Pollo a la Brasa Nachos with Aji Verde
These loaded nachos layer crispy tortilla chips with tender, flavorful Peruvian-style chicken, a from-scratch cheese sauce made with evaporated milk and freshly grated cheddar, and a bright, creamy aji verde drizzled over everything. Built in layers, baked until bubbling, and finished with cotija and fresh cilantro! Trust me, these are going to go fast.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup A Dozen Cousins Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa Marinade
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 1 can, 12 oz evaporated milk
- 6 slices white American cheese, torn into pieces
- 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, to taste
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
For the Aji Verde:
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 –2 jalapeños, roughly chopped, seeds in for full heat
- 1 tbsp aji amarillo paste
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1½ tbsp Kewpie mayo
- 1½ tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp queso duro or feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ tsp white vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 –2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 –2 tbsp cold water, to thin as needed
For the Nachos:
- 1 large bag thick tortilla chips
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Ground cotija cheese
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs and A Dozen Cousins Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa Marinade to a bowl or zip-lock bag and toss until every piece is completely and evenly coated.
- Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear for 5–6 minutes per side until deeply caramelized and cooked through to 165°F internally. Let rest 5 minutes, then shred into generous pieces using two forks. Set aside.
- Make the aji verde. Add the cilantro, jalapeños, aji amarillo paste, garlic, mayo, sour cream, lime juice, queso duro or feta, white vinegar, and salt to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth and vivid green. Stream in the neutral oil while blending until fully emulsified and silky. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until you reach a creamy, pourable consistency. Taste and adjust salt and lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Make the cheese sauce. Pour the evaporated milk into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and warm until steaming but not boiling — never let it boil or the sauce will break. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and stir for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the torn American cheese pieces a few at a time, whisking constantly until each addition is completely melted before adding the next.
- Once all the American cheese is fully incorporated, add 1½ cups of the freshly grated cheddar in small handfuls, whisking constantly until completely smooth and glossy. Add the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be completely smooth, deeply cheesy, and pourable — if it feels too thick, add a splash of warm evaporated milk and whisk until loosened. Keep on the lowest heat setting possible, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread half the tortilla chips in an even layer in a large oven-safe skillet, cast iron, or baking dish. Drizzle half the cheese sauce generously over the first chip layer, then scatter half the black beans, half the shredded chicken, and ½ cup of the remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Add the remaining chips in a second layer and drizzle the remaining cheese sauce generously over the top. Scatter the remaining black beans, chicken, and shredded cheddar.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until everything is hot and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and immediately top with thinly sliced red onion and fresh cilantro. Drizzle the aji verde generously back and forth over the entire surface. Add a generous dusting of ground cotija and serve immediately.
Notes
- Grate the cheddar from a block yourself, pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch that prevents it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Add the cheese to the sauce in small handfuls and whisk each one in fully before adding the next. Dumping it all in at once will cause clumping.
- Layer the nachos in two rounds so every chip gets cheese, chicken, and beans. A single layer means the bottom chips get all the toppings and the rest get nothing.
- Let the chicken rest the full 5 minutes before shredding so the juices stay in the meat and keep the shredded pieces moist on the nachos.
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