Years ago, there was a restaurant on Hillsborough St. across from NC State called Porter’s. It was locally owned and a little more upscale than the typical bars on Hillsborough St. at the time. For a while, they had some fantastic Thai Nachos on the menu. I still dream about those nachos. I can’t even remember with confidence whether it was chicken or pulled pork, but I remember eating those nachos with gusto the few times we went to Porter’s.
Sadly, Porter’s has closed, but the nachos have lived on in my mind. Tonight, I finally decided to try to recreate this cherished culinary memory. Ultimately, I think the peanut sauce is the key, and the sauce in this recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Jesse and I probably ate enough of these nachos for 4 people, but someone had jump in for quality assurance.
Thai Peanut Chicken Nachos
1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips (my favorite is a bag of fresh tortilla chips from a local Mexican restaurant)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup Peanut Sauce (recipe here)
1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite queso (my favorite is from a local Mexican restaurant) or 1 to 2 cups of shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Lime slices for serving
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with either foil or parchment paper. Spread half of the tortilla chips on baking sheet. Top with half of the chicken, peppers, carrots, green onions, peanut sauce and queso. Repeat with a second layer of ingredients. Bake for about 10 minutes until nachos are hot. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately with lime slices.
Working Dinner 