Shredded Chicken Nachos
You’re going to love these cheesy shredded chicken nachos! They are loaded with layers of crunchy tortilla chips, shredded salsa chicken, beans, and two layers of cheese. After a quick broil, it’s time to add ALLLLLL the fresh toppings.
These loaded chicken nachos are the perfect blend of crunch, spice, and cheese. Whether you’re making game day food, having a movie night at home, or simply need an easy dinner, nacho night will save the day!
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
What You’ll Love About Shredded Chicken Nachos
- So many delicious flavors
- Cheesy crunchy layers
- Filling and satisfying meal
- Great for game day, movie night, or parties
- Easy to prep
- Easy to customize for the whole family
- Can use shortcuts, leftover chicken or prep chicken ahead
Ingredients
- Shredded chicken – I would recommend using this slow cooker chicken with salsa for these nachos, but you can also use grilled chicken, sous vide chicken, or even shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Shredded cheese – I highly recommend using queso asadero or queso Oaxaca for the best flavor, but you can also use shredded cheddar, Mexican blend, Monterey jack, or Pepper jack cheese.
- Beans – We like using refried black beans, but canned refried beans will also work well. And if you prefer black beans or pinto beans, rinse and dry before layering them onto the nachos.
- Tortilla chips – Use the best chips you can. I find that thicker and flat tortilla chips are ideal so they are sturdy enough to hold plenty of toppings.
- Lettuce – Use a crunchy lettuce like iceberg or romaine heart that is thinly shredded.
- Avocado – Use a perfectly ripe avocado and if they are already a little mushy, consider making a quick guac and using that instead of diced avocado.
- Nacho toppings – Include your favorite toppings like sour cream, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, diced tomatoes, a squeeze of fresh lime juice or lime wedges, plenty of cilantro, diced red onion, sliced green onions, jalapeno peppers, black olives, hot sauce. Anything goes and these toppings will take your sheet pan chicken nachos to the next level!
Emily’s Tip
I would recommend having everyone make their own sheet pan nachos nachos! You can easily make smaller trays made out of aluminum foil so they all fit on a larger baking sheet and then let everyone decide what goes on their nachos. Personalized meals can go a along way – plus its fun for everyone to make their own.
And of course, serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter.
How to Make Chicken Nachos
This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
- Prep. Preheat broiler and prep ingredients: heat shredded chicken for nachos, chop lettuce, chop cilantro, dice onion, dice avocado.
- Assemble chicken nachos. Spread out a single layer of tortilla chips on a large sheet pan. Top with a layer of shredded cheese, dollops of beans, drained chicken mixture, and another layer of cheese. TIP: Drain chicken well so that it doesn’t make your nachos soggy.
- Cook nachos. Broil nachos on the second or third rack down for 1-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Watch closely as this will cook quickly!
- Top nachos. Top with your favorite nacho toppings.
Nutrition: What I See
Nachos may not be what you immediately think of when you think “healthy dinner” but let me tell you what I see in this meal. I see energy (carbs), protein, fiber, and flavor – all important components in my nutrition opinion.
Storage
Nachos are best eaten immediately, but components can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to Prep Ahead
The best way to prep this easy recipe ahead is to cook your salsa chicken in the slow cooker.
You could also prep ahead some of the toppings a day or two in advance.
What to Serve with Nachos
These nachos can absolutely be a full mean on its own, but if you’d like to add a side or two, these are some favorites:
- Elote in a Cup (Mexican street corn)
- Roasted Corn Salsa
- Refried Black Beans
- Chipotle Copycat Fajita Veggies
More Tex-Mex Recipes
If you love these nachos, you’ll love these other Tex-Mex recipes:
Want More?
Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.
Easy Shredded Chicken Nachos Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Everyone loves these cheesy shredded chicken nachos! They are loaded with layers of chips, shredded chicken, beans, cheese, and fresh toppings!
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded salsa chicken*
- bag of tortilla chips (I recommend thicker chips so they are sturdier)
- 16 oz. shredded cheese (I like quesadilla cheese, cheddar, Monterey jack, or anything that melts well)
- 15 oz. can of refried beans or homemade refried black beans
- 1 romaine lettuce heart
- 1 medium avocado
- pico de Gallo or salsa
- sour cream
- chopped cilantro
- chopped red onion
- extras: hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, black olives
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to high.
- Prep ingredients:
Heat chicken in microwave or stove top if not already heated through.
Wash and chop lettuce.
Wash and chop cilantro.
Mince red onion.
Dice avocado. - On a large sheet pan, put down a single layer of chips. Top with a layer of shredded cheese, dollops of refried beans, drained chicken mixture (you don’t want too much moisture or the chips will get mushy), and some more shredded cheese.
- Broil until the cheese has melted, 1-3 minutes, watching closely.
- Top with desired fresh toppings.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- *You’ll need cooked chicken for this recipe. I recommend crockpot salsa chicken, but you could also use shredded chicken from the store, rotisserie chicken, or grilled chicken.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
This post may contain affiliate links. They do not add any charge to you, but I will make a very small commission from them. I only link to products I use and recommend. Thank you for your support!
