Cheesy Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos (2024)

This chicken nachos recipe makes the ultimate sheet pan chicken nachos! It has crunchy tortilla chips, juicy chicken, pico de gallo, white queso, and tons of ooey-gooey melted cheese. Every bite is more flavorful than the last, and you can have the nachos ready in just 30 minutes!

The Best Chicken Nachos

This recipe takes classic shredded chicken nachos and makes them even better!

The simple yet flavorful combination of everything makes loaded chicken nachos that are more delicious than something you'd get for an appetizer at a restaurant.

This easy chicken nachos recipe has juicy chicken tenders cooked in taco seasoning and a few secret ingredients to make zesty, tangy, perfectly seasoned chicken. All that deliciousness is piled on top of a bed of tortilla chips and covered in queso sauce and tons of shredded cheese. The nachos are baked on one sheet pan until the chips are golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is super ooey gooey.

How delicious does that sound?!

This easy chicken nachos recipe is the perfect appetizer if you're hosting, and they're by far my favorite gameday snack. Either way, these chicken nachos are sure to be loved by everyone who tries them!

As good as these nachos are as is, they're even better served with Chipotle hot salsa and cream cheese bean dip. You can even dip the cheesy chips in them for even more flavor!

Why This Recipe Works

So easy to make. All you have to do is cook the chicken, layer everything on your baking sheet, then let the oven take over from there. Yup, it's that simple!

Fun to customize. These chicken nachos can be made in a variety of ways. You can add or swap whatever ingredients you want to make it uniquely yours. The options are endless, and I'll go over a few of my favorite additions later on.

A winning combination. From the perfectly cooked chicken to the mix of cheese and tangy pico de gallo, every element of these nachos with chicken is a home run.

Crowd favorite. Everyone loves loaded nachos, and this sheet pan nachos recipe is by far the best loaded nachos ever! When I serve them, my friends and family can't stop talking about how good they are, and I always end up making a second batch. So they're guaranteed to be a winner whenever you serve them!

Ingredients

Another thing to love about these easy chicken nachos is the ingredient list, which couldn't be more simple.

Here's everything you'll need to make loaded chicken nachos:

• 40 tortilla chips
• 6 chicken tenders, skinless and boneless, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1oz. taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tequila
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼ cup white queso
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• 1 ¼ cup pico de galo
• For garnish, spring onions and sliced avocado

By the way, if you have to run to the store for chicken tenders, do yourself a favor and grab an extra couple of pounds so you can make my panko breaded chicken tenders. They're another one of my favorite easy chicken recipes, so you'll want to give them a try!

How To Make Chicken Nachos

1. Prep work: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cook chicken: Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium heat. Then, add the chicken, tequila, lemon juice, and taco seasoning. Stir to combine and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, flipping every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Assemble the nachos: Layer the tortilla chips on the prepared baking sheet. Arrange the cooked chicken mixture evenly over the chips, then add the queso sauce on top and sprinkle everything with the shredded cheese. Lastly, top the nachos with pico de gallo.

4. Bake and serve: Bake the chicken nachos for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tortilla chips are golden. When the nachos are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and top them with the sliced or diced avocado and green onions. Finally, serve warm and enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Swap chicken tenders for rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken breasts to lower the chicken nachos prep time.
• Substitute chicken broth for tequila if that's more convenient for you to use.
• Switch up the shredded cheese and use extra sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese for a little spice.
• Use restaurant style tortilla chips so you can fit more toppings on the chips
• Make extra loaded chicken nachos by adding your favorite toppings, like sour cream, black beans, refried beans, shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, sliced jalapenos, fresh lime juice, or diced tomatoes.

How To Store Chicken Nachos

In the fridge: I wouldn't recommend saving leftover tortilla chips, but you can store the nacho toppings. Just transfer the leftover cooked meat to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

In the freezer: To freeze the chicken nacho topping, allow the chicken to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Reheating: When you're ready to reheat the nachos, put the leftover chicken mixture on top of the new tortilla chips and add the other toppings. Bake them in the oven at 350°F (180°F) for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

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