Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos (Print)

Tortilla chips topped with BBQ chicken, bacon, red onion, and plenty of melty cheese for a crowd-pleasing snack.

# Ingredients:

→ Meats and Proteins

01 - 6 slices bacon
02 - 450 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs
03 - 450 grams boneless skinless chicken breast halves

→ Oils and Seasonings

04 - 2 teaspoons olive oil
05 - Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste

→ Sauces

06 - 310 milliliters sweet BBQ sauce, divided

→ Base and Chips

07 - 1 to 2 bags tortilla chips, depending on bag size

→ Cheeses

08 - 200 grams sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
09 - 200 grams Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated

→ Vegetables and Herbs

10 - 0.5 small red onion, thinly sliced or diced
11 - Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 200°C. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon slices until crispy, turning as necessary. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Once cooled, chop into small pieces and set aside.
03 - Place chicken thighs and breasts on a rimmed metal baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season both sides generously with lemon pepper seasoning. Bake on the middle oven rack for 18–20 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and internal temperature reaches 74°C.
04 - Remove chicken from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Shred with two forks into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl.
05 - Add 120–180 milliliters BBQ sauce to shredded chicken and toss until evenly coated.
06 - Reduce oven temperature to 160°C. Allow oven to cool prior to proceeding.
07 - Arrange tortilla chips in a single, slightly overlapping layer on a clean rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle a light layer of both cheeses over chips to form a barrier. Evenly distribute BBQ chicken over cheese. Top with remaining cheese, chopped bacon, and red onion slices.
08 - Drizzle remaining BBQ sauce over the assembled nachos. Adjust quantity to taste. The sauce will caramelize and intensify during baking.
09 - Bake nachos on middle rack at 160°C for 10–15 minutes, until cheese melts fully and sauce begins to caramelize at the edges.
10 - Remove the baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve hot while cheese is melty and chips remain crisp. Optionally, accompany with sides such as sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.

# Additional Notes:

01 - This quantity fills two quarter sheet pans or one half sheet pan.
02 - Freshly grated cheese melts more evenly than pre-shredded varieties.
03 - For added heat, incorporate sliced jalapeños or chipotle powder.
04 - Rotisserie chicken may be substituted to reduce prep time.

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