Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Of all the foods you’d expect to see at a game day party, Buffalo chicken wings is at the top of the list—as is a big pan of nachos loaded with melted cheese! This recipe is a brilliant mashup of the two. Buffalo chicken nachos have a layer of crunchy, salty tortilla chips topped with all the best parts of Buffalo chicken: spicy wing sauce, blue cheese and tender chicken. There’s even a sprinkle of diced celery on top.

A generous amount of grated cheddar cheese melted over the chips and chicken makes these spicy nachos really irresistible. Don’t wait for a Super Bowl party to make them; nachos recipes like this one are great for movie nights, lazy weekends and easy family dinners.

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Nachos

• Rotisserie chicken: Pick one up at the store, then shred the breast and dark meat for the nachos. Rotisserie chicken recipes like these nachos make it easy to assemble meals and appetizers in no time.
• Tortilla chips: I used an 11-ounce bag for these nachos, which is about 10 cups of chips. Choose a tortilla chip that’s sturdy with some heft, and avoid thin restaurant-style chips, which will break under the weight of the toppings.
• Buffalo wing sauce: Of all the chicken wing sauces, we chose a classic Buffalo wing sauce for these nachos. Made with hot pepper sauce (like Frank’s RedHot) and butter, it has fiery heat and an instantly recognizable reddish-orange hue.
• Blue cheese: Add some sharp and tangy flavor to the nachos by sprinkling blue cheese over the top. You can pick up a wedge of blue cheese and crumble it yourself, or look for already-crumbled cheese stocked with other gourmet cheeses.
• Cheddar cheese: A hefty helping of grated cheddar is melted over all the chips and chicken. I like to grate my own cheese with a box grater or handheld grater, because it melts more smoothly than bagged shredded cheese.
• Celery: Buffalo wings are usually served with celery sticks, so you’ll dice fresh celery very finely and sprinkle it over the top. It adds fresh flavor to these baked, cheesy nachos.
• Red onion: A little finely chopped red onion on top of the nachos adds color and a savory flavor that’s perfect with the cheddar and wing sauce. Here’s how to chop an onion with ease.
• Ranch dressing: The final touch is a drizzle of ranch over the nachos once they’re out of the oven. Serve more on the side for dipping, and to help cut the heat of the wing sauce.
• Toppings: Make these chicken wing nachos your own with optional toppings like chopped green onions, sour cream or sliced jalapenos.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the chips

Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet, or line it with foil. Spread the tortilla chips over the prepared pan.

Step 2: Add the rest of the toppings

In a bowl, stir together the shredded chicken and Buffalo wing sauce until the chicken is coated. Spread the chicken over the tortilla chips.

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, followed by the blue cheese crumbles.

Finally, sprinkle the diced celery and red onion over the cheese.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the nachos until the cheeses are melted, about 10 minutes.

Editor’s Note: You can also place the pan of nachos under the broiler for five to seven minutes. The cheese should be melted and lightly browned in spots. Watch the chip edges to make sure they don’t burn.

Step 4: Add the dressing and serve

Drizzle the ranch dressing lightly over the top of the hot nachos. Garnish the nachos with the optional jalapenos, chopped scallions and dollops of sour cream.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos Variations

• Add pickles: It’s not your usual nachos topping, but dill pickles are delicious with hot sauce! Add a few sliced pickles to the top of the nachos along with the celery and red onion, then bake them.
• Change the dressing: Instead of ranch, drizzle the nachos with blue cheese dressing.
• Cube the chicken: For bigger bites of the wing sauce-coated chicken, cut it into cubes instead of shredding it.
• Use other types of cooked chicken: If you have leftovers from a big roast chicken, this is a great recipe to use them up. Or, use canned cubed chicken or bags of precooked chicken strips.
• Omit the blue cheese: Not a fan of pungent blue cheese? Simply omit it from the recipe. Or, for a lighter dose, add a drizzle of blue cheese dressing instead.
• Try other cheeses: Replace the cheddar and blue cheese (or combine them) with other good melting cheeses, such as Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Mexican-blend cheese or mozzarella.
• Add other toppings: Along with our suggestions above, add more of your favorite nachos toppings. Try sliced olives, cooked and crumbled bacon, black beans or cubed avocado.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Nachos

While Buffalo chicken nachos are best enjoyed right out of the oven, leftovers can be stored in the fridge to be finished up later. Transfer the nachos to a sealed food storage container, or move them to a plate and cover it tightly with storage wrap. Any ingredients not used for making the nachos should be stored in separate containers. Chicken, cheese and diced vegetables should be stored in the fridge. Tortilla chips should be stored at room temperature.

How long do Buffalo chicken nachos last?

Leftover Buffalo chicken nachos should be enjoyed with four days. Leftover shredded chicken with wing sauce can also be stored for up to four days.

What’s the best way to reheat nachos?

The best way to reheat leftover nachos is in the oven, so that the chips can crisp up and the cheese can melt. Transfer the nachos to a greased or lined baking sheet. Reheat them in a 350° oven until they’re warmed through.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos Tips

What else can you serve with Buffalo chicken nachos?

These Buffalo chicken nachos pack some heat, so I love to enjoy them with a cold, light-bodied beer. If you’re a fan of classic brews, check out our Test Kitchen’s favorite cheap beers. Or serve the nachos with a refreshing, grapefruit-forward paloma cocktail. Having a party? Set the Buffalo nachos out with other favorite apps like ham and cheese sliders, bacon cheddar potato skins, cowboy caviar and good old guacamole.