BBQ Chicken Nachos

Gather your people around these boldly flavored chicken nachos for parties, game days, or a fun family meal. (Amy Dong)

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Why This Recipe Stands Out

We love a good BBQ recipe! Here’s why this is our top pick:

• Marinated Chicken: The secret to the amazingness of these nachos is the flavorful chicken! Our pineapple-based marinade takes it to the next level, like in our Maui Chicken Tacos recipe.
• Savory and Sweet: The marinade for this chicken is one of the best we’ve ever tasted. It’s a perfect blend of savory and sweet.
• Perfect for Entertaining: BBQ Chicken Nachos are the ideal party food. They’re easy to make, customizable, and pair beautifully with summer cocktails.
• Fresh and Healthy: It’s super fresh, ultra-healthy, and delicious, just like our Fresh Fruit Salsa.

Key Recipe Ingredients

• Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs—We use this cut of chicken as it is the most tender and juicy. However, chicken tenderloins can also work.
• Pineapple Juice—The pineapple juice not only tenderizes the chicken but also infuses it with a sweet and tangy flavor that is characteristic of Hawaiian cuisine.
• Asian Sesame Oil—Adding a touch of this oil gives the chicken a nutty, aromatic flavor that sets it apart from traditional BBQ chicken.
• Pineapple—The pineapple in the salsa adds a refreshing, sweet-tart flavor that pairs perfectly with the savory chicken and cheese.
• Avocado—It provides a creamy contrast in the salsa to the crunchy, cheesy nachos.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are a few of our favorite substitutions variations:

• Protein: While we love using thighs since they’re the most tender, you can also use other proteins like turkey or even ground beef as we do in this Mexican Taco Salad.
• Cheese: Feel free to get creative with the cheese. Try using pepper jack, a sprinkle of crumbled queso fresco, or even some Mexican cheese blend which adds a ton of flavor to our Cheesy Mexican Bean Dip.
• Salsa: This fresh pineapple salsa is what makes these nachos really special, but you can switch it up by using Mango Salsa, Corn Salsa, or even Black Bean Corn Salsa on top.

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

1. Whisk together onion, garlic, ginger, pineapple juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil.
2. Pat dry chicken pieces thoroughly and pound them to an even thickness. Pierce the pieces with a fork and season lightly with salt.
3. Toss chicken pieces in the marinade. Cover and chill overnight, or for up to 2 nights. Turn it over halfway during marinating.
4. Combine all salsa ingredients except avocado in a bowl and let chill. Dice and add the avocado just before using it.
5. Grill the chicken on medium-high heat, basting with the marinade. Let it rest for 5 minutes and then dice it.
6. Line plates with tortilla chips. Top with chicken and salsa. Sprinkle on cheese and microwave in 30-second increments to melt. Garnish and serve.

How to Prep Ahead

Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

• Make the Chicken: The chicken can be marinated and chilled in the fridge for up to 2 days before grilling. This is a great make-ahead option that lets you get the prep out of the way early.
• Prepare the Salsa: You can also make the Hawaiian salsa up to a day in advance. Dice and add the avocado just before using it to keep it fresh.
• Assemble Ahead: Have a party in the evening? You can fully assemble your nachos and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, simply microwave in 30-second increments until the cheese melts and garnish as desired.

(Amy Dong)

What to Serve With BBQ Chicken Nachos

Mexican Sides and Dips

• We love serving these BBQ Chicken Nachos with a big bowl of our Blender Salsa. It’s fresh, flavorful, and perfect for scooping up with those crispy tortilla chips.
• Pico de Gallo and Guacamole are also great side options. They’re both light, and fresh and compliment the flavors of the nachos so well.
• If you love a good fish taco, you will love our Crispy Fish Taco Recipe. That creamy lime sauce is a must-try!

Hawaiian and BBQ Dishes

• These BBQ Chicken Nachos also pair really well with Hawaiian-inspired dishes. We recommend trying them with our Huli Huli Chicken or our BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich.
• If you’re looking for some tasty side dishes to serve with these nachos, we think they would go great with a side of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
• It’s also great with classic BBQ and grilling recipes such as Grilled Pork Chops with Marinade, Grilled Chicken Thighs, and Marinated Grilled Shrimp.

Summer Cocktails

• These nachos also go great with easy summer drinks such as this Big Batch Pineapple Margaritas that can be made ahead of time.
• This 4-Ingredient Mango Sour is another crowd-pleaser that goes great with BBQ chicken nachos!

BBQ Chicken Nachos

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins Cook Time: 10 minutes mins Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Serve 6

For the Chicken:

• 2-3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, thighs are most tender, but tenderloins can work
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about 1-inch, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, regular strength
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 5 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• table salt

Salsa:

• 1 large vine-ripened tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 can diced pineapple, 20 ounces, or crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro, freshly chopped
• 1 fresh lime, juiced
• 2 teaspoons pure honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 large avocado, semi-firm, diced

Other:

• tortilla chips
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or Jack cheese
• lime slices, and/or hot sauce, for garnish

Make the Chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the onion, garlic, ginger, pineapple juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and Asian sesame oil. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and marinade is well incorporated.

Use paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry the chicken pieces. Place chicken in a single layer on a cutting board, place a sheet of cling wrap over the chicken, and pound to an even thickness. Throw out cling wrap. Use a fork to pierce chicken pieces throughout.

Lightly sprinkle chicken thighs on both sides with table salt. Toss chicken in bowl of marinade to coat well. Cover and chill overnight, or up to 2 nights. Turn chicken over halfway during marinating.

Make the Hawaiian Salsa

Combine all salsa ingredients except for avocado in a bowl, toss well, and let chill until ready to use – dice and add the avocado just before using, to prevent browning.

To Cook

Grease and heat outdoor or indoor grill to medium-high. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, basting with marinade as desired, just until center is no longer pink. Do not over-cook. Discard marinade. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then dice.

Line 4-6 plates with tortilla chips. Top with chicken and salsa. Sprinkle on cheese and microwave in 30 second increments just to melt. Garnish as desired.

Notes

• Make sure to pat-dry the chicken and pound it to an even thickness. This helps the marinade to be absorbed evenly and also ensures that the chicken cooks uniformly on the grill.
• Don’t skip the step of piercing the chicken with a fork. This allows the marinade to penetrate the meat, making it more flavorful.
• Chill the marinated chicken for at least overnight, or up to 2 nights. This not only helps the flavors to meld but also makes the chicken extra tender.
• When making the Hawaiian salsa, add the diced avocado just before using to prevent browning. This will keep your salsa looking fresh and vibrant.
• Grease and heat your grill properly before cooking the chicken. This will prevent the chicken from sticking and also give it those beautiful grill marks.
• Line your plates with tortilla chips first, then top with chicken and salsa. This helps to keep the chips crispy and prevents them from getting soggy too quickly.
• Microwave the assembled nachos in 30-second increments just to melt the cheese. This way, your nachos will be hot and gooey, but the chips will still maintain their crunch.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you!

Nutrition (per serving)