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Tortilla chips piled high with shredded BBQ chicken, cheese sauce, MORE cheese, and tons of epic toppings will make these Chicken Nachos your new favorite treat. They are truly irresistible and perfect for game day or any night of the week.
Today, I’m featuring a delicious BBQ Chicken Nachos recipe that can be used as a base recipe. Then you can create it into your own chicken nachos based on what toppings you’d like to add to it!
Nachos are one of those fun comfort foods that everyone seems to like, and you can do so much stuff with them, like adding some BBQ Chicken as we did!
We like to make these all year long because they are easy, fast, and delicious for any occasion, but when I think of summertime, I think of BBQ Chicken.
I love a good and easy chicken nachos recipe. Cheesy chips are a great thing when you’re looking for the perfect appetizer.
There is something just so comforting about bbq chicken to me. Maybe it is because my family made it a lot when growing up, I just have always loved it!
I wanted to take two of my favorite treats, BBQ chicken and nachos, and smush them together, and that’s how we came up with our irresistible nacho recipe.
So these Chicken Nachos make their debut mostly in the spring and summer as they are a fast and easy appetizer that we can whip up when we have guests and they are always left begging for more.
Some of our other favorite appetizers that we have on our site include Cheeseburger Sliders, Bacon Bombs and Bacon Ranch Chicken Dip.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN nachos:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- HOW TO SHRED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
- WHAT TO PUT ON BBQ CHICKEN NACHOS?
- DO I HAVE TO USE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Loaded BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- You get all the cheesy goodness with a delicious homemade cheese sauce plus more cheese.
- For this recipe, you can use a rotisserie chicken or cook a fresh chicken breast.
- You can add any of your favorite toppings!
- Makes a lot to feed a crowd, but easily double or halve the recipe as needed.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Paprika
- Milk
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- BBQ Sauce
- Tortilla chips
- Toppings of your choice
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN nachos:
For the cheese sauce:
-
Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepot over medium-low heat. Let melt, add the flour and whisk until smooth and make sure there are no lumps. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and paprika. Whisk to combine
-
Slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly until smooth with no lump. Stirring occasionally, bring to a simmer until thickened. Take off the heat and whisk in the cheese, set aside.
For the nacho assembly:
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the shredded chicken with the bbq sauce, add enough to coat and to your sauce preference, set aside.
-
Lay about half of the tortillas onto a sheet tray in a single layer. Top with cheese sauce, half of the chicken, and half of the shredded cheese. Add the remaining chips in a single layer on top, more of the cheese sauce, the rest of the chicken, and the remaining shredded cheese. Pop in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted, and everything is heated through.
-
Serve ad let your guests add their own toppings or top with your favorite toppings such as diced tomatoes, more bbq sauce, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, jalapenos, etc.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
HOW TO SHRED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
You can use two forks to manually shred the whole rotisserie chicken or split it up into pieces first.
Be sure to discard any bones when shredding a rotisserie chicken.
I have found a faster way to shred a whole rotisserie chicken: using a stand mixer.
Toss the warm chicken meat from your rotisserie chicken into your mixer for about 45 seconds on speed 2 to shred the rotisserie chicken in no time.
WHAT TO PUT ON BBQ CHICKEN NACHOS?
My BBQ Chicken Nachos recipe consists of tortillas piled high with rotisserie chicken mixed with BBQ Sauce, cheese sauce, and epic toppings.
Toppings include BBQ sauce, scallions, cilantro, sour cream, diced tomatoes, more cheese, and jalapeños. Feel free to use any toppings of your choice.
Some other yummy topping ideas for this easy recipe:
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Black Beans
DO I HAVE TO USE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
Absolutely not, we just find purchasing a store-bought rotisserie chicken makes these nachos come together faster.
You can also bake off a couple of BBQ seasoned chicken breasts or thighs and shred them.
You could even grill chicken breasts or thighs and baste them with BBQ sauce, then chop them up and add them to the nachos.
This would be the most flavorful but time-consuming option.
ANY ADDITIONS?
You can decide what the best cheese and crispy chips are for you.
Just pick something the whole family loves!
- Diced avocado: Add fresh, creamy avocado chunks for a perfect addition to the nachos.
