This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
Watch the recipe
BBQ chicken is something I can’t get enough of! Oh my goodness do I love the stuff! Every time I purchase a new BBQ sauce I run home and before even taking off my shoes I just have to open the lid of the jar, grab a spoon, and have a lick. While some of you may love to enjoy spoonfuls of Nutella or peanut butter right out of the jar - and yes I do that too occasionally! - my true guilty pleasure is spoonfuls of a good old BBQ sauce. Am I crazy? Perhaps! Let me know in the comments if you lick your BBQ sauce! By the way, if you’re looking for some BBQ chicken goodness, you may also like my Open-Faced BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich and my Crispy & Cheesy BBQ Chicken Quesadillas!
Anyway, back to the point. Once upon a time not very long ago at the time of writing this (like, about a month ago!), I made my very first nacho bowl. It was a huge fail! I mean, they weren’t BAD but they weren’t mind blowing. I found them boring. I used blue corn nachos and topped with provolone cheese, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, guacamole, and jalapeños. Eh, I just found there wasn’t much body to these nachos. Plus I didn’t even layer them! Want to see? Then be sure to check out my Instagram, and you can find these nachos in my Sunday Funday series! Sunday Funday is where I show my special weekend meals, where I’m typically experimenting with new recipes. Yes, that certainly was an experiment! I didn’t even layer the nachos! These were just super boring.
Not long after making those underwhelming nachos, I was asked by Chef Grace from Chef Grace’s Place on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!) to do a collaboration called #NachoBowl2021. You can explore that hashtag on YouTube to see many more amazing nacho bowl ideas! After seeing some mouthwatering nacho bowls, I knew I had to step my game up, and those bowls were putting my sad one to shame! To redeem myself, I knew I was seriously going to go ALL OUT!
Whatever you’re looking for, you’ve got it in these Loaded Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos. This nacho bowl has certainly earned its name! All your cravings will be satisfied in one epic nacho dish! I made these nachos three times in less than a week and I loved every single bite! YUM! There may seem to be a lot going on here, but it honestly won’t take you that long to make these nachos if you time everything correctly! Let’s get to it!
Why Make Loaded Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
These sheet pan nachos are the perfect option for an awesome game-day appetizer or just for when you want to treat yourself! You’re going to love these nachos because:
- They’re cheesy
- Saucy
- Easy to make
- Minimal active time
- Loaded with everything you love!
- Satisfying and filling
Tools Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Two forks
- Baking sheet
- Paring knife
Ingredients for Loaded Chicken Nachos
It may seem like there are a lot of components here, but that’s why these nachos are called “loaded” nachos! There’s not much actual cooking involved here, however, so the prep and assembly time actually goes by quite quick! You can prep everything easily and assemble in no time! Let’s break down all the ingredients:
For the Nachos
- Shredded BBQ chicken. See below
- Fresh Black Bean Salsa
- Authentic Pico de Gallo
- Incredible Homemade Guacamole
- 4-5 handfuls of nacho chips (roughly 40-50 chips)
- Mexican cheese mix (I used hot brick, Monterey Jack and hot Havarti)
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Sour cream, to serve
For the BBQ Chicken
- Chicken breast
- Water as needed
- Fresh dill
- Salt to taste
- BBQ sauce. Your favorite! I used a Chipotle flavored BBQ sauce here.
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
To Make the BBQ Chicken
Poach your chicken using the Simple Poached Chicken recipe, and add the fresh dill. Drain your chicken and shred it using two forks. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and BBQ sauce and mix well. That’s it!
To Assemble the Nachos
- Preheat oven to 450F
- Line a baking sheet with the nacho chips and add the half of the nacho chips in a singly layer with minimal overlap and gaps.
- Top with half the cheese and layer with half the shredded BBQ chicken. Spread evenly across the first layer.
- Add remaining chips over the top and repeat the layers with cheese, followed by the shredded BBQ chicken.
- Top with jalapeño slices and transfer baking sheet to the oven.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and is lightly sizzling in the pan. The nachos should be warmed throughout.
- Optionally, broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute before removing the tray from the oven.
- Top with black bean salsa, Pico de Gallo, drizzle of sour cream and a couple scoops of guacamole. Serve right away and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks for Delicious Sheet Pan Baked Nachos
- Use a sheet of parchment paper to ensure minimal cleanup and to simply slide the nachos off the baking sheet to the serving platter.
- To have the cheesiest experience, lay the nachos in a single layer and leave minimal gap between the chips before adding the cheese.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes and avocados for the best pico de gallo and guacamole.
- Toast briefly at the end of the cooking process to lightly toast the chips and char the chicken and jalapeño. Be careful!
More Mexican Recipes for a Fun Fiesta!
Head over heels for these nachos? Then check out these other delicious Mexican recipes to accompany these nachos for a true fiesta night!
- Healthy Beef Burrito Bowl
- Grilled Cajun-Spiced Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- Oven Baked Quesadillas with Fresh and Spicy Guacamole
- Guacamole & Chicken Bruschetta
- Crispy Chicken & Shrimp Tacos
- Asian Fusion Chicken Tacos
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep sheet pan nachos from getting soggy?▼
Bake the chips with just cheese and chicken first — at 450°F for 8 to 12 minutes until the cheese is fully melted — and add all the cold, wet toppings (black bean salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream) only after they come out of the oven. That keeps the chips crisp underneath.
How do you make the BBQ chicken?▼
Poach a chicken breast (the recipe adds fresh dill to the water for flavor), drain it, then shred it with two forks and toss it with about half a cup of BBQ sauce. That's the whole thing — easy, and a great use for leftover chicken too.
Why build the nachos in two layers?▼
You add half the chips, then cheese and chicken, then repeat with the rest. Layering means the chips in the middle of the pile get cheese and toppings too, instead of just the ones on top — so there are no bare, sad chips at the bottom.
Can I make these vegetarian?▼
Yes — leave out the BBQ chicken and lean on the black bean salsa, cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. They're hearty enough that you won't miss the meat, and everything else stays the same.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Epic Loaded Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos are crispy, saucy, and packed with bold flavor. The easiest sheet pan nachos recipe perfect for lunch, dinner, or feeding a hungry crowd.
Grilled
Rate this recipe ✦
20 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
2
sheet pans
medium
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
Tap any quantity to scale
For the nachos
- (195 g) shredded BBQ chicken(see below)
- Fresh Black Bean Salsa · make your own
- (65 g) Authentic Pico de Gallo · make your own
- Incredible Homemade Guacamole · make your own
- nacho chips(roughly 40-50 chips)Shop →
- (115 g) Mexican cheese mix(hot brick, Monterey jack, and Havarti)
- jalapeño(thinly sliced)
- sour cream(to serve)
Instructions
For the shredded BBQ Chicken
- 1
Poach your chicken using the Simple Poached Chicken recipe, and add the fresh dill. Drain your chicken and shred it using two forks. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and BBQ sauce and mix well. That’s it!
Poach your chicken using the Simple Poached Chicken recipe, and add the fresh dill. Drain your chicken and shred it using two forks. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and BBQ sauce and mix well. That’s it!
To assemble the nachos
- 1
Preheat oven to 450F
Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C)
- 2
Line a baking sheet with the nacho chips and add half of the nacho chips in a single layer with minimal overlap and gaps.
Line a baking sheet with the nacho chips and add half of the nacho chips in a single layer with minimal overlap and gaps.
- 3
Top with half the cheese and layer with half the shredded BBQ chicken. Spread evenly across the first layer.
Top with half the cheese and layer with half the shredded BBQ chicken. Spread evenly across the first layer.
- 4
Add remaining chips over the top and repeat the layers with cheese, followed by the shredded BBQ chicken.
Add remaining chips over the top and repeat the layers with cheese, followed by the shredded BBQ chicken.
- 5
Top with jalapeño slices and transfer baking sheet to the oven.
Top with jalapeño slices and transfer baking sheet to the oven.
- 6
Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and is lightly sizzling in the pan. The nachos should be warmed throughout.
Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and is lightly sizzling in the pan. The nachos should be warmed throughout.
- 7
Optionally, broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute before removing the tray from the oven.
Optionally, broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute before removing the tray from the oven.
- 8
Top with black bean salsa, pico de gallo, drizzle of sour cream and a couple scoops of guacamole. Serve right away and enjoy!
Top with black bean salsa, pico de gallo, drizzle of sour cream and a couple scoops of guacamole. Serve right away and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
Filed under
You might also like
Crispy & Cheesy BBQ Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Crispy, cheesy BBQ chicken quesadillas made quick and easy for lunch or dinner. Packed with smoky flavor and melted cheese, this crowd-pleasing recipe belongs in your weekly rotation.
Baked Deli Chicken Sandwich Recipe (Super Cheesy!)
Melty, cheesy, and incredibly easy to make — this Baked Deli Chicken Sandwich is the ultimate quick lunch. Loaded with gooey cheese and savory chicken, it will become your new favorite.
The Best Spicy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe
Get the crispiest, most flavorful spicy BBQ chicken wings using your air fryer. Bold heat meets smoky sweetness in every bite. The perfect finger food for dinner or game day.
Easy One-Pot Chicken Rice and Veggies Recipe
Easy one-pot chicken and rice with veggies — a fuss-free dinner the whole family will love. Minimal cleanup, maximum flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights!
Bold and Spicy Cajun Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Bold, smoky, and packed with heat — this Cajun Chicken Spaghetti is an easy weeknight recipe ready in under 30 minutes. Spicy, satisfying, and impossible to resist.
Super Healthy Spinach Turkey Burger Recipe
Make the juiciest homemade turkey burger packed with fresh spinach for a healthy, flavorful dinner. This easy turkey burger recipe is nutritious, delicious, and perfect for the whole family.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).