Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos with Ground Chicken
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Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos are a delicious and easy-to-make dish perfect for sharing with friends and family. The recipe involves tortilla chips, seasoned ground chicken, lots of cheese, and toppings like sour cream, jalapeños, and avocado on a single sheet pan. It’s perfect for game day!
The result is a crispy, flavorful, and satisfying meal that can be customized to your taste preferences.
Sheet pan nachos are one of my crowd-pleasing go-tos because they scale well, stay crisp when prepared correctly, and hit the table fast. I tested this method several times so the chips don’t get soggy and the cheese melts evenly.
If you like Tex-Mex flavors, try my tater tot taco casserole for an easy weeknight bake. It has the same crowd-pleasing vibe and goes great on game day.
Why I love serving Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos
- Weeknight easy: one pan, minimal cleanup.
- Crowd-ready: everyone grabs a corner and digs in.
- Build-your-own: swap toppings to match what you have on hand.
- Melty and crunchy: perfect chips, loads of cheese, hot from the oven.
- The perfect excuse to make this 5-minute food processor fresh salsa.
- Flexible: make them veggie, gluten-free, or extra spicy in seconds.
Jill’s Top Tips ✨
- Don’t skimp on the cheese or toppings.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Cut red bell peppers small, so they have time to soften.
- If serving a crowd double the recipe.
- Prep ingredients, including laying out the chips, chicken, and cheese, before your guests arrive, so all you have to do is throw the nachos in a preheated oven.
- Add a few drops of hot sauce right before serving.
Free 3 Ways To Cook Chicken PDF
Ingredients
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Tortilla Chips – Any brand of tortilla chips will work, but look for a round, flat chip.
- Ground Chicken – Substitute ground beef, ground turkey, diced chicken breast, shredded chicken, or shred a rotisserie chicken to use in this easy dinner. I love to use leftover chicken to make nachos, too!
- Taco Seasoning – Use store-bought, or even better, try this homemade version made with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and salt.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Best toppings for nachos
The sky’s the limit when it comes to nacho toppings. Pick your favorites and load those nachos up!
- Sour Cream
- Black Olives
- Avocado cream sauce or sliced avocado
- Lime Wedges – Lime juice will brighten the entire dish.
- Diced Red Onion or Chopped Green Onions
- Cilantro
- Red Bell Peppers
- Fresh Jalapeno – Jarred Jalapeno is great too!
- Green Chiles
- Black Beans
- Fresh Pico De Gallo
How to Make this Easy Chicken Nachos Recipe
Step 1: In a large skillet, brown the ground chicken, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the taco seasoning and water, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Step 2: Arrange the tortilla chips, seasoned chicken, shredded cheese, and diced red bell pepper (optional) in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake for 5-8 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from the oven when the cheese has melted.
Step 4: Sprinkle your favorite fresh toppings over the top of the chips. Serve immediately.
Storage
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The nachos will be delicious when using one of the techniques below to rewarm them.
How to Reheat Game Day Nachos
Air Fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 300 for about 5 minutes.
- While the air fryer is heating up, arrange the nachos in a single layer in the basket or on the tray of the fryer. If you have a large batch, you will need to reheat in multiple batches.
- Place the basket or tray in the air fryer and cook the nachos for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chips are crispy.
Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Arrange nachos in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the chips are crispy.
Stovetop:
- Start with a hot cast-iron skillet. Place nachos into the skillet in a single layer. Refrain from crowding to ensure they won’t get soggy.
- Cover the nachos with aluminum foil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chips are crispy.
No matter how you reheat your nachos, be sure to add additional toppings to the the nachos, such as salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
FAQ
Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese are my favorites to use for nachos. They are a great combination, and melt beautifully. Pepper Jack cheese is a great option, too!
There is a long list of available ingredients to go with nachos. Here you will find chicken nachos, but feel free to change up the protein with steak, onions and peppers, or pulled pork.
What to serve with this easy chicken nachos recipe
Some great side dish options to serve with chicken nachos is refried beans, Spanish rice, or taco soup.
Did you make the recipe? Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook! Thanks so much!
Recipe
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Nachos with Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 1 Packet Taco Seasoning
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 11 oz Tortilla Chips
- Diced Red Bell Peppers
- 1 ½ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 ½ cup Monterey Jack Cheese
Optional Nacho Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Black Olives
- Avocado or Guacamole
- Diced Red Onion or Green Onion
- Cilantro
- Salsa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground chicken breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Add taco seasoning and water, and simmer until the sauce thickens.1 pound Ground Chicken, 1 Packet Taco Seasoning, ¼ cup Water
- In a single layer on a large baking sheet, layer the tortilla chips, the seasoned chicken, shredded cheese, and diced red bell pepper (optional).1 11 oz Tortilla Chips, 1 ½ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 1 ½ cup Monterey Jack Cheese, Diced Red Bell Peppers
- Bake for 5 – 8 minutes. Remove from the oven when the cheese has melted.
- Sprinkle your favorite fresh toppings over the top of the chips. Serve immediately.Sour Cream, Black Olives, Avocado or Guacamole, Diced Red Onion or Green Onion, Cilantro, Salsa
Notes
- Make sure NOT to skimp on the cheese or toppings.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Be sure ground chicken is cooked through.
- Cut red bell peppers small, so they have time to soften just a bit.
- If serving a crowd double the recipe.
- Substitute leftover chicken for ground chicken.
- Add a few drops of hot sauce right before serving.
- Prep ingredients, including laying out the chips, chicken, and cheese, before your guests arrive, so all you have to do is throw the nachos in a preheated oven.
Love it!!!
I absolutely love nachos and that you’ve used ground chicken instead of beef. It makes me feel a little better about eating nachos. Except that, I’ll probably just eat more. But I’m okay with that!
Hi Kristy! The struggle is real when you add salsa and cheese. Thanks for taking a moment to comment.
You had me at chicken nachos! So easy and delish!
Hi Tina! I totally agree—nachos are one of the best last-minute dinners! I love that this recipe comes together so easily with ingredients I almost always have on hand. I’m so glad you enjoyed them, and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.