Buffalo Chicken Nachos Remix

Name: Buffalo Chicken Nachos Remix
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded and tossed in 3/4 cup buffalo sauce; 8 cups blue corn tortilla chips; 2 1/4 cups shredded Colby cheese; 1 fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced; 1 ripe avocado, diced; 1 medium tomato, chopped; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; Juice of 1 lime

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 08 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Shredded chicken tossed in tangy buffalo sauce with crispy blue corn chips, melted Colby cheese, fresh jalapenos, avocado, tomato, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Broil cheese until just gooey, warm chicken gently in oven heat. A hit for game night or casual eats. Flavor melds quickly using simple technique and keen timing. Easy swaps, tips on reading doneness over clocks, and methods to avoid soggy chips included.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 6 min

Total: 18 min

Servings: 8 servings

#American #snacks #game day #easy cooking #chicken #nachos

Before You Start

Buffalo flavor slammed into crispy chips with cheese melting just right – that’s where I start. Not about sitting and steeping; speed matters, but watch with eyes, not clocks. Chicken tossed hot in buffalo brings the punch. I’ve learned—cheese doesn’t need long under broiler, just till it shimmers, bubbles, edges turning slightly toasted. Then throw chicken on top but no broil again—oven off works perfect so chicken warms gently, no dry-out. I swap blue corn chips for multigrain if out, sometimes sharp cheddar replaces Colby for bite. Toppings fresh, bright—jalapeno’s heat, creamy avocado, citrus from lime. The real secret? Timing and watching cheese’s visual cues. Chips stay crunchy, chicken moist, flavors loud. Nachos at their best without fuss.

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded and tossed in 3/4 cup buffalo sauce
8 cups blue corn tortilla chips
2 1/4 cups shredded Colby cheese
1 fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime

About the ingredients

Shredded chicken tossed in buffalo sauce is the base; balance sauce’s heat with mild cheese—Colby melting soft but mild. Blue corn chips add a deeper crunch, but if unavailable, sturdy multigrain or plain corn chips work. Avoid flimsy chips—they’ll drown under cheese and chicken. Slice jalapenos thin unless you want raw fire; seed or half to control heat. Avocado adds cooling cream, tomatoes pop texture and moisture, cilantro brightens flavor. Lime juice finishes, cuts fat, and adds freshness. Leftover rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut. Buffalo sauce can be homemade or store-bought but watch salt levels. Cheese quantity adjusts to personal melt preference—more cheese means gooier, but risk soggy chips if too much. Using cast iron or oven-safe skillet traps heat creating an even melt zone, skip if unavailable but use thick rimmed baking tray.

Method

Lay out tortilla chips evenly in large cast iron skillet or another oven-safe pan; don't overcrowd
Sprinkle shredded Colby cheese evenly over chips; cover so cheese melts uniformly
Broil 3½ inches from heat on high; watch close—cheese bubbles and just begins browning edges signals done (about 1½-2 minutes)
Pull skillet from oven, scatter buffalo chicken atop melted cheese
Turn oven off but return skillet inside; close door and let residual heat warm chicken 4-5 minutes; no direct heat needed here or chips get soggy
Top nachos with jalapeno, cilantro, tomato, avocado, then squeeze lime juice over everything before serving

Cooking tips

Building flavors means layering right. Spread chips flat, single layer; stacking creates uneven melt and soggy spots. Cheese comes first onto chips since it acts as glue for toppings, watch carefully—cheese goes from liquid glossy to bubbly and slightly toasted fringes. Remove at first signs of bubbling on surface for best texture. Adding chicken to hot cheese layer with oven off, using residual heat to warm chicken through preserves moisture and avoids rubbery texture. Do not rebroil with chicken, chips burn fast. Topping with cold fresh ingredients after warming maintains textural contrast—heat for melting, freshness for crunch and zing. If timing is tight, blue corn can be toasted briefly in dry pan before assembling to deepen flavor. Common slipups: over broiling cheese resulting in dark spots and dry edges; under warming chicken, leaving it cold in center. Watch closely, trust shine and feel when cheese is right, chicken should feel warm to touch—not hot blast in oven.

Chef's notes

💡 Layer chips flat; no stacking or soggy zones sneak in. Cheese lays on top first, acts like glue. Watch it close—bubbles form, edges brown just right means pull quick. Messed timing? Burnt or liquid mess happens fast.
💡 Broil distance matters. Around 3½ inches from heat. Too far, cheese won’t bubble well. Too close, scorches edges before melting inside. Listen cracks, small sizzling sound start—timer’s friend but eyes win.
💡 Buffalo chicken warmed from residual oven heat not direct broil. Oven off with skillet inside for 4-5 minutes. Keeps chicken moist, avoids rubbery texture; no dry, no cold spots. Rebroil ruins chips—don’t try.
💡 Swap blue corn for sturdy multigrain if none around. Plain corn chips okay but avoid thin fragile ones. Cheese amount controls sogginess—more gooey cheese, higher sog danger. Adjust melt to personal feel; less means crunch stays.
💡 Top cold fixings last: jalapeno heat, avocado cream, citrus zing from lime juice. Adds fresh contrast to warm layers. If time tight, toast chips slightly dry pan before layering. Sharp cheddar swaps fine if bite wanted.

Common questions

Can I use other cheese?

Sure swap Colby with sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack. Melt behavior changes. Cheddar sharper, takes longer maybe. Jack melts smooth but less flavor punch.

How to keep chips crunchy?

Flat layer main. Avoid overloading cheese or chicken amounts. Warm chicken using oven off trick. Avoid rebroiling once chicken’s on. Toast chips briefly if soggy risk high.

What if no blue corn chips?

Multigrain or sturdy corn chips work well. Avoid flimsy types that soak moisture quick. Toast them first on dry pan if worried about sogginess. Use whatever holds up under cheese weight.

How to store leftovers?

Refrigerate in airtight container. Reheat gently in oven or skillet, no microwave unless you want soggy chips. Eat within 2 days. Chicken can dry fast, cover well.