Buffalo Chicken Nachos
These Buffalo Chicken Nachos are an epic appetizer to serve while watching football!
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Have you ever heard of a garbage plate? I hadn’t until Laura and I met some new friends at the curling club a couple of years ago. After one of our games, the talk at the table turned to food (imagine that!), and someone brought up garbage plates. I think the part-confused, part-disgusted look on my face said it all. But once I learned what a garbage plate was, I was intrigued. And I wanted to eat one.
Garbage plates are an iconic dish found in Rochester, New York. There are a lot of variations of garbage plates, but the most common version involves a base of macaroni salad and home fries/French fries. On top of that is a burger (or two). On top of that comes mustard and onions. And we’re not done yet. The final touch is a generous spoonful of hot chili sauce with ground beef that is ladled on top of the whole plate. Did I mention that a garbage plate often comes with a side of Italian bread? You know…just in case you’re still hungry.
They might sound (and even look) questionable, but trust me when I say that garbage plates are quite delicious! We’ve had homemade versions with our curling club friends, and I’ve had garbage plates from 2 different places in Rochester now. The first was rather mediocre, but I still have dreams about that second one. Laura and I stopped at a little hot dog stand in Rochester this past May when we were out there for a wedding, and it was the best decision we made all day! Garbage plates are typically consumed as a late-night, post-bar food, but we ate ours for lunch. Because that’s how we roll.
Ok, enough talk about garbage plates. Buffalo, NY is located just about an hour west of Rochester, so let’s move from garbage plates to buffalo chicken. I’m talking about these Buffalo Chicken Nachos, of course! These nachos are built with layers upon layers of flavor, and they absolutely taste like an appetizer you’d order at a sports bar.
To make these Buffalo Chicken Nachos even easier to serve, I used a sheet pan instead of plates. I also opted for shredded buffalo chicken here, and I made a batch the day before. That way, these nachos came together in all of about 15 minutes. (You could totally cook the buffalo chicken on the same day, too. Like say maybe on Super Bowl Sunday?)
Once you’ve got all of the ingredients prepped, it’s literally like setting up a game of Jenga. Just layer the chips, cheeses, chicken and other toppings together and pop the entire sheet pan in the oven. About 10 minutes later, you and your friends will be digging into a pan of hot Buffalo Chicken Nachos.
I made this pan of nachos for my curling team one night when we were all hanging out at my place. The kitchen got really quiet as 5 guys (plus Laura) devoured this entire sheet pan in minutes. There wasn’t a crumb left anywhere. If you’re looking for a pretty epic Super Bowl appetizer, allow me to introduce you to these Buffalo Chicken Nachos. The only thing you might regret is not making two pans of these nachos! Enjoy!
Have you ever been to Rochester, NY? Did you eat a garbage plate?
Buffalo Chicken Nachos
Ingredients
- 2 16-oz. bags tortilla chips (I used a mix of white and blue corn chips)
- 2½ cups buffalo chicken shredded (homemade or store-bought--see note)
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1½ cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup celery thinly sliced
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbled
- green onions sliced
- buffalo wing sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Spray a 9”x13” pan with nonstick baking spray. Spread half of chips evenly across pan. Top with half of the buffalo chicken, cheