ cup water and allow to simmer until tender and flavorful.1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts, 1 ½ Tablespoons Chicken Taco Seasoning
- Top crispy tots with cooked seasoned chicken and toppings as desired. Bake for 2-4 more minutes or until cheese is melted.8 ounces Shredded Cheese, Green Onions or Red Onion, 1 small Jalapeno, 1 small Avocado, Cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup Sour Cream, Cilantro, Other Nacho Toppings
Terry T says
Great food. Do you cater??? Or make it and sell it.
Chuckie says
Terry, Thank you for your support! Unfortunately, I don't cater. Instead, I make and share simple recipes so anyone can make them. 🙂
Pearl says
Fun way to have a twist on nachos. I didn't have any tortilla chips so this was a perfect way to still have nacho night!