Game Day Hot Honey Chicken Nachos

Hut, hut, hut! Don’t fumble the game day snacks: make my Super Bowl worthy Game Day Hot Honey Chicken Nachos! Here’s the game plan – let’s tackle the nachos first! Football and nachos are the ultimate game day pairing! My Hot Honey Chicken Nachos combine everything you love about a Buffalo chicken sandwich: the chicken, hot sauce, pickles and Ranch dressing with classic nacho toppings. They’re cheesy, creamy, crispy, crunchy, delicious, flavourful, tangy, spicy and so satisfying! If you’re looking for game day fuel, these Hot Honey Chicken Nachos are for you! Let the snacking begin!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Wings, dip, nachos and touchdowns! My Game Day Hot Honey Chicken Nacho recipe starts off with cooked chicken. Whether you roast boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, use leftover chicken (breasts or thighs will do) or opt for store-bought rotisserie chicken, you really can’t go wrong! Just remove and discard any bones, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks and toss it into a large bowl. A sweet, spicy and citrus-forward sauce is poured over top and gives this chicken a little sweet heat and brightness. Hot sauce, honey and freshly squeezed lime juice form the basis of this quick and easy sauce.

Now, for the fun part: the assembly! This nacho recipe consists of 2 layers of ingredients. Double the trouble, double the fun! The first layer starts with a bag of corn tortillas, spread over the base of the parchment-lined baking sheet, followed by half the cheese, hot honey chicken, black beans and green onions. A second bag of tortillas is layered over top, followed by the remaining portion of cheese, hot honey chicken and black beans. The nachos are then popped into a preheated oven and cooked until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are slightly toasted.

These nachos came to play and are drizzled with Ranch dressing from end zone to end zone! In lieu of a traditional sour cream topping, Ranch dressing gives these nachos some creaminess, freshness, tanginess and richness, while also balancing out the spiciness of the hot honey chicken. Next up, dill pickles (yes, you read that correctly), a staple in any Buffalo chicken sandwich, are added to the mix. Sliced pickles impart a ton of big and bold flavour, giving these nachos a bright, tangy and salty bite. Traditional toppings, such as fresh green onions, cilantro and avocado are layered over top, giving this dish some added creaminess, freshness, herbaceousness and peppery tasting notes. There you have it, nachos that are game day ready! Satisfy your cravings with this game winning dish!

Game day is for grazing! These nachos are packed and stacked high, in both quantity and flavour! Let’s activate feast mode and tackle the mountain of nachos! My Game Day Hot Honey Chicken Nacho recipe comes together in 20 minutes, uses a handful of simple and everyday ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make! This easy nacho recipe deserves a spot in your game day spread. So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!

For more fun and exciting game day snacks, try my French Onion Dip, 7 Layer Dip, Pigs in a Blanket, Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, Fully Loaded Nachos, Pulled Pork, Turkey Chili, Oven Baked Ribs, Macaroni Salad, No Churn Ice Cream and Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 – 12 minutes

Total Time: 20 – 22 minutes

Serves: 8 – 10

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (See Notes below), divided

• ½ cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot sauce

• 3 Tbsp honey

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 bags of corn tortilla chips (approx. 600g)

• 7 cups grated Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese (approx. 560g), divided

• 1 ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (approx. 1 540mL can), divided

• 6 green onions, thinly sliced, divided

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 cup store-bought or homemade Ranch dressing, divided

• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced

• 2 dill pickles, thinly sliced

• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

• Store-bought or homemade salsa, as an accompaniment

  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a 11” x 17” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To a large bowl, add the hot sauce, honey and lime juice and whisk until combined. Add the shredded chicken and toss until well coated.

3. Add the first bag of tortilla chips to the base of the parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Sprinkle ½ the grated cheese over top, followed by ½ of each of hot honey chicken, black beans and green onions.

5. Toss the second bag of tortilla chips over top, spreading them into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheese, hot honey chicken and black beans.

6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tortilla are slightly toasted.

7. Remove the Game Day Hot Honey Chicken Nachos from the oven. Drizzle ¾ cup of Ranch dressing over top and garnish with cilantro, the remaining green onions and the avocado, dill pickle and jalapeño slices.

8. Drizzle the remaining ½ cup Ranch dressing over the individual portions or as desired. Serve and enjoy!

9. Enjoy as is or serve alongside your favourite salsa!

   
   

Notes:

1. Cooked, Shredded Chicken: I love roasting chicken breasts for this recipe. If you're short on time, a large rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken (including breasts, thighs or a combination thereof) work beautifully in this recipe. Simply place the cooked chicken onto a plate, remove and discard any bones and using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

2. Cooking the Chicken Breasts: This recipe calls for 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken breasts, which equates to approximately 1 ½ lbs or 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. To cook the chicken breasts, start by preheating the oven to 425F and line a 11” x 17” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the chicken breasts to the baking sheet and brush them with 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil. Season with 1 tsp garlic powder, ¾ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, the cooking time may vary. Smaller chicken breasts may cook in 25 minutes. You know your chicken breasts are fully cooked when using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature reaches 165F (74C). Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the oven, transfer them to a plate and set aside for 10 minutes. This crucial step allows the meat to rest and the juices to redistribute, yielding tender and juicy chicken breasts.