BBQ Chicken Nachos
These BBQ chicken nachos are the kind of crowd-pleaser you make once and then get asked for every time after. Saucy shredded chicken, melty cheddar, and crispy tortilla chips bake together on one sheet pan for maximum flavor and minimal effort. They’re sweet, smoky, a little spicy, and dangerously easy to keep eating straight from the pan.
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken
- 1 ¼ cup BBQ sauce storebought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon yellow mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken (breast, thigh, rotisserie, or leftovers)
Nachos
- 1 13-15 oz bag tortilla chips
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 12 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 2.5 oz can sliced olives
- ½ cup sweet pickled jalapeños
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- nacho toppings (optional) sour cream, salsa, additional pickled jalapeños, or diced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until combined.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium or medium-low heat. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and well blended.
- Add the shredded chicken to the saucepan and toss gently until evenly coated in the BBQ sauce. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Scatter the tortilla chips in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the BBQ chicken evenly over the top of the chips.
- Sprinkle with red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, black olives, and sweet pickled jalapeños.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve immediately with your favorite nacho toppings.
Notes
Instant Pot Chicken — If you have an Instant Pot, you can make and use shredded Instant Pot BBQ chicken, substituting it directly into the recipe.
Use sturdy tortilla chips.
Thin chips break under the weight of saucy chicken and melted cheese. Restaurant-style or thick corn chips hold up best for sheet pan nachos. Spread everything in an even layer.
Keeping the chips, chicken, and toppings evenly distributed ensures every bite gets sauce, cheese, and crunch — and prevents soggy spots. Don’t overload the cheese.
Enough cheese helps everything melt together, but too much can turn the nachos greasy instead of crispy. Gluten-Free — Use 100% corn tortilla chips (not flour-based). Storage Directions
Thin chips break under the weight of saucy chicken and melted cheese. Restaurant-style or thick corn chips hold up best for sheet pan nachos. Spread everything in an even layer.
Keeping the chips, chicken, and toppings evenly distributed ensures every bite gets sauce, cheese, and crunch — and prevents soggy spots. Don’t overload the cheese.
Enough cheese helps everything melt together, but too much can turn the nachos greasy instead of crispy. Gluten-Free — Use 100% corn tortilla chips (not flour-based). Storage Directions
- Refrigerating — Store leftover BBQ chicken nachos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. These nachos do not freeze well.
- Reheating — For best results, reheat leftovers in a 300°F oven or air fryer for 5–10 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 12gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 651mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 296IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