- Sour cream: Dollop on top for a cool and tangy complement to the BBQ flavors.
- Fresh lime juice: Squeeze over the top for a burst of citrus that brightens up the dish.
- Jalapenos: Add some heat with sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos.
- Black beans: Sprinkle a thin layer of canned black beans over the nachos for extra protein and texture.
- Green onions: Chop up and scatter green onions on top for a fresh, crisp bite.
- Salsa verde: Drizzle salsa verde over the nachos for a tangy, green kick.
- Corn kernels: Add some sweet corn kernels for a pop of sweetness and texture.
- Cilantro: Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves for a burst of fresh flavor.
- Crumbled bacon: Sprinkle crispy bacon bits over the nachos for an added smoky crunch.
- Monterey Jack: Add some on top with the shredded cheddar.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Nachos are the perfect way to get what you want.
All the ingredients, from the melty cheese to the crunchy tortilla chips, are interchangeable with other ingredients!
- Rotisserie chicken: If you prefer, use shredded slow cooker chicken or leftover grilled chicken. Any leftover chicken mixture will also work.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: For a different flavor profile, substitute with a Mexican cheese blend or pepper jack. Experiment with other types of cheese if you like.
- BBQ sauce: Use a different flavor, like spicy BBQ sauce or honey BBQ sauce, to change things up.
- Tortilla chips: For added crunch and sturdiness, opt for homemade tortilla chips or thick chips. The best chips are the ones you like most.
- Cheese sauce: Use store-bought nacho cheese sauce for a quicker version.
- Pinto beans: For a different taste and texture, swap out the can of black beans with pinto beans or even refried beans.
HOW TO STORE:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I highly recommend only storing these nachos if they do not have the additional toppings on them, as the nachos will become soggier. Fresh ingredients are best with nachos.
To reheat, I suggest doing so in the oven or microwave until warm.
If reheating in the oven, they may dry out, so you can make a little foil packet sprayed with cooking spray, so nothing sticks. Close it up and bake them this way until reheated.
I do not suggest freezing.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can use a rotisserie chicken or make your own chicken at home and shred that.
- Use any toppings that you like.
- You can use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe. We’ve tried many, and Sweet Baby Ray’s is our favorite.
- Double this recipe to serve more people.
- I do not suggest freezing. See my tips above on how to reheat leftovers.
- If you don’t want to make your own cheese sauce, you can buy nacho cheese sauce in cans at the store.
Looking for the perfect snack that will really engage your taste buds?
Then you have to try my favorite Chicken Nachos!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these CHICKEN NACHOS, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Loaded BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe
Ingredients
For the cheese sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups milk
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
For the nacho assembly
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- BBQ Sauce
- 1 bag tortilla chips
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- toppings of your choice
Instructions
For the cheese sauce
- Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepot over medium-low heat. Let melt, add the flour and whisk until smooth and make sure there are no lumps. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and paprika. Whisk to combine1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly until smooth with no lump. Stirring occasionally, bring to a simmer until thickened. Take off the heat and whisk in the cheese, set aside.2 cups milk, 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
For the nacho assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the shredded chicken with the bbq sauce to taste, add enough to coat and to your sauce preference, set aside.3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, BBQ Sauce
- Lay about half of the tortillas onto a sheet tray in a single layer. Top with cheese sauce, half of the chicken, and half of the shredded cheese. Add the remaining chips in a single layer on top, more of the cheese sauce, the rest of the chicken, and the remaining shredded cheese. Pop in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted, and everything is heated through.1 bag tortilla chips, 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- Serve ad let your guests add their own toppings or top with your favorite toppings such as diced tomatoes, more bbq sauce, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, jalapenos, etc.toppings of your choice
Notes
- You can use a rotisserie chicken or make your own chicken at home and shred that.
- Use any toppings that you like.
- You can use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe. We’ve tried many, and Sweet Baby Ray’s is our favorite.
- Double this recipe to serve more people.
- I do not suggest freezing. See my tips above on how to reheat leftovers.
- If you don’t want to make your own cheese sauce, you can buy nacho cheese sauce in cans at the store.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Love this!! I add jalapenos, shredded lettuce tomatoes and salsa, sour cream and guac.