Spicy Buffalo Chicken Nachos (Printable version)

Crispy chips piled with spicy buffalo chicken, melted cheese, and ranch drizzle—an easy appetizer perfect for entertaining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

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

→ Nachos

03 - 7 oz tortilla chips
04 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
05 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings

06 - 1/4 cup sliced green onions
07 - 1/4 cup diced celery
08 - 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

→ Ranch Drizzle

10 - 1/3 cup ranch dressing

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour, which means you can decide to make it on a whim and still have time to clean up before anyone arrives.
  • The combination of spicy buffalo chicken and cool ranch creates that addictive contrast that keeps hands reaching back for more.
  • You can adjust the heat level easily, making it work for both the friend who douses everything in hot sauce and the one who prefers things mild.
  • Cleanup is minimal since everything bakes on one tray, and honestly, theres usually not much left to clean anyway.
02 -
  • Dont layer your chips more than two levels deep or the bottom ones will stay cold, sad, and naked while the top ones hog all the cheese.
  • If you add jalapeños or any wet toppings before baking, they can make the chips soggy, so I learned to add them fresh after the oven unless I want that softer texture.
  • Always have extra ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side because someone will want to dunk, and youll thank yourself for thinking ahead.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper under your nachos for the easiest cleanup, it also prevents sticking and makes transferring to a serving platter simple.
  • If youre feeding a big crowd, build nachos in two smaller batches rather than one giant pile so everyone gets access to the good stuff without fighting through layers.
  • Warm your buffalo sauce slightly before tossing with the chicken, it coats more evenly and absorbs better into the meat.
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