Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos make a tasty weeknight dinner that are also easy to share when hosting friends! Made with rotisserie chicken, this colorful dish is perfect for both kids and adults! Whether you’re hosting friends for game day or simply making a family meal, these Barbecue Chicken Nachos are an easy and delicious recipe.
2025 update: My friend, Jenni, originally wrote and shared this Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos recipe as a guest post when I had our second daughter. I have updated it with more tips and tricks. I love you love these nachos!
Jenni is super passionate about making dinner delicious for everyone, as well as making it easy enough for any night of the week.
When you have young kids, it can be hard to host friends. Between homework, after-school activities and sticking to bedtimes, breaking out of that mid-week rut and connecting with friends who also have kids is super tricky.
It might sound off-the-wall to invite people over on a Tuesday for a dinner party, but sometimes you just need some connection. And if that is when it fits your schedule, then Jenni and I are both ALL for it!
You gotta do what works, right? And when everyone has small kids, you have to make gatherings family-friendly! This BBQ chicken nachos recipe is just that.
Why I love this recipe:
I love all kinds of barbecue flavors and grew up in a barbecue mecca, so why would I not adore nachos featuring barbecue chicken?
The crunchy tortilla chips paired with the succulent BBQ chicken, sweet barbecue sauce, melty cheese and colorful toppings is excellent to feast your eyes upon, as well as devour. It’s the perfect combination of flavors, and as someone who loves a savory meal with hints of sweetness, this really hits the spot.
These easy chicken nachos are easy to customize to your tastebuds, too, and they work brilliantly as a dinner or as an appetizer for sharing. Heck, you could make TWO pans of them and host friends for nachos.
Either way, this is a delicious and easy recipe to have in your back pocket for any occasion, and I highly recommend giving it a try sometime soon!
More barbecue dishes to share: BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos | BBQ Pizza | Memphis-Style BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches | Grilled BBQ Chicken Flatbread
What you need to make this recipe:
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Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need to get at the grocery store:
- Rotisserie chicken — you could also roast a chicken (or chicken breasts OR chicken thighs) and shred them if you’re into that, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken comes in clutch for easy dinners. This is a great way to utilize leftover chicken or even BBQ chicken from your favorite barbecue joint.
- Barbecue sauce — use your favorite brand or make your own! I am partial to Rendezvous and Stubb’s sauces if I’m purchasing sauce because they are sweet, but not too sweet.
- Blue corn tortilla chips — or your favorite crispy tortilla chips. Jenni likes to use blue corn chips because she thinks they are pretty and help the toppings really stand out. I will say that you want a sturdy chip so that they do not get soggy under the weight and moisture of the toppings, and thinner chips do this more often.
- Red onion — it needs to be thinly sliced, so be sure to use a sharp knife.
- Black beans — drain and rinse a can of these beauties before scattering them onto the nachos. They add extra protein to every bite!
- Roma tomatoes — or your favorite type of tomatoes. No matter what you use, make sure they are in bite-sized pieces, as we do not want them to overwhelm each bite.
- Orange sweet peppers — or another colorful sweet pepper, like green bell pepper or a yellow pepper.
- Cheddar cheese — personally, I like to shred my own cheese because the cheese melts better that way. Monterey jack cheese would be excellent here, as would pepper jack, if your family likes a kick with their meal.
- Chopped fresh cilantro — or not, if you’re like me and cilantro tastes like soap. 😉
Please note that you can add your favorite toppings to this nachos recipe and that you can customize them for picky eaters, too.
If you love green onions, have at ’em. Into black olives? Add some of those after the nachos come out of the oven. Add some dollops of sour cream, too.
How to make Barbecue Chicken Nachos
Sheet pan nachos are super easy to make, especially with small helpers!
Preheat the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Shred the chicken. Mix it with barbecue sauce in a glass mixing bowl.
Assemble the nachos. Spread out the tortilla chips in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
Sprinkle the red onions, black beans, tomatoes, peppers and shredded cheese evenly over the layer of tortilla chips. Add the shredded chicken mixture on top of these.
Transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly, then remove and let cool slightly.
Garnish the top of the nachos with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.
Get your kids involved in the kitchen
Jenni firmly believe that dinner time is a whole family affair. The more kids are involved with the meal, the more likely they are to actually eat it.
From helping you pick out the ingredients at the store, washing and drying produce at home, measuring out ingredients and all the stirring, mixing, and measuring are all different ways to get kids involved and interested.
When Jenni hosts a family dinner party, she often involve all the kids by asking them to help her set the table, which is a task they all love doing together, as well as help make the meal.
Nachos are a great meal to serve with lots of kids. Each kid can be in charge of placing one topping ingredient on the nachos. So having all the ingredients ready to go ahead of time and then asking for help to sprinkle them over chips is not a super easy way to get them involved!
If you are looking for more information on how to get your kids in the kitchen with you, check out Jenni’s guide on how to cook and bake with your kids.
How to store:
Baked nachos do not store well in the refrigerator because the chips will become soggy.
If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the oven to try to crisp the chips back up. This may or may not be super successful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Change out the toppings to items you like better! Swap out the cheddar for a different type of cheese. Add a glug of hot sauce or sliced jalapenos to finish the nachos.
That’s dependent on the chips you use. Thicker chips will be less likely to struggle under the weight and moisture of the toppings.
Quick tips and tricks to the best sheet pan nachos
- Make only enough for you to eat for now. Since nachos do not store well in the fridge, I recommend only making as much as you and your family plan to eat.
- Vary the toppings based on your tasebuds and what sounds good. If you love different toppings, add those! If you love these, have at ’em.
- For best results, use thicker tortilla chips so that they do not become soggy.
Pair these nachos with…
Serve with an easy side salad and some fresh fruit, and you have a complete meal that is fun, family friendly and so easy for entertaining friends!
Now who’s ready to make this goodness? Scroll down to the recipe card to make it yourself…
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 bag blue corn tortilla chips
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- ½ cup diced orange sweet peppers
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.
- Mix together the shredded chicken and barbecue sauce in a large bowl.
- Spread out the tortilla chips into an even layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- Layer on the red onion, black beans, tomatoes, peppers and shredded cheese by sprinkling evenly over the chips. Add the BBQ chicken on top of these.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, then remove from the oven.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Can’t wait to make this on Sunday, When do I add the chicken? The recipe does not say
I’m so excited to hear you’re going to make this on Sunday, Pauline!
Thank you for catching my mistake and leaving a kind comment to ask about it. Add the chicken after you add the other toppings and then transfer the sheet pan into the oven to bake. I will update the recipe card to include this now. I hope you enjoy these nachos like we do!