Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Grilled Chicken Nachos are a delicious and fun way to use your grill, even in the chillier months. Piled high with cheese and favorite toppings, the grilled smokey flavor will really surprise you! Choose from 2 flavors: BBQ Chicken Nachos or Mexican Nachos.

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

Grilled Chicken Nachos

BBQ Chicken Nachos or Mexican Nachos? Luckily you don’t have to choose, because today we’re making BOTH flavors of these grilled chicken nachos!

These Grilled Nachos are fun for the whole family to make together. There’s something so cozy about grilling hot food outside in the chilly fall air, the smoky smell permeating the backyard. The grill gives the chips an extra crispy texture and the cheese bubbles and melts beautifully on top.

We’re making two delicious flavors of these nachos: BBQ Chicken Nachos and Mexican Nachos! Choose your favorite, make both, or come up with your own flavor combo.

The key to perfect nachos is doing a double layer of chips, cheese and toppings. They’ll turn out crispy and cheesy every time!

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (3)

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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Grilled Nachos Toppings

Once you have your base of chips, cheese and shredded cooked chicken, the sky’s the limit when it comes to toppings for these grilled chicken nachos. My family loves traditional Mexican toppings, and I’m a fan of barbecue flavors. So here are some ideas for a couple of our favorite flavors.

BBQ Chicken Nachos

  • Shredded queso
  • BBQ sauce
  • Cilantro
  • Caramelized onions

Mexican Nachos

  • Mexican blend cheese
  • Black beans
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Caramelized onions
  • Taco seasoning

How to Make Grilled Chicken Nachos on an Outdoor Grill

Making Chicken Nachos on the grill is super easy and only takes about ten minutes. They make the most delicious game day appetizers or a quick and fun weekend lunch. Some quick tips for perfect Grilled Chicken Nachos:

  1. Avoid putting the nachos over a direct flame.
  2. Place hot coals on the far side of the grill. This will help not to burn the chips.
  3. Grill about ten minutes, turning the tray once to get both sides nice and toasty.
  4. When you remove the tray from the grill, use a spatula to cut and serve up as much as you like.
Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (6)

Can I Make Grilled Nachos Inside?

Yes! If you don’t have an outdoor grill or just want to make them inside, you can use the broiler in your oven or on a stove top grill. They’ll taste delicious this way too!

When should I serve these grilled chicken nachos?

This recipe is perfect for so many occasions! Nachos are one of my favorite Superbowl Appetizers, and they’re a must for Cinco de Mayo. Serve these on any game day, at a summer BBQ, on Taco Night, or any time you need a fun dinner.

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (7)
Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (8)

Easy Nacho Recipes

The brilliant thing about nachos are how versatile they are! You can dress up chips and cheese a million different ways. Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Easy Foil Packet Nachos
  • Nachos Supreme
  • Street Corn Nachos
  • Skillet Steak Fajita Nachos
  • Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
  • Buffalo Chicken Nachos
Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (9)

This grilled nachos recipe is so much fun! Gather your loved ones and use your imagination to make the world’s best nachos. Choose from BBQ Chicken Nachos, Mexican Nachos, or come up with your own flavor combo. Happy grilling! Be sure to try these Homemade Beef Mexican Pizzas too.

If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.

Recipe

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos and Mexican Nachos)

4.86 from 14 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (10)

Serves8

Print Rate

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Grilled Chicken Nachos are a delicious and fun way to use your grill, even in the chillier months. Piled high with cheese and favorite toppings, the grilled smokey flavor will really surprise you! Choose from 2 flavors: BBQ Chicken Nachos or Mexican Nachos.

Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (11)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

Ingredients

  • 24 ounce bag of tortilla chips
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sour cream for serving
  • salsa for serving
  • guacamole for serving

FOR MEXICAN CHICKEN NACHOS

  • 1 cup cooked chicken shredded we used rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup mexican blend cheese
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup plum or cherry tomatoes diced
  • 1/2 onion diced and carmelized
  • 1 tablespoon chicken taco seasoning

FOR BBQ CHICKEN NACHOS:

  • 1 cup cooked chicken shredded
  • 1 cup shredded queso cheese
  • 1/2 cup bbq sauce we used blues hog
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced
  • 1/2 onion diced and carmelized

Instructions

  • heat up ingredients in separate pans on the stove, mixing together the chicken with the spices, salsa, and tomatoes for mexican side, and cilantro, chicken, and bbq sauce for bbq side. add salt and pepper to each variation, to taste

  • in separate pans, heat up the black beans, and caramelize the onion

  • preheat the grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat

  • spray grill pan with cooking spray

  • place a single layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of a grill tray. sprinkle with cheese, and then a layer of the chicken and other toppings, topping with more cheese.

  • create another layer of chips, cheese, and toppings. top with more cheese :)

  • place grill tray on the grill over indirect heat. cover for 5 minutes, then turn and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

  • remove from the grill and use a spatula to cut and serve. serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. enjoy!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 542kcal (27%) Carbohydrates: 68g (23%) Protein: 12g (24%) Fat: 25g (38%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Cholesterol: 14mg (5%) Sodium: 629mg (27%) Potassium: 324mg (9%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 7g (8%) Vitamin A: 190IU (4%) Vitamin C: 0.6mg (1%) Calcium: 263mg (26%) Iron: 2.6mg (14%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (13)

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FAQs

Are nachos better in oven or grill? ›

The cooking method

Drummond "nukes" the nachos in a microwave and the NYT grills them, but the best results, I find, come from baking, which heats the dish all the way through without making the base layer soft and chewy.

Do you put cheese on top or bottom of nachos? ›

Scatter your choice of shredded cheese on top and pop them into a preheated oven at about 220°C for roughly 5 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Next, layer on your selected toppings – drizzle your favourite salsa, sprinkle your choice of meat or vegetable fillings and scattered jalapeño peppers.

Are nachos high in calories? ›

Together, a single serving of nachos could contain about 220 to 256 calories. Typically, however, a single serving of nachos contains more 10 chips and more than 1 oz. of cheese, resulting in a total calorie count ranging from about 346 to 554 calories per serving.

How many calories are in 2 slices of barbecue chicken pizza? ›

There are 315 calories in 1 serving of Yard House BBQ Chicken Pizza (2 Slices). * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.

Is it best to bake or broil nachos? ›

Bake, don't broil. Some nacho recipes will call for broiling, but we usually recommend baking instead. It may take a bit longer, but the cheese will melt more evenly, and the toppings will warm up thoroughly this way. If you do choose to broil, be sure to keep a close eye on the nachos, as they can burn quickly.

What is the best way to eat nachos? ›

Nachos are a finger food, much like French fries, so you'd want to eat them with your fingers. This is especially important if you are sharing a bowl of nachos with other people. If you are serving nachos at a party, consider including some baby wipes or hand sanitizer.

Is it better to bake or grill? ›

While baking is certainly a healthy way to prepare food, if you're conscious of fat intake, grilling might be an even better option. Not only do you not need added fats, but with this method, fat drips away from food while cooking, according to the Mayo Clinic.

How to make nachos in the oven not soggy? ›

* To prevent the chips from getting soggy, sprinkle grated or crumbled cheese on top and bake them in the oven for a few minutes. When melted, the cheese will act as a buffer between the chips and toppings. * The chips should to be heated evenly and the cheese well melted.

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