Game Day Sheet Pan Nachos Two Ways

Game day snacking won’t leave you feeling guilty thanks to these two recipe ideas for sheet pan nachos that’ll make you the winner at the end of the day.

This post is in partnership with Bolthouse Farms

My dad was always the nacho maker in our family and when my mom would throw her hands up in the air and declare she had no idea what to fix for dinner that night, she’d usually suggest something super simple like nachos and cross her fingers he’d be willing to take over the kitchen reigns for the night.

But dad didn’t make nachos the way most of us know nachos. There was no pile of chips and loading on of ingredients. My dad’s nachos were simple precision and consisted of the same 4 ingredients every time. Each tortilla chip was precisely laid out in rows on the baking sheet, then precisely topped with a teaspoon or so of refried beans, and then topped with a slice of cheese. They looked like little cheese topped tortilla cookies as they baked in the oven, and once they came out, they were topped with a slice of jalapeño.

And that was it. Done.

Sure they tasted great to me as a kid and quite honestly, I bet they still would win a nostalgia award. But as I got older and visited restaurants (okay, I’ll tell it like it is—BARS!) and someone at the table would order nacho, and then they’d come out as a big pile of cheesy deliciousness you had to dig through layers of taco meat, and beans, and guacamole, and sour cream to get to, my taste for nachos went up a notch or two.

Now these nachos, they’re taking it up even more, but I’m feeling totally good about that.

The thing about nachos is that they’re not normally the most New Years-resolution-diet-friendly-appetizer in the world, and so at nearly every football game viewing party you’ll see me in the corner looking grumpy as I eat another carrot stick as I ponder how long I can hold out on having JUST ONE cheesy chip. Just ONE chip. That then turns into me eating a whole plate of nachos just one chip at a time. Do you feel me?

But these nachos? They’re different, yet still give me the same satisfaction thanks to making a few easy swaps to the typical pile o’ nachos ingredient list.

Chicken and butternut squash stand in for taco meat, and fresh salsas add freshness and bulk while the main flavor enhancers for these nachos, and my swap for sour cream, is Bolthouse Farms creamy yogurt dressings. I’m sharing two recipes today that showcase two (or even three) of the dressings that make healthful options for game-day nacho chip snacking.

My first idea was to create a nacho option with a spicy fresh twist. I took shredded chicken breast and mixed in Bolthouse Farms Mango Chipotle yogurt dressing to sweeten the chicken and give it a kick. The creamy yogurt dressing comes in at only 40 calories per serving and helps lighten the load.

My favorite mango and avocado salsa recipe added another layer to the mango vibe, and since I couldn’t stop myself—and felt totally okay with not doing so—I drizzled more creamy yogurt dressing on top.

The next option is of the meat-free variety, but still has some heartiness to it thanks to roasted butternut squash dusted with chile powder and garlic salt. I took a lesson from dad and topped the chips with refried beans mixed with Bolthouse Farms Cilantro Avocado Yogurt Dressing.

Not a cilantro fan? You could easily use the Salsa Verde Avocado dressing instead.

After the melting has been done, I topped this side of my pan with my fresh and crunchy pico de gallo. Again, if you’re not a fan of cilantro, omit it and add chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley instead.

I chose to make one sheet pan of these nachos split with both recipes, so you could easily see the two variations in each photo, but the ingredient amounts listed below are for a whole sheet pan for each recipe. So if you want to split the nachos on one sheet pan, halve the amount of ingredients listed below.

I think my dad would be proud. Guess I better get my team jersey on, head to mom and dad’s house and make them for him to find out!

P.S. Do you like my cool personalized wooden nacho server? Find it here.

If you create your own stadium, please share! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

5 from 5 votes

Mango Chicken Cheesy Nachos

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Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword nachos

Servings 1 full baking sheet for 6-8 people

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 10- ounce bag corn tortilla chips
• 4 cups grated cheddar cheese or your preference of grated cheeses
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• ¼ cup Mango Chipotle Yogurt Dressing , plus more for drizzling
• 2 ½ cups mango salsa
• cilantro and sliced red jalapeños , chopped

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400° F. On a large baking sheet, scatter the tortilla chips so they barely overlap but cover the baking sheet completely. Sprinkle the chips evenly with the cheese. Place the chicken in a medium size bowl and mix with the mango chipotle yogurt dressing. Scatter the chicken over the cheese.
• Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with the mango salsa, chopped cilantro and red jalapeños. Drizzle with more dressing as desired and serve.

4.50 from 4 votes

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cilantro Avocado Beans Nachos

Print SaveSaved!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword nachos

Servings 1 full baking sheet for 6-8 people

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups butternut squash , cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 10- ounce bag of corn tortilla chips
• 1 cup canned refried beans , (8 ounces)
• ¼ cup Cilantro Avocado Greek Dressing
• 4 cups grated cheddar cheese or your preference of grated mixed cheeses
• 2 cups pico de gallo
• 2 green onions , chopped
• 1 avocado , pitted and sliced
• Pickled jalapeños

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450° F.
• Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Toss the butternut squash cubes with the olive oil then sprinkle with the chili powder, garlic salt and pepper and toss to coat. Scatter on the baking tray and roast for 5-10 minutes or until the squash is golden and caramelized. Transfer the butternut squash to a bowl and remove the foil from the baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° F.
• Scatter the tortilla chips over the baking sheet so the chips barely overlap but cover the whole sheet. In a small bowl, mix the refried beans with the cilantro avocado yogurt dressing. Spread or dot the beans onto the individual chips then sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the roasted butternut squash and black olives and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with the pico de gallo, chopped green onion, sliced avocado and pickled jalapeños. Drizzle with more dressing as desired and serve.

This post is in partnership with Bolthouse Farms. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.  

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