These BBQ Chicken Nachos bring two family favorites together – nachos + barbecue chicken! With tender chicken, cheddar cheese, veggies, and a drizzle of barbecue sauce, these loaded BBQ chicken nachos are cheesy, saucy, easy to make, and can feed a crowd – perfect for family movie night and game days.
When I’m looking to feed a big hungry group (or just my hungry family!), sheet pan nachos are one of my favorites. I’ve shared chicken fajita nachos, crispy carnitas nachos, and now this BBQ chicken nachos recipe! If you love BBQ flavor, make sure to try my BBQ Chicken Tostadas for something different!
Not only do all the flavors of these BBQ-pulled chicken nachos go together perfectly, they’re super easy to make. Best of all, everyone just loves them!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Fast & easy – This recipe for BBQ chicken nachos comes together in just 20 minutes!
- Perfect for leftovers – I love this one for stretching my chicken leftovers. I make a big batch of BBQ chicken for dinner earlier in the week, then save the leftovers for these nachos a couple of days later.
- Game day homerun – Who doesn’t love nachos on game days?!
- Family fave – Everyone is thrilled when we make it a BBQ chicken nacho night!
Recipe Notes
This BBQ Chicken Nachos recipe is as simple as promised! Just 20 minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make BBQ Chicken Nachos to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the nachos:
- Tortilla chips – Grab your favorite brand of tortilla chips from the grocery store, though I do recommend a thick, sturdy chip so that it holds up to all of the BBQ chicken nachos toppings.
- BBQ chicken – You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken tossed with BBQ sauce, or use my 30-Minute Baked BBQ Chicken for a dinner earlier in the week then save the leftovers for shredded BBQ chicken nachos.
- Cheddar – Choose mild, medium, or sharp, whichever is your favorite.
- Black beans – One can, drained and rinsed.
- Corn – One can of corn, drained, brings some veggie love to the equation and adds a nice bit of color, too.
For the toppings:
- BBQ sauce – Grab your favorite brand from the store or make your own BBQ sauce.
- Cilantro – A few cilantro leaves here and there adds color and flavor.
- Pico de gallo – Buy it at the store or you can make your own homemade pico de gallo (it’s easy!)
- Guacamole – Again, you can buy guac or make this easy homemade guacamole.
- Sour cream – Full-fat or light both work, just use your favorite.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos– Use Crockpot Buffalo Chicken and drizzle Frank’s Red Hot sauce over the top instead of BBQ sauce.
- Spicy BBQ Chicken Nachos– Opt for a spicy BBQ sauce and add a generous amount of jalapeño peppers.
- Cheddar Bacon Ranch BBQ Nachos– Start with ranch-baked chicken and add crispy bacon bits after baking.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make BBQ Chicken Nachos.
Spread the tortilla chips over the baking sheet and sprinkle half of the cheese over the top.
Scatter the chicken evenly over the top of the chips and cheese.
Add the black beans and corn.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the edges of the chips are a bit golden.
Remove from the oven and drizzle the BBQ sauce over the top. Add the sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
Recipe Tips
- Start with half the cheese – This helps ensure that cheese gets into every bite, plus it creates a barrier that helps prevent soggy chips.
- Use sturdy chips – Avoid tortilla chips that are marketed as thin and crispy. You want thick, sturdy chips that hold up to the cheese and toppings.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Buy pre-shredded cheese – But do check the ingredients list, as some pre-shredded cheeses don’t melt quite as well due to anti-caking agents. Either way, your BBQ chicken nachos will still be delicious!
- Prep ahead – The chicken and toppings can easily be prepped ahead of time and kept separately in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Plan ahead – Make BBQ chicken for dinner a couple days prior, making sure to prepare some extra chicken, then save the leftovers for these BBQ chicken nachos a couple of days later.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Nachos
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Mexican cuisine and barbecue sauce, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican-inspired or BBQ side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Southern Coleslaw
- Mexican Corn Salad
- Crock Pot Refried Beans
- Black Bean & Corn Salsa, Chipotle Corn Salsa, or Avocado Corn Salsa
Recipe FAQ’s
How do you layer nachos so they don’t get soggy?
My favorite method for preventing soggy nachos is to layer some of the cheese on the chips before adding the toppings. I also like to start with a sturdy, thick chip that holds up to the cheese and toppings.
Do you put salsa on before or after cooking nachos?
Add your salsa after your nachos have come out of the oven.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
BBQ Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
To build the nachos
- 16 ounces tortilla chips
- 2 cups diced BBQ Chicken
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, canned, drained
To top the nachos
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup pico de gallo
- ¼ cup guacamole
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Spread corn tortilla chips over the entire baking sheet. Place half the cheese over the chips, then evenly place the chicken, beans and corn over the cheese. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden.
- Remove from oven and drizzle the BBQ sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cilantro, then dollop the sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo in the middle of the nachos (or leave on the side for dipping.)
Recipe Notes
- BBQ chicken: Any cooked, shredded chicken will work, you’ll just have less overall BBQ flavor.
- Cheddar cheese: Feel free to sub pepper jack or Monterey Jack; both are delicious.
Leave a Reply