Hawaiian Chicken Nachos
Hawaiian Chicken Nachos are not your typical pan of chips and cheese! Shredded chicken tossed with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, a punch of sweetness from the pineapple, and two kinds of gooey cheese, are fun new twist on classic nachos on that are sure to wow your family or anyone coming over to watch the big game!
Why make Hawaiian Chicken Nachos?
We love BBQ chicken sandwiches in my house. In the summer, we often top grilled chicken with a bold or spicy BBQ sauce and then top them with a slice of pineapple. That combination of sweet, juicy pineapple cutting through the tangy vinegar of the BBQ sauce, is really something special!
When my husband asked me to make some fun appetizers to munch on while we watched the Minnesota Vikings game over the weekend, I thought that I’d try and cross our favorite BBQ chicken sandwich flavors with a classic game day appetizer like nachos. I am pleased to say, it worked.
What do you need?
- tortilla chips(I like these)
- shredded chicken (check out my step by step instructions for perfect shredded chicken here)
- fresh or canned pineapple
- BBQ sauce
- red onion
- sharp cheddar cheese
- monterey jack cheese
- cilantro (optional)
How to make Hawaiian Chicken Nachos
In a medium sized bowl, mix 3/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce with the shredded chicken. Toss to make sure all of the chicken is nice and covered in sauce. My favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe is actually a combination of two….half a cup of this sauce and half a cup of this sauce mixed together.
If using canned pineapple, drain the juice. Slice your pineapple into thin, bite size pieces. Since you will be eating it off of chips, you don’t want a huge chunk of fruit. Slice the red onion in thin strips.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and start layering your nachos. Start with a large cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper for an easier clean up since I don’t like to chisel baked cheese off my pan, but this is completely optional).
Layer the chips, BBQ chicken onion slices and pineapple.
I like using a combination of cheeses in this recipe for a double punch of creamy, cheesy pleasure. I use sharp cheddar cheese for a tangy, bold flavor and monterey jack to get a softer, more milky flavor.
When making nachos, take the time to shred the cheese yourself. While pre-shredded cheese is super quick and convenient, it’s typically coated a product that keeps it dry to prevent clumping in the bag. This also tends to prevent it from melting well. So even though it takes a bit longer, I always buy the big block of cheese and shred it up myself when I get home. My all-time favorite kitchen gadget is this slicer/shedder attachment for my KitchenAid mixer! It sheds the entire block of cheese in seconds.
Sprinkle the cheeses on top making sure to get some in between all of the crevasses of the chips and toppings. You will want that cheese goodness allllllll over every bite.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Drizzle remaining BBQ sauce over the top.
Top with chopped cilantro (optional).
Hawaiian Chicken Nachos
Equipment
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 6 oz shredded chicken
- 13 oz bag of tortilla chips
- 1 c pineapple thinly diced
- 3/4 c BBQ sauce
- 1/4 c BBQ sauce
- 1/2 c red onion sliced into thin strips
- 1 c sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 c Monterey jack cheese
- cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mix 3/4 cup BBQ sauce with the shredded chicken. Toss to make sure all of the chicken is nice and covered in sauce.
- Slice your pineapple into thin, bite sized pieces.
- Slice the red onion in thin strips.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and start layering your nachos. Start with a large cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper for an easier clean up since I don’t like to chisel baked cheese off my pan, but this is completely optional).
- Layer the chips, BBQ chicken onion slices, pineapple and both kinds of cheese.
- Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cilantro (optional) and serve.
