These Barbecue Chicken Nachos bring excitement to sheet pan dinners. Loaded with tangy BBQ chicken and plenty of cheese, garnish these chips with your favorite toppings for a delicious dinner or hearty snack.
These BBQ chicken nachos are made on a sheet pan for an easy, one-pan dinner plan.
For more nacho inspiration, try Dorito Nachos with Ground Beef or Chicken Bacon Ranch Nachos for dinner or Ice Cream Sundae Nachos for dessert.
Ingredient notes
- Tortilla chips - Use your favorite go-to brand. All varieties are delicious.
- Shredded chicken - Rotisserie or leftover chicken keeps this recipe fuss-free.
- Barbecue sauce - Use your go-to bottled variety or try my favorite homemade BBQ sauce.
- Cheese - Use a good melting cheese such as Cheddar, Colby, Monterey, or Pepper Jack.
- OPTIONAL - Corn and black beans are great additions for customizing these nachos to your personal tastes.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and the BBQ sauce and toss to combine.
- Spread the tortilla chips on the sheet pan in an even layer. Top with shredded cheese, chicken, and red onion.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings and dig in.
Toppings for nachos
The options here are endless. Use any of your favorite garnishes or what you have on hand.
- Tomatoes
- Pineapple Mango salsa
- Jalapeños
- Guacamole
- Sour cream or lime crema (sour cream mixed with some lime juice)
- Cilantro, parsley, or chives
- Scallions
- Black olives
- Extra drizzle of barbecue sauce
Recipe tips
- Always use freshly grated cheese. It melts the best and since cheese is an important component of nachos, we want the cheese to melt beautifully.
- No leftover chicken? No problem. Season boneless skinless chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with a touch of oil. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375 for approx. 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. The roasting time will vary depending on the size of the chicken. Cool slightly and shred using two forks. Rotisserie chicken can also be used.
These nachos are absolutely delicious. They are easy to pull together and bake up quickly. Spice up your next game day feast or change up your dinnertime routine with Barbecue Chicken Nachos. These nachos do not disappoint!
FAQs
The cheese should be added first, directly on top of the tortilla chips. It helps to protect the chips from turning soggy from the other toppings while baking. It also acts as the glue to hold the other toppings.
To ensure equal distribution of all of the toppings, start with a single layer of chips. Add toppings and repeat. I recommend two layers. Any more and the bottom layer may not get heated all the way through. Using a sheet pan allows for a large surface area to cover with cheese and toppings.
Nachos are best served immediately after baking. The longer they sit, the tortilla chips will start to turn soggy from all of the ingredients on top.
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Barbecue Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 12-14 ounces tortilla chips
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 3 boneless chicken breasts)
- ⅓-½ cup barbecue sauce
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese (shredded)
- 2-3 slices red onion (quartered)
Toppings
- cilantro (or parsley)
- grape tomatoes (halved)
- pickled jalapenos
- guacamole
- sour cream (or lime crema)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and barbecue sauce and toss to coat.
- Spread the tortilla chips in an even layer on the sheet pan. Top with the chicken, shredded cheese, and onions.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish as desired.
Notes
- Always use freshly grated cheese. It melts the best and since cheese is an important component of nachos, we want the cheese to melt beautifully.
- No leftover chicken? No problem. Season boneless skinless chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with a touch of oil. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375 for approx. 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. The roasting time will vary depending on the size of the chicken. Cool slightly and shred using two forks.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated.
Karly
This is making me so hungry I'm drooling. Thanks for sharing!
My Casual Pantry
Your welcome! I hope you try. I would love to hear how you liked the recipe!