Chicken Avocado Chili Sauce Nachos

So, my son and I were on our own one night and looking for something tasty, and sort of fall-like and not too strenuous. Let's go down to The Firehouse and get burgers or nachos or something, I suggested. "Nah, too expensive, way too much food." OK, what do we have? Let's see, Mom left us some chicken breasts thawed. And some corn. OK, we'll have the corn on the cob, but what to do with the chicken? "Dad, you said you wanted nachos -- chicken nachos!" OK, kid, you are on. Here's what we found, after dispatching kid to the corner store for some chips.

• 1 lb boned chicken breasts, cut into strips, and the strips cut into thirds.
• Corn tortilla chips, about 10 per person
• 2 slices ripe avocado, cubed, more or less
• Shredded sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese
• Secret ingredient: Mare-O-Lin's Garlic Blend Chili Sauce
• Cooking oil (PAM Organic Canola in this case)
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes

When we were thinking through the salsa thing, the kid said, "Dad, we have that awesome salsa thing we got upstate." Not really salsa, but actually better for this dish. Tastes like you worked on it all day. And this stuff is awesome. Oh my goodness. What a find. Full credit to the kid. Track it down via http://www.mare-o-lins.com/

OK, enough editorializing, on with the cooking.

1. Spritz a skillet with the PAM. Don't be stingy.
2. Throw in the chicken.
3. Douse with garlic powder to taste.
4. Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes.
5. Stir it all around. Mix it up nice. Saute until just about cooked through, 10 minutes or so.
   
6. Spoon chili sauce over chicken in skillet. 5 rounded teaspoons of chili sauce worked for us. Just enough to spread around the chicken and get it covered.
7. Simmer chicken covered for another 5-10 minutes. Don't dry it out.
8. Get a plate. Put 10 chips on the plate, spread evenly.
9. Cover the chips with pieces of chicken, maybe about 4 oz. per plate. You can spoon a little sauce on, too.
10. Put on 6-8 avocado cubes.
11. Top with shredded cheese.
12. 25 seconds on high in the microwave.
13. Repeat steps 8-12 for each plate!
    

That's it. Serve. This stuff is tasty.

Makes 4 servings. 30 minutes prep and cook time. About 7 to wolf it down.

You might want guacamole instead of the avocado, but I was feeling a little lazy. Black beans would also enhance. Cutting the corn off the cob and throwing it in might work, too, but it was just fresh enough corn that on the cob was the right call.

Inspirations:

• Chilaquiles, La Cocina (R.I.P.), 85th near Broadway
  
• Nachos Grande, The Firehouse, 85th and Columbus
• Mexican Chicken, Chicken, Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library, Time-Life Books, 1993