Leftover Air Fryer Nachos
Ingredients
Protein — pick one
- 330 g leftover brisket, pulled pork or lamb, shredded
- 400 g raw beef or lamb mince (brown first)
- 330 g leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 400 g tinned black beans, drained, or cooked lentils
Flavouring for the protein
- 80 ml braai or BBQ sauce (for brisket or pulled meat)
- 7 ml smoked paprika
- 7 ml ground cumin
- 3 ml ground coriander
- 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional)
- salt to taste
Base
- 270 g salted corn tortilla chips
- 200 g mature cheddar, grated
- 130 g mozzarella, grated
To finish
- 1 medium red onion, finely sliced (cooked)
- 2 ripe avocados, diced, or quick guacamole
- 120 ml sour cream, loosened with a splash of milk
- 2 jalapeños, sliced (fresh or pickled)
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1 handful fresh coriander
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Get the protein ready. Brisket / pulled meat / chicken: toss with the braai sauce and spices, spread in the basket (on foil) and crisp at 200°C for 4–5 minutes, shaking once, until the edges caramelise. Raw mince: brown it in a pan with the spices until cooked and a little crispy, then drain off excess fat — don't try to cook raw mince in the layers. Beans / lentils: warm through with the spices and a splash of water, mashing a few lightly so they cling to the chips.
- 2
Cook the red onion. Toss it into the last 2 minutes with the brisket in the air fryer, or fry quickly in a dry or lightly oiled pan for 2–3 minutes until it loses the raw bite but keeps a little colour.
Tip: Prefer the sharp raw bite? Skip the cooking and quick-pickle instead: 1 minute in a splash of lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- 3
Line the basket with foil or baking paper, edges turned up, so chips don't drop through and you can lift the whole lot out cleanly.
- 4
Layer one: spread half the chips in a flat, even layer, then add half the cheese, half the protein and half the cooked onion.
- 5
Layer two: add the remaining chips, cheese, protein and onion on top. Keep it shallow — a small basket means two batches, not one tall heap.
- 6
Air fry at 180°C for 6–8 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling and the chip edges toast.
Tip: Check at 5 minutes — cheese goes from perfect to burnt fast.
- 7
Lift out on the foil and add the cold toppings: avocado, sour cream, jalapeños, spring onion and coriander.
- 8
Finish with a good squeeze of lime and eat immediately, while the cheese is still molten.
Notes & Tips
Cooking in batches
At this size you'll cook in two batches — split the chips, cheese, protein and onion in half. With a double-drawer air fryer, load both drawers and run them together on the same setting (180°C, 6–8 min); with a single basket, do the two batches back to back and keep the first warm under foil.
Three things that make it
Cook the protein before it touches the chips — crispy edges, no grey steamed meat. For mince this is non-negotiable. Use two thin layers with cheese sandwiched through — no bare chips at the bottom. Cold toppings go on off the heat — avocado and sour cream never go in the air fryer.
Mince tip
Going the mince route? Fry a tablespoon of tomato paste in with the spices for a deeper, taco-like backbone — concentrated savoury hit, no fresh tomatoes.