BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe

BBQ chicken nachos are a simple one-skillet, gameday appetizer made with BBQ chicken, a healthy dose of shredded Mexican cheese, fresh tomatoes, green onions, salsa, chopped green chilies, chopped black olives, and fresh avocado.

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BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe

Put down those microwave nachos.

BBQ chicken nachos are a simple one-skillet, gameday appetizer made with BBQ chicken, a healthy dose of shredded Mexican cheese, fresh tomatoes, green onions, salsa, chopped green chilies, black olives, and fresh avocado. So cheesy with so much flavor.

This nacho recipe is a winner because it will make a larger batch for bigger crowds. You won’t be able to get enough!

The Key to Skillet Nachos

I LOVE making nachos in a skillet because you can really pile up the chip layers without spilling over the edges of you plate/pan. Everything is contained by the high rimmed dish. Plus you can cook your chicken or beef in the skillet before assembling your nachos.

Skillet nachos need to be stacked in two identical layers for best results. The surface area is a little smaller than a larger sheet pan so more stacking is necessary. I make one layer of nachos with all toppings, add more chips and then repeat. This way every layer has all the fixings.

BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe

Restaurant-Style Tortilla Chips

I know tortilla chips are a HOTLY debated subject (I’m really not a scoops guy, sorry). Nachos are meant to be served with your classic restaurant-style tortilla chips. I really like the On The Border or Late July brands however there are lots of solid bags with good flavor. Also a huge HUGE fan of multi-colored tortilla chips. Yes, the red and purple kind.

Using Rotisserie Chicken

You can make BBQ chicken nachos with small chunks/strips of chicken breast or chicken tenders OR you can use precooked rotisserie chicken. The benefit of rotisserie chicken is you can almost shred the chicken into really tender strips. I like to shoot for about 2-3 cups of fully cooked chicken or about 1 1/2 pounds for a full skillet.

From there it’s really a matter of preference on how much BBQ sauce to use. You want a light, yet generous coating of sauce. My only tip is to look for Sweet Baby Ray’s.

More Gameday Appetizers

BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe
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BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe

  • Author: Shawn Williams
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Description

BBQ chicken nachos are a simple one-skillet, gameday appetizer made with BBQ chicken, a healthy dose of shredded Mexican cheese, fresh tomatoes, green onions, salsa, chopped green chilies, chopped black olives, and fresh avocado. So cheesy with so much flavor!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1–1 1/2 pounds chicken or rotisserie chicken, cut into small bite-sized strips
  • 16-ounce bag shredded mexican-blend or cheddar cheese (see note)
  • 12-ounce bag tortilla chips
  • 3/4 cup salsa
  • 3–4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s)
  • 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
  • 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
  • 2–3 ounce can sliced black olives
  • 1 roma tomato, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Optional (sliced jalapeno)
  • Serve with sour cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Heat oil on medium heat in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Cook chicken until fully cooked through and slightly golden. A little extra crisp adds a nice texture. Transfer to a bowl and toss in 1/3 cup BBQ sauce or more to taste. Set aside and remove skillet from heat.
  3. Add a layer of tortilla chips (about half) to the bottom of the skillet. Divide the rest of your toppings in half and distribute the first half over your chips. I like to add the cheese last. Stack another layer of chips and repeat with remaining toppings.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and starting to crisp around the edges. Serve with sour cream or guacamole.

Notes

You won’t need ALL the cheese (an 8-ounce bag could work in some cases). I use about 1 cup or a little more per layer. It’s just nice to have extra.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8th
  • Calories: 421
  • Sugar: 4.4g
  • Sodium: 596mg
  • Fat: 22.2g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.1g
  • Fiber: 5.6g
  • Protein: 18.3g
  • Cholesterol: 44mg

Keywords: skillet nachos, bbq chicken nachos, chicken nachos