Why do you mix the barbecue sauce into plain cooked chicken?

We typically make some slow cooker shredded chicken or grilled chicken each week as part of our meal prep routines, so it's easy (and fast!) to just mix a bit of barbecue sauce into that plain chicken for these nachos. If you're cooking chicken specifically for this chicken BBQ nacho recipe, though - or if you'll use extra BBQ chicken in other recipes during the week - you can cook the chicken right in the barbecue sauce (à la our slow cooker bbq chicken sandwiches !)

What kind of barbecue sauce should I use?

Use whatever BBQ sauce you typically enjoy for this baked nachos recipe! We like Stubb's Original BBQ Sauce , any of the Sweet Baby Ray's sauces , or a good Honey BBQ Sauce .

Can I make these nachos ahead of time?

You can prep most of the components for these barbecue chicken nachos in advance! Cook the chicken (grill, bake, or use our crock pot meal prep chicken recipe ) or dice up a rotisserie chicken from the store ahead of time. Shred any cheeses in advance. Slice jalapeño and green onion a day or two ahead of time. Store any prepped components in airtight containers in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the nachos. We do not recommend fully assembling the nachos ahead of time (the chips can get soggy and it's hard to store!) but you can definitely prep the individual components in advance so assembly is quick.

Do I need to shred my own cheese?

It's up to you! If you're a regular reader, you know that we typically recommend buying cheese in block form and shredding it yourself. Store bought shredded cheese is often coated with preservatives that prevent it from melting smoothly, which can be particularly annoying when you're trying to make a sauce for something like mac and cheese . While we still prefer to shred our own cheese whenever possible, you CAN get away with store-bought shredded cheese on these barbecue nachos. Because it's melting onto the chips (as opposed to into a sauce), we found there wasn't much change in taste or texture between pre-shredded cheese and the cheese we shredded at home. The biggest difference: If you use store-bought shredded cheese, you won't have quite as dramatic of a cheese pull!

What is a good side dish for nachos?

If you're serving these nachos as a meal, we love pairing them with something light and crisp (like a lemon arugula salad or some parmesan roasted broccoli ). If you're serving these nachos with other snacks for the big game (yay football!), lean into the snacky finger food vibes and make something like our twice baked potatoes with greek yogurt , crock pot buffalo chicken sliders , or smoked gouda tater tots .

Easy BBQ Chicken Nachos

Description

These sheet pan nachos are perfect for game day! Easy to customize with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Nachos:

2 cups cooked, diced chicken (use a rotisserie chicken or some meal prepped shredded chicken!)
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus extra for drizzling
10 ounces sturdy tortilla chips
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 avocado, lightly mashed (you can also use guacamole)

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Instructions

Heat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, toss cooked chicken and BBQ sauce together. Set aside.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread about half of the tortilla chips out in a single layer. Lightly scatter a small handful of each cheese over the top of the chips, then scatter a few spoonfuls of the barbecue chicken mixture over top. Add another layer of chips and repeat, topping with cheese and chicken, until you've used up all the chips. We recommend ending with one final handful of cheese on top!
Scatter jalapeño slices across the top of the nachos. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and chicken is warmed through.
Top nachos with fresh chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. Scatter spoonfuls of Greek yogurt and mashed avocado across the top of the nachos, then add an extra drizzle of barbecue sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

A few nacho layering tips. If you're using a large sheet pan, you'll likely only need 2 layers of chips. If you're using a smaller sheet pan, you may want to do 3 layers in order to ensure the chips are always in a single layer. Working in multiple thin layers helps ensure the cheese and toppings are evenly distributed among the chips! This isn't an exact science: Just do your best to distribute everything evenly! You can mix the cheeses together before layering the nachos if you like, or you can rotate through the cheeses as you go (use one type of cheese on each layer of chips, or use a small handful of each cheese across each layer).

Additions and Substitutions. Swap the chicken for pulled pork or shredded beef. Add black beans or refried beans for extra protein. Add extra toppings (tomatoes, onion or shallot, bell pepper, grilled corn) or sauces (ranch dressing, lime juice, salsa) if you like. Swap the BBQ sauce for buffalo sauce.

This is a loose recipe, and it's very forgiving - feel free to eyeball the ingredient amounts here and make adjustments as needed!