BBQ grilled chicken nachos are the perfect dish for any tailgate party. Add your favorite toppings for a game day appetizer! Gluten free chicken nachos are easy to make to feed a crowd.
You may want to make a few batches because these will be eaten very quickly. They are that good!
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It is our favorite time of year. I can sum it up in just two words. College football.
It is time to cheer loudly for our teams, get together with friends, and every now and then make the trek out to watch our teams in action....and eat nachos! Who are you rooting for? We are big Longhorn and Cal fans!
What better dish to serve up for our tailgate party than these deliciously easy chicken nachos!"
Nachos are one of my favorite appetizers because you can change them up in so many ways. Today we are skipping the spicy salsa and moving into BBQ sauce in honor of the Longhorns.
If you love chicken as much as we do, you will want to check out ALL of my delicious Gluten Free Chicken Recipes.
What barbecue sauces are gluten free?
I used Stubb's Barbecue sauce, but there are so many good gluten free barbecue sauces out there. Other great gluten free barbecue sauces are:
- Sweet Baby Ray's
- Kinders
- Organicville
- Bone Sucking Sauce
Are tortilla chips gluten free?
A note about tortilla chips...I know many people assume a corn chip is gluten free, but you really do need to check. A good Celiac friend bought a bag of corn chips at Whole Foods last month, didn't read the label, and she got really sick.
Brands change, sometimes they don't use a dedicated fryer if it is a big company...please read the label!
Not everyone likes the same toppings on their nachos. I have very different kids...don't even get me started on the picky one. She likes the chips and cheese. That is it. No salsa or barbecue sauce. My son and Mr. Fearless Dining like their nachos loaded and piled high with toppings.
If you like a more traditional nacho, try these delicious Black Bean Nachos. (There is a homemade bean dip recipe there too!)
Topping ideas:
- onions
- steak
- Barbacoa
- shrimp
- sausage (they are die-hard meat lovers!)
- salsa verde or regular salsa
- green chilis
- black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans
- refried beans
Recipe step by step directions:
Fire up your grill :-). The first step is to grill your chicken!
Use the thawed chicken to grill this recipe.
Can you grill frozen chicken?
I don't advise grilling frozen chicken, but here are some great tips for thawing your chicken so you can use it quickly:
- If you have time, soak the package of chicken in a sink with hot water for 20 minutes.
- Defrost the chicken in the microwave for 5-8 minutes first. You want them to soften, but not cook all the way in the microwave.
- Increase the cooking time by 50%. You really want to ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through. Don't forget to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is 165º F inside!
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: I took chicken thighs and added salt and pepper to each side. Rub the chicken thighs with olive oil so they stay moist while grilling.
Step 2: Remove the chicken from the grill and slice it thinly on a cutting board.
Step 3: Spread chips out onto a pan and load with the grilled chicken and sauce. Use as much or as little chicken and BBQ sauce as you like! Add your favorite vegetables.
Step 4: Bake the barbecue nachos for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Garnish the top with guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and jalapenos. You are going to love these healthy chicken nachos!
For more gluten free appetizer ideas, check them out.
More delicious appetizers:
Recipe
BBQ Gluten Free Chicken Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 3 cups tortilla chips
- ⅓ cup corn kernals
- ¼ cup guacamole
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup scallions
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno sliced thinly
- salt pepper, cayene pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 450º F.
- Rub chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- (*optional for spicy sprinkle a tiny amount of cayenne pepper onto each thigh)
- Brush each chicken thigh with olive oil.
- Grill until thighs have an internal temperature of 165º F.
- Remove, cover with foil and let thighs rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice chicken thinly.
- In a baking tray, add chips.
- Sprinkle barbecue sauce and chicken.
- Top with cheese.
- Bake at 350º F for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Top with tomatoes, corn, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapenos.
Notes
- You can use chicken breast if you prefer in this recipe.
- Gluten free barbecue sauces I love include Stubbs, Bone Sucking Sauce, Sweet Baby Ray's, and Kinders. There are lots of other brands of gluten free barbecue sauce, just make sure to read the labels.
- Double-check that the corn tortilla chips you purchase are gluten free.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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This post was updated from an older June 2015 post with more details and easier-to-follow directions.
Annette Sailors
These are also delicious on waffle fries.
Sandi Gaertner
That sounds so good!
Marie
I've always made nachos with ground beef, but this looks good. Nachos and bbq chicken are a great combo.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Marie 🙂
Michele @ Flavor Mosaic
These BBQ Chicken Nachos combine two of my favorite types of food! BBQ and Mexican Food! Yum! I love making BBQ Chicken nachos. I have to try this recipe. One of my favorite toppings is fried onion strings. They are so good.
Sandi Gaertner
That is pure genius. We love fried onion!!
Renee Gardner
I'm always looking for an excuse to dive into a plate of nachos! These look divine! Yum!!
Sandi Gaertner
They are one of my favorites too 🙂