Supreme Nachos with BBQ Chicken
- Preparation 1 h 30 min
- Cooking 30 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍗 The party dish that steals the show every single time
These supreme nachos with BBQ chicken are the heavy artillery for Super Bowl nights, hockey playoffs or soccer matches. We’re talking chicken marinated in a homemade spice blend that caramelizes in the oven, piled on mountains of chips, crispy bacon, cheese curds and a medium-sharp cheddar that melts in generous layers. It’s the kind of dish you drop in the middle of the table and it triggers a religious silence for a solid five minutes. No plates required, just your fingers and a serious appetite.
🔥 A dry rub that changes absolutely everything
The secret here is the homemade dry rub. The brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili and garlic and onion powders create a caramelized crust on the chicken that delivers a depth of flavor impossible to achieve with a store-bought sauce. One hour in the fridge is all it takes for the spices to penetrate the meat and transform a simple chicken breast into something downright addictive. The two-layer assembly guarantees every chip gets its fair share of toppings.
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🔪 Layer the nachos in two distinct layers
The secret to fully loaded nachos is stacking two complete layers of chips with toppings and cheese. A single layer leaves the bottom chips bare and sad, drowned under the weight of the toppings. Two layers guarantee that every bite has its share of cheese, bacon and chicken. That’s the difference between decent nachos and nachos that silence an entire table.
📐 Cut the chicken into strips rather than cubes
Chicken strips distribute more evenly across the nachos and every chip gets a chance to grab a piece. Cubes tend to roll and concentrate in the dips. Plus, strips offer a better ratio of spiced crust to meat, which maximizes the flavor of the dry rub.
⏱ Respect the full hour of marinating in the fridge
The dry rub needs time to penetrate the meat and create that characteristic caramelized crust during cooking. Less than an hour and the spices stay on the surface without truly impregnating the chicken. The result will be seasoned chicken rather than transformed chicken. Patience here makes all the difference.
❄️ Prepare the dry rub in large batches ahead of time
This dry rub keeps in an airtight jar for several months at room temperature. Making a big batch means having it on hand for nachos, but also for pork chops, grilled chicken or even corn on the cob. It’s the kind of 5-minute investment that pays off for weeks.
🔥 Finish under the broiler for perfect cheese
The broiler pass is what transforms the cheese from simply melted to golden and slightly crispy on the surface. Watch closely, because the window between perfect and burnt is short. Those golden bubbles add the final crunchy texture that takes nachos from good to absolutely memorable.
Ingredients for the dry rub
- 2 chicken breasts (total 350 g)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) salt
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) chili powder
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) onion powder
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) garlic powder
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) dried oregano
Ingredients for the nachos
- 250 g nacho chips
- About 1/2 cup (125 ml) salsa
- 250 g cheese curds
- 1 cup (250 ml) sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) corn
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 10 slices of bacon, cooked crispy and chopped
- 3 cups (750 ml) medium-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- Sour cream (for serving)
- Guacamole (for serving)
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Preparation
- In a bowl, mix all the dry rub spices together. Place the chicken breasts in an airtight container, pour about 1/2 cup of dry rub and close. Coat the chicken well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the chicken breasts on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C). Slice into strips and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- On a large serving platter or baking sheet, spread half the tortilla chips followed by a little salsa. Add half the cheese curds, corn, olives, bell pepper, bacon, tomato, red onion and cheddar cheese.
- Add the remaining tortilla chips followed by the remaining cheese curds, corn, bell pepper, olives, bacon, tomato and red onion.
- Top with the remaining salsa, the chicken strips, a few jalapeño slices, then cover with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Switch to broil and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and slightly golden. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
Absolutely. Thighs even yield a juicier and more flavorful result thanks to their higher fat content. Adjust cooking time to about 25 minutes or until 165 °F internal temperature. The taste will be even richer.
In an airtight container at room temperature, the dry rub easily keeps for 3 to 4 months. Store it away from moisture and direct light to preserve the potency of the spices.
You can prepare the marinated chicken and cut all the vegetables the day before. Assembly must be done right before cooking to prevent the chips from getting soggy. Putting it all together takes barely 5 minutes when the elements are ready.
Fresh mozzarella cut into cubes offers a similar result with its stretchy texture. Monterey Jack cheese or a tex-mex blend also work very well. The key is having a cheese that melts without becoming oily.
Yes. Use a cast iron pan or an aluminum tray on the grill over indirect heat around 350 °F. The result is even better thanks to the light smoky flavor that adds to the paprika in the dry rub.
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