Buffalo Chicken Potato Nachos

These buffalo chicken potato nachos will have the whole family asking for seconds! This versatile recipe works with what you have in the refrigerator, so you’ll save money AND have an easy, satisfying dinner.

Have you ever been so busy that you forgot to come up with a plan for dinner?

Let me guess, silly question?

On one EXCEPTIONALLY busy day, the dinner hour came, and I opened the fridge to find “nothing.”

I’m sure this has happened to you too, right? The fridge isn’t entirely empty, but nothing really stands out as desirable for a meal.

That’s what my fridge looked like. Hot sauce, mayo, a couple of cheese sticks, pickles, oranges, and random vegetables were pretty much it.

It was like one of those cooking shows where you get a box of random ingredients, trying to come up with a nourishing meal out of condiments and food scraps. I was at a loss, but the family still had to eat, and going to the store wasn’t an option.

ONE-PAN BUFFALO CHICKEN POTATO NACHOS

So, I pulled out some potatoes, quartered them, and roasted them in the oven.

I topped them with a bit of this and a little of that and ended with a drizzle of Hot Sauce.

Two bites later, the comments started rolling in.

“Mom, this is so good!”

“Mom, can you make this again?”,

“This is really good honey; can we do this again with blue cheese on top too?”

And that’s how this One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Potatoes dish (AKA Potato Nachos) was born.

BAKED POTATO NACHOS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

This potato nachos recipe is really versatile. Although I’m giving you a specific ingredient list, you can substitute what you have for the veggies, the cheese, and even the meat, and still have a delicious dinner. And you’ll get the satisfaction of making dinner “out of nothing” too!

• Potatoes: Russet potatoes, baby reds, or golden potatoes all work well here.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Coating the potatoes with fat helps them crisp up to a nice golden brown when roasting, plus it helps them not stick to the pan! You can also use coconut oil, bacon grease, or avocado oil.
• Salt and pepper: These basic seasonings are all you need for tasty roasted potatoes.
• Carrots: Shredded is best for this recipe since they’re only in the oven for the last 10-15 minutes of the cooking time.
• Celery: Much like the carrots, finely dicing them helps them cook in the time they’re in the oven. You know how you get carrots and celery sticks with wings sometimes, along with a side of ranch? All those flavors just work together. You can substitute bell peppers, green onions, or even sliced mushrooms if that’s what you have on hand.
• Cooked shredded chicken: I keep one-cup portions of cooked shredded chicken in the freezer, and they’re perfect for recipes like this! You can also substitute cooked ground beef, diced ham, or even black beans for your protein.
• Shredded cheese: We like shredded cheddar cheese but use what you have. Mozzarella, pepper jack, or Colby would be just fine too.
• Blue cheese: This was my husband’s suggestion to add to the potato nachos, and it gives just enough sharp flavor and creaminess to really complement the potatoes and the hot sauce.
• Hot sauce (optional): You can just make the nacho potatoes as is but drizzling them with a sauce (or two!) really kicks things up a notch!
• Ranch dressing (optional): If your family isn’t a fan of hot sauce, Ranch Dressing also makes a great potato nacho topping.

HOW TO MAKE POTATO NACHOS

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425F.

Step 2: Chop the potatoes so they’re about 1-2″ in size and spread them into a single layer on a baking sheet. It’s okay if they touch, but you don’t want them stacked on top of each other.

Step 3: Toss the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until the potatoes are medium golden brown.

Step 5: Reduce the oven temperature to 400F.

Step 6: Cover the potatoes evenly with the carrots, celery, and chicken, in that order.

Step 7: Top everything with the cheeses and place back in the oven until the cheese melts and is bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 8: Serve with Hot Sauce and/or Ranch Dressing, as desired.

HOW TO SERVE NACHO POTATOES

We’ve had nacho potatoes several times since then, and we’ve made them a few different ways, but all of them were yummy!

• Change the veggies slightly. Finely diced green bell peppers, chopped green onions, or even sliced mushrooms all work.
• Try a different sprinkle of cheeses. We opt for sharp cheddar and blue cheese fairly often, but mozzarella, pepper jack, Colby, or queso fresco would all be delicious. Use up what you have on hand. You really can’t go wrong with cheese.
• Top with a different meat or make them vegetarian. Diced ham, leftover cooked ground beef, or black beans all work.
• Play around with different sauces. Adding Homemade Ranch Dressing or Homemade Buffalo Sauce is exceptionally good.
• Use your favorite nacho toppings! Tomatoes, diced red onions, black olives, cilantro, Guacamole, sour cream, or Cheese Sauce.
• If you miss the classic tortilla chips in nachos, try making potato slices instead of cubes or wedges.
• Make sweet potato nachos! Use sweet potatoes, and top with diced ham and Swiss cheese for a different flavor.

One thing is for sure – potato nachos are a crowd-pleaser every time!

POTATO NACHOS TIPS

Line your cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for a crazy-fast clean-up.

We’ve had leftovers reheated in the microwave AND re-toasted in the oven. The potatoes lose some of their crispiness in the microwave, so the oven is preferred, but the microwave will work in a pinch.

You can halve this recipe for an easy appetizer or make it as-is for a main course (pair with a salad if you have big eaters). It’s a fun option on game day!

Be sure to really pack those potatoes on the baking sheet – they shrink a bit while cooking. If you don’t, your family will eat the whole thing and not leave a single portion left over for lunch! Trust me, you want leftovers…

CHICKEN NACHO POTATOES FAQS

MORE BUDGET-FRIENDLY DINNER IDEAS

• Easy Minestrone Soup
• Homemade Pizza
• Weeknight Veggie Stir Fry
• Sheet Pan Sausage Peppers & Onions
• Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
• Salsa Chicken