Simple Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos - These nachos are layered with a refried bean mix, grilled chicken fajita meat, two kinds of cheese, a generous amount of toppings, and finished with a creamy lime sauce.
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Simple Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
Simple Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos make an excellent, easy dinner or quick appetizer for a football party. Sheet Pan Nachos come together in a flash and are easy to clean up. Just grab the entire parchment paper and throw it in the trash.
If you’re looking to feed a crowd (or just a hungry family) with an easy to make meal or appetizer everyone will love, these nachos are an excellent option. The homemade chips are stacked with beans, meat, cheese, and then piled high with extra toppings. Because they are made on a sheet pan so every bite has equal toppings. You won’t end up with plain chips missing toppings the way you would with normal nachos.
Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Recipe Ingredients
- Thin Corn Tortillas
- Avocado Oil Spray
- Coarse Kosher Salt
- Refried Beans
- Salsa
- Chicken Fajita Meat
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Limes
- Sour Cream (or Nonfat Greek Yogurt)
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Taco Sauce
- Avocados
- Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Optional: Lime Wedges for serving
How to Make Chicken Nachos on a Sheet Pan in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Cut each corn tortilla into 8 triangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with avocado oil (this will make sure the bottom sides of the tortillas have oil without having to spray and flip).
- Lay corn tortillas on parchment paper in one layer making sure none overlap.
- Spray corn tortillas with avocado oil spray.
- Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.
- Bake in the oven for 4 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 400°F.
- While chips are baking, add your refried beans to a saucepan over medium heat. Add salsa to refried beans. Once heated through, remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat your chicken fajita meat depending on what you have on hand. You can make it fresh, or use pre-cooked/frozen fajita meat. Be sure it’s cooked and heated through.
- Once chips are done, spread the refried beans evenly over all chips.
- Top the bean coated chips with chicken fajita meat.
- Sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese evenly over the top of the nachos.
- Place back in the oven for 3 minutes or until cheeses are melted.
- While cheese is melting, mix together lime, sour cream (or nonfat greek yogurt), lime juice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Drizzle creamy lime sauce and taco sauce across cooked nachos.
- Top nachos with chopped red onion, chopped tomato, avocados, cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime.
What is the best way to layer nachos?
The best way to layer nachos is to start with chips, followed by refried beans, meat, and then cheese. Once the cheese is melted and the nachos are out of the oven, the cold ingredients can be added on top, ending with the sauce last.
How long should you put nachos in the oven?
If all of the ingredients are cooked through and heated, nachos only need to be in the oven for 3 minutes to make sure the cheese melts.
At what temperature do you melt nachos?
The best temperature to melt nachos is 400°F.
Sheet Pan Nachos (Chicken Version) Tips
- If your tortilla chips don't seem crispy when you take them out, don't worry. Let them cool and they should become crispy. Don't put them back in the oven, they will likely burn.
- I find that coarse kosher salt gives the best flavor to the chips. You could technically use regular salt, but I don't feel like it flavors them the same way.
Chicken Nacho Recipe FAQ
Don't make these in advance. Your chips will get soggy. You can make all of the components in advance, but the assembly needs to happen right before serving.
Yes! You definitely can.
Yes, you can. I would just be sure you use a chicken that is flavorful and juicy.
You can use whatever your favorite cheese is, but I find that a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and Pepper Jack cheese offer the best flavor and texture.
I do not recommend it. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it to keep it from clumping. It actually keeps it from melting as well as freshly shredded.
Yes, melting cheese on nachos in the oven is a great way to melt cheese without causing the chips to become soggy.
To keep sheet pan nachos from getting soggy, it’s important that you start with crispy chips and layer in the right order. Over time, no amount of preparation will prevent them from ever getting soggy, but layering in the right order and using the right chips will keep them crispy the longest.
Some great toppings for nachos include:
- Beans
- Beef
- Chicken
- Cheese
- Lettuce
- Avocados
- Tomatoes
- Olives
- Jalapenos
- Sour Cream
Alterations for picky eaters
- Use the beans they like best. If they don't like refried, you could use pinto or black beans.
- Use the type of protein they like best. If they prefer shredded chicken, no chicken, or even ground beef, use that instead.
- Omit the toppings they don't like.
- Serve the sauces on the side.
Alterations to lower calories or WW points
- Use Mission Extra Thin Corn Tortillas - they are less points and less calories
- Use fat free refried beans - the calories will be lower than the full fat beans
- Use boneless skinless chicken breast fajita meat instead of dark meat/thighs
- Use reduced fat cheeses
- Load up on the veggie toppings!
- Use nonfat Greek yogurt for the creamy lime sauce
What goes with nachos for dinner?
Some great side dishes for nachos include:
- Beans
- Jalapeno Lime Rice
- Pozole
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 16 thin corn tortillas
- avocado oil spray
- coarse kosher salt
- 10.5 oz can refried beans
- ½ cup salsa
- 8 oz chicken fajita meat pre-cooked and sliced
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 jalapeno sliced (seeded if you like less heat)
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup taco sauce
- ½ of an avocado diced
- ½ cup tomatoes diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- optional: lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Cut each corn tortilla into 8 triangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with avocado oil (this will make sure the bottom sides of the tortillas have oil without having to spray and flip).
- Lay corn tortillas on parchment paper in one layer making sure none overlap.
- Spray corn tortillas with avocado oil spray.
- Sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.
- Bake in the oven for 4 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn the oven down to 400°F.
- While chips are baking, add your refried beans to a saucepan over medium heat. Add salsa to refried beans. Once heated through, remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat your chicken fajita meat depending on what you have on hand. You can make it fresh, or use pre-cooked/frozen fajita meat. Be sure it’s cooked and heated through.
- Once chips are done, spread the refried beans evenly over all chips.
- Top the bean coated chips with chicken fajita meat.
- Sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese evenly over the top of the nachos.
- Place back in the oven for 3 minutes or until cheeses are melted.
- While cheese is melting, mix together lime, sour cream (or nonfat greek yogurt), lime juice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Drizzle creamy lime sauce and taco sauce across cooked nachos.
- Top nachos with chopped red onion, chopped tomato, avocados, cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime.
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