Spicy Buffalo Chicken Nachos (Printable)

Spicy buffalo chicken piled on crispy chips with melted cheese, fresh toppings, and ranch—ideal for game day.

# What You 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, optional
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional

→ Ranch Drizzle

10 - 1/3 cup ranch dressing

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow to reach full temperature.
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-coated chicken evenly over the chips.
05 - Sprinkle cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the 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. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in under half an hour, so you can pull off something impressive without the stress.
  • The contrast between spicy buffalo heat and cool ranch is ridiculously addictive.
  • It feeds a crowd without a lot of dishes or fuss, which means more time with people and less time scrubbing pans.
  • You can adjust the heat level and toppings to make it yours every single time.
02 -
  • If you layer the nachos too thick, the bottom chips will stay soggy and sad, so keep it to one generous layer.
  • Don't bake them too long or the chips will turn bitter and tough, just until the cheese melts is perfect.
  • Drizzle the ranch after baking, not before, or it will separate and look unappetizing.
03 -
  • Let the nachos rest for just a minute after baking so the cheese sets slightly and doesn't slide off when you grab a chip.
  • If you want restaurant-level presentation, build the nachos on a cast iron skillet and serve it straight from the oven.
  • Keep extra ranch and buffalo sauce on the side for people who like to customize their heat and cool levels.
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