Loaded BBQ Chicken Nachos
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These BBQ chicken nachos are loaded with saucy chicken, melty cheese, hot peppers, and bright cilantro lime crema! Inspired by traditional nachos, these are made in the oven for a sweet, savory, and easy party snack. All you do is pile everything on a sheet pan and let your friends go to town. Save this recipe for game day and casual get-togethers!

There’s a Weeknd concert this Sunday and I guess also a football game? What is the over-under that he’ll show up with puffy AF cheeks all wrapped up in gauze? Lemme know what you think!
As I’m sure you can gather, I remain firmly committed to Team Snacks. Even though my hometown officially has its very own football team (hi, Raiders), I’m honestly just here for the food.
So this year, when planning my menu, I wanted to go all out. Think garlic butter chicken wings, cheesy Sicilian-style pizza, crunchy spicy ranch snack mix, and the holy grail of Game Day foods, nachos.
This recipe is definitely not authentic, but it is inspired by classic Mexican nachos which were created in Piedras in 1940 by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya. (The New York Times has a great article if you want to learn more about the history of nachos – it’s super cool!) I added sweet, saucy chicken for Tex Mex vibes and cilantro lime crema for a hint of freshness. I’ve been making this recipe ever since I was in culinary school and everyone loves it!
Homemade or store-bought shredded chicken
When I make this recipe, I usually make my own BBQ shredded chicken cause it’s so easy. But store-bought rotisserie chicken works too! If you do want to make your own, you’ll need chicken thighs or breasts, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, Morton’s Kosher salt, freshly-ground black pepper, neutral oil, chicken broth, and your favorite BBQ sauce.
The sauce has Mexican crema, lime zest and juice, cilantro, and fresh garlic. You can also use sour cream but it’s a bit more tangy.
Lastly, for the nachos, grab some tortilla chips, cheese (I like sharp cheddar & Monterey Jack for flavor and meltiness!), black beans, pickled onions, jalapeños, red chilis, and avocado. Also, you must freshly shred the cheese. I know, I know, shredding is the worst. But pre-shredded cheese leaves a weird graininess and doesn’t melt right. Trust!
If you use rotisserie chicken, just mix it with the spices and BBQ sauce for extra flavor. You can also use leftover ground beef or pulled pork.
Shredded BBQ chicken
Cilantro lime crema
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also make this sauce by hand. Just finely chop the cilantro and garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together the crema, chopped cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, and salt. The crema will be a bit more chunky but it will still taste delicious!
Layer the nachos & bake
Keep hot and cold ingredients separate. Hot cheese = good, but hot guacamole = sad. Anything that you want to serve warm like meat, cheese, and beans should be layered and baked. But, anything cold like salsas, avocado, and crema should be added last or served on the side.
Layer, layer, layer
Onions have layers, ogres have layers, and your nachos should have layers! We all know what a bummer it is to order nachos at a restaurant, eat a delicious top layer, and then be left with a plate of plain tortilla chips on the bottom. When I was in culinary school, I learned that the secret to good nachos is adding 2-3 layers of chips, beans, & chicken on the sheet pan so each bite is full of delicious toppings!
Slow cooker chicken
You can also make the chicken for these nachos in the slow cooker! Place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker and season it with salt, pepper, & the spices. Add the chicken broth and water. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Then, use two forks to shred the chicken & toss it with BBQ sauce.
Make-ahead
Honestly, nachos are best eaten right away because they get soggy in the fridge. But even though the nachos cannot be made ahead, you can prep the ingredients beforehand. Cook the shredded chicken, shred the cheese, and make the crema up to 4 days in advance.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Easy Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (454 grams)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil (14 grams)
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (180 milliliters)
- 3/4 cup water (180 milliliters)
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more as needed (132 grams)
Cilantro Lime Crema
- 1/2 cup crema or sour cream (130 grams)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (14 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more as needed (28 grams)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- Pinch of Kosher salt
Nachos & Assembly
- 15 ounces tortilla chips (425 grams)
- 2 cups freshly-shredded Monterey Jack cheese (200 grams)
- 2 cups freshly-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (200 grams)
- 1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained (439 grams)
- 1/2 cup pickled onions, drained (60 grams)
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
- 1-2 red chilis, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- Salsa, guacamole, etc. for serving
Equipment
- Food processor (optional)
- sheet pan
Instructions
BBQ Chicken
- In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne. Set aside. Pat the chicken thighs or breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's very hot and shimmering. Add the chicken to the pan, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken. Add the chicken broth and water to the pan, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer the chicken for 8-12 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the liquid is mostly evaporated.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken from the pan, and shred it on a cutting board with two forks. Return the chicken to the pan and toss it with the BBQ sauce any any spices leftover in the pan. Taste, and add more BBQ sauce and salt if desired.
Cilantro-Lime Crema
- Add the crema (or sour cream), cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, and a big pinch of salt to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the crema is very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if needed.
Nachos & Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread half the tortilla chips on a sheet pan. Sprinkle the chips with half of the cheese, beans, and BBQ chicken. Add one more layer of chips, cheese, beans, and BBQ chicken.
- Bake the nachos for 5-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Top the nachos with pickled onions, jalapeños, red chilis, and avocado. Drizzle the nachos with the cilantro lime crema. Serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, and other toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Originally posted February 4, 2021.