BBQ Nachos
intro
Crispy tortilla chips piled high with smoky BBQ pulled pork, melted cheese, and bright tangy toppings, ideal for casual summer group sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F), then line a large 38cm x 25cm (15in x 10in) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and simplify cleanup.
Coat Pork in BBQ Sauce
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 250g shredded cooked pulled pork with 80ml (1/3 cup) of the smoky hickory BBQ sauce, stirring until every pork piece is evenly coated; set the remaining 40ml (2.5 tbsp) of BBQ sauce aside for final drizzling.
Layer Base Nacho Ingredients
Spread half of the 200g tortilla chips in an even, single layer across the parchment-lined baking sheet. Top the chips evenly with half of the sauced pulled pork, half of the 120g rinsed black beans, half of the 50g diced red onion, and half of the 200g shredded cheese blend.
Add Second Nacho Layer
Repeat the layering process with the remaining tortilla chips, pulled pork, black beans, diced red onion, and shredded cheese to create a stacked, evenly loaded batch, checking to ensure no bare chips are left without topping.
Bake Until Cheese Melts
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated 200°C (400°F) oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly around the edges, and edges of exposed chips are lightly golden and crisp. Watch closely after 7 minutes to avoid burning chips or cheese.
Top and Serve Nachos
Remove the baked nachos from the oven, then immediately top with 60g drained pickled jalapeño slices, a zig-zag drizzle of the reserved 40ml BBQ sauce, even dollops of 80g sour cream, a light sprinkle of 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 15g chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot while the cheese is still soft and stretchy.
Tips
2.Use room-temperature warmed pulled pork for layering; cold pork will lower the pan temperature and lead to unevenly melted cheese.
3.Add delicate fresh toppings like diced avocado, lime wedges, or pico de gallo only right before serving, as these will wilt or turn mushy if baked.
OMG these loaded smoky BBQ nachos were a total game changer for our Friday family movie night! I threw in some extra pickled jalapeños like I do for all my nacho recipes, and the smoky BBQ flavor paired so perfectly with the melted cheese and crispy chips. My kids devoured two full platters and asked if we can have them again next week. SO easy to throw together too, only took me about 25 minutes total even with my toddler hanging on my leg the whole time!
Made these for my buddy’s watch party for the football game last Sunday, and they were gone in literally 10 minutes. The smoky BBQ rub on the chicken? *Chef’s kiss* I did add a little extra drizzle of hot honey on top because I love that sweet heat, and it slapped. Only complaint is I wish I made a double batch, people were scraping the pan for the last bits of cheese.
Made these last night and they were SO good, the whole family loved them! Quick question though — has anyone tried prepping parts of this ahead of time for meal prep? I love nachos but usually they get soggy if I make them too far in advance, and while the 25 minute cook time is super easy, I’d love to chop toppings the night before on busy weeks to make it even faster.
Brought these to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and I had so many people begging for the recipe! The smoky BBQ flavor is such a nice change from the usual taco-seasoned nachos everyone brings. I used a mix of pepper jack and sharp cheddar for extra cheesy depth, and topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro after baking. So easy, so flavorful, will absolutely be making these again for our next get-together.
I was worried I couldn’t make these work for my vegan diet, but I swapped the chicken for jackfruit tossed in smoky BBQ sauce, used dairy-free cheddar, and it was SO good! Even my meat-eating roommate stole half the plate and said he couldn’t tell it was vegan. Super versatile recipe, love that it’s easy to tweak for different diets.
Tried these last night in my tiny dorm oven and they turned out great! My only note is that my chips got a little burnt on the edges after 10 minutes in the oven — maybe my oven runs hot? Flavor was still 10/10 though, the smoky BBQ sauce is incredible.
Made these for a casual date night in with my partner and it was the perfect low-fuss, high-flavor meal! We paired it with a couple of cold beers and spent the whole night picking at the platter while we watched movies. I added some crispy bacon bits on top because everything is better with bacon, and it complemented the smoky BBQ so well. 10/10, will be a regular in our rotation.
Test ran these before our big tailgate next month and wow, these are going to be the star of the parking lot. The smoky flavor doesn’t get lost even with all the loaded toppings, which is a problem I’ve had with other nacho recipes. I’m planning to keep the cooked BBQ chicken warm in a crockpot and assemble the nachos in disposable aluminum pans right at the tailgate so they’re fresh and hot. Can’t wait to impress the crew!
Okay this was the first savory recipe I’ve ever made that didn’t turn into a total disaster! I was so nervous making something for my roommate’s birthday, but the instructions were so straightforward and easy to follow. The smoky BBQ flavor was insane, everyone kept asking where I got the recipe. I did accidentally use mild BBQ sauce instead of smoky, so I added a pinch of smoked paprika to make up for it and it worked perfectly!