Buffalo Chicken Nachos - The Nessy Kitchen (2024)

Published: Mar 11, 2024, Last Modified: Apr 3, 2024 by Janessa.

These Buffalo chicken nachos combine two favorite appetizers into one! Perfect for the next time you want a fun dinner or a crowd pleasing game day appetizer, a sheet pan of these is easy and delicious. Homemade Buffalo sauce is tossed with shredded chicken, spread over crispy tortilla chips and topped with two types of cheese for these Buffalo wing inspired nachos.

These nachos are everything you love about buffalo wings- spicy sauce, tangy blue cheese and juicy chicken plus everything that is great about nachos- gooey, melted cheese, crispy tortilla chips and loads of toppings.

In a nutshell, they are fantastic!

We all know that Buffalo chicken flavor is too good to be reserved for just chicken wings.

It's fabulous as the base for chilis, sandwiches, dip and even casseroles.

But a sheet pan of buffalo chicken nachos- talk about an epic appetizer! (Chimichurri nachos are on this level too).

Real quick before you start making these nachos, let's go over a couple of key tips for making high quality nachos.

First, take the time to layer them evenly so that all of the chips have toppings (If I want tortilla chips without toppings, I'd be making some Creamy Queso Dip, thankyou).

Second, shred your own cheese from the block (and crumble your own blue cheese). Pre-shredded (or pre-crumbled) cheese is coated to prevent it from sticking together in the bag. But this coating ends up preventing it from melting as evenly.

Now go make yourself a sheet pan of these Buffalo chicken nachos!

The Ingredients

• Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs or Breasts- If you have some already cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, that will work too.
• Frank's Red Hot Sauce + Butter- We will use the combination of Frank's and butter to make our own "Buffalo Sauce". If you have Buffalo sauce on hand, you can use ¼ cup of that in place of the hot sauce and butter in this recipe.
  • You should be able to find this Frank's Hot sauce in almost any grocery store. Another similar cayenne sauce may work but this is the only one that I have tested the recipe with.
  • Is buffalo wing sauce the same as hot sauce?No. Buffalo sauce is essentially a hot sauce that has been enhanced with butter and often some additional seasonings. For this recipe, we will be usinghot sauce + butter to make our own buffalo wing sauce.
• Corn Tortilla Chips- I try to use low-salt or no-salt chips for nachos so that they don't turn out too salty with the toppings. I find the cheese and toppings usually make it salty enough on their own.
• Mozzarella Cheese- For best melting, shred it yourself. You can substitute another melty cheese such as white cheddar or regular cheddar.
• Blue Cheese- The creamy and tangy flavor of blue cheese is common with Buffalo flavors (it definitely takes this Buffalo chili to the next level!) and it really rounds out these nachos. If blue cheese is too strong for you, you can try it with goat cheese or feta instead.
• Red Onion- Adds just a bit of bite that complements the buffalo flavor. If needed, you can use a red or yellow onion or you can leave it off.
• Green Onions- Sliced for some extra fresh flavor and garnish.

The Method

1. Make the Buffalo Sauce. In a medium, microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the hot sauce until well combined and set aside.

2. Prepare chicken. Place your boneless, skinless chicken in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to medium andlet simmer until the chicken is cooked through to 165 F, about 12-14 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon or fork to remove the chicken and shred.TIP: Place it in a deep bowl and use a hand mixer or in a stand mixer to shred it quickly. (Or, you can dice it into small pieces.)

Place the shredded chicken in a the bowl with the buffalo sauce and mix with until coated evenly. (Just like with BBQ sauce for Barbecue Chicken Nachos).

3. Assemble nachos. Spread the tortilla chips, overlapping slightly, on a large baking sheet in a single layer.

Spoon ¾ cup of the Buffalo chicken mixture over top followed by half of the red onions and a handful of green onions.

And then add half of the shredded mozzarella follow by half of the crumbled blue cheese.

Top with a second layer of nacho chips, then the second amount of toppings and finally both cheeses.

4. Bake Sheet Pan Nachos. Bake the Buffalo chicken nachos at 400 F for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

5. Serve! Garnish with green onions.

Leftovers and Storage

Make Ahead: Cook the shredded chicken up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. (Make a big batch and you'll have some on hand for Chimichurri chicken nachos too!).

To Store: Cool leftover Buffalo nachos on a wire rack completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To Reheat: You can reheat leftover nachos by spreading them in a single layer on a sheet pan and placing them in the oven or toaster oven at 300 F for 15-20 minutes. Or see this post for microwave, air fryer and stove top reheating methods plus tips.

Smaller Batch: If you know that you won't eat the full tray of nachos, I recommend assembling a smaller portion and storing the leftover Buffalo chicken mixture, cheese and any other toppings in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Then you can assemble extras fresh rather than reheating leftovers and possibly having soggy nachos.

Make it Your Own

Make a Bigger Batch- You can easily double the recipe and assemble it in three layers on a very large baking sheet (or two smaller sheets) if you're serving a big group.

Skillet Nachos- You can also assemble the Buffalo chicken nachos in a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet. You'll need to divide the chips and toppings into 3 layers instead of 2, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F and increase the baking time by a couple of minutes to ensure even melting of all of the layers.

Serving Ideas

Load these sheet pan Buffalo nachos up with all of your favorite toppings and sides such as:

• Chopped green onions
• Sliced celery and carrots (to fit the vibe of "Buffalo wings")
• Diced Tomatoes or Canned Tomato Salsa
• Guacamole or diced avocado
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Tips For the Best Nachos

• Take the Time to Layer Properly- Taking the time to lay out the chips rather than dumping the bag ensures even toppings and cheese so take the extra couple of minutes to assemble them well.
• Shred Your Own Cheese- In order to make the best homemade nachos, please shred your own cheese because pre-shredded cheese is usually coated to prevent it from caking together which prevents it from melting as well.
• Make Clean Up Easy- You can line your baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper if you want to make clean up easier.

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And if you liked this recipe...

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• Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad