Chicken Nachos
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
These ultimate sheet pan chicken nachos start with rotisserie chicken simmered in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce, piled with cheese, and baked until melty and crisp. Easy enough for a weeknight, fun for a party, and always a hit.
When I want a dinner that feels a little fun, I turn to these sheet pan chicken nachos. Alongside my favorite beef nachos, they’re one of the few “appetizers” I can reliably pass off as a meal. Piled high with pulled rotisserie chicken simmered in a smoky, chipotle-tomato sauce with generous layers of melty cheese, they’re insanely delicious. And everyone is happy when I say, “Nachos for dinner!”
This homemade chicken nachos recipe yields two generous sheet pans—perfect for game day spreads, movie nights, or casual family dinners. The chicken mixture is so flavorful you can repurpose it into chicken quesadillas, chicken tacos, or crispy tostadas later in the week. Serve your nachos with bowls of salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and maybe even a pitcher of margaritas if you’re feeling festive.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just want a no-fuss, one-pan dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor, these baked chicken nachos hit all the right notes. Crisp chips, saucy chicken, and gooey cheese—what more could you want?
“BEST NACHOS HANDS DOWN. My husband and I are obsessed!rnrn”
How to make chicken nachos
Step 1: Make the chicken topping. Cook the onion and garlic in a large skillet with olive oil until soft and translucent. Be sure to stir frequently and make sure they don’t brown. You may need to reduce the heat if they start to brown.
Add the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and sauce, sugar, cumin, oregano, and salt to the skillet with the onions. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
Add the shredded chicken and cilantro to the sauce in the skillet and mix until everything is evenly combined.
Step 2: Assemble the nachos. Arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer, overlapping slightly, on two 13 x 18-inch baking sheets. Spread the chicken evenly over the chips. Sprinkle shredded Mexican blend cheese and grated pecorino Romano cheese evenly over the chicken.
Step 3: Bake and Serve. Bake your sheet pan chicken nachos until the cheese is melted. Remove the nachos from the oven, then sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately with the toppings on the side.
Jenn’s Pro Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Nachos
- Don’t skimp on the cheese: I know almost 8 cups of cheese seems like a lot, but loaded chicken nachos require a generous topping of melted cheese. Plus, light-on-the-cheese nachos are just plain sad!
- Time savers: Rotisserie chicken and a quick guacamole will save you time. For a quick version of guacamole, mash some diced avocado with a little lime juice and salt to taste.
- Make ahead: Nachos are best served immediately. If you want to get ahead of things you can make the chicken up to two days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Make sure to warm it up slightly before layering your nachos.
- Layer evenly: Make sure the chips are in a single layer and you spread out the toppings to ensure every chip has toppings.
- Customize the toppings: You can swap the chicken for another protein such as shredded beef or pork or feel free to add additional toppings like jalapeños, black beans, or corn.
- Serving ideas: Turn your chicken nachos into a full meal with Mexican rice or your other favorite Mexican dishes on the side! It’s also perfect for parties or game day gatherings served with other party appetizers such as 7 layer dip, baked chicken wings, and pigs in a blanket.
More Mexican-inspired recipes to try
Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce from can
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, from 1 rotisserie chicken
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
For the Nachos
- 1 (369-g) bag tortilla chips
- 7 cups (28 oz) shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ⅔ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- ¼ cup finely sliced scallions, from 2 to 3 scallions
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
For Serving (Optional)
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Limes wedges
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
- Add the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and sauce, sugar, cumin, oregano, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cilantro.
For the Nachos
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set two racks in the center of the oven.
- Arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer, overlapping slightly, on two 13 x 18-in (33 x 46-cm) baking sheets. Spread the chicken evenly over the chips, followed by the cheeses.
- Bake until the cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the nachos from the oven, then sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, passing the guacamole, sour cream, and lime wedges separately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Nachos seem so easy but I always have a little trouble getting the cheese to melt right. These have just the right combination of cheese and spices. if I don’t have rotisserie chicken I just make them without it or sub black beans and they’re still great!
Love, love, love this simple and oh-so-good recipe! Rotisserie chicken makes it even easier and the family can’t get enough of them. I’ve made them in both the oven and grill…add all of your favorite toppings to finish it off and it’s the perfect meal!
This recipe is delicious and easy to make. I couldn’t find the Italian cheese that was recommended so I substituted with Mexican Queso Fresco and the Colby Jack cheese blend. And for the chicken, I bought shredded rotisserie from a local Mexican restaurant. After the recipe was done, I added guacamole, lime, cilantro, and homemade green salsa. We devoured the entire baking sheet of Nachos, as an afternoon Sunday treat. My family said this one is a keeper!
Delicious…..that’s all! Make this 💜
Thanks Jenn,
An awesome recipe. I swapped the chicken with pork/veal mince and it was great.
Absolutely wonderful chicken nachos! So easy to make , another winning recipe!
Hi Jenn,
These look wonderful! I’m having company over for the Super Bowl and would like to include these in my rotation. Can I make the chicken mixture ahead of time and then assemble right before putting in the oven? Would this change the baking time if the chicken is cold?
Thanks!
Katy
Yes, definitely, Katy – you may need to cook it a tad longer.
These are amazing! They were so easy to make and much tastier than nachos I have had in restaurants. We cut down on the spice because we weren’t sure about the heat level but we will add the regular amount next time as we didn’t find it too spicy. Great appetizer idea, everyone loved them.
Hi Jenn, I was thinking about adding black beans. Do you think I should sprinkle them on top of the tomato sauce and chicken mixture or incorporate them right into the mixture? Thanks!right
I really think you could go either way here! Enjoy 🙂
Hi Jen. If I prefer not to use rotisserie chicken and want to make quick, tasty, shredded chicken at home, what do you suggest? I usually don’t like the mess of using a rotisserie chicken, and although my grocery store sometimes sells it already cut, it can be expensive.
Thanks for you suggestions!
Hi Liza, You could use this chicken recipe and dice it for the nachos. (And if you’d prefer not to fire up the grill in the cold weather, you can broil the chicken.
Thank you!
These were absolutely delicious! The whole family devoured them.