Spicy Buffalo Chicken Nachos (Printable)

Crispy tortilla chips piled with spicy buffalo chicken, melted cheese blend, and ranch drizzle. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
02 - 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce

→ Nachos

03 - 7 oz tortilla chips
04 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
05 - 0.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings

06 - 0.25 cup sliced green onions
07 - 0.25 cup diced celery
08 - 0.25 cup diced tomatoes, optional
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional

→ Ranch Drizzle

10 - 1/3 cup ranch dressing

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss shredded chicken with buffalo wing sauce until evenly coated.
03 - Spread tortilla chips evenly on a large oven-safe platter or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
04 - Scatter buffalo chicken evenly over the tortilla chips.
05 - Sprinkle cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese evenly over chicken and chips.
06 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
07 - Remove from oven and drizzle ranch dressing over hot nachos.
08 - Top with green onions, celery, tomatoes, and cilantro as desired.
09 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns leftovers into something people actually get excited about, no apologies needed.
  • The contrast between spicy buffalo chicken and cool ranch makes every bite feel balanced and intentional.
  • You can have this on the table faster than most delivery orders, and it tastes twice as good.
  • It scales up or down easily, so whether you're feeding two or twelve, the formula just works.
02 -
  • Don't overdress the chicken with buffalo sauce or it will pool at the bottom and make the nachos soggy, a light even coating is all you need.
  • Use two kinds of cheese because cheddar alone can get greasy and clumpy, while Jack keeps everything smooth and stretchy.
  • Always add the ranch after baking, not before, or it will split and look curdled under the heat.
03 -
  • Layer in stages if you're making a huge batch, alternating chips, chicken, and cheese twice so the bottom layer doesn't get neglected.
  • Warm your buffalo sauce slightly before tossing it with the chicken so it coats more evenly and doesn't cool down the meat.
  • Use a shallow, wide pan instead of a deep dish so more chips get direct heat and stay crispy instead of steaming.
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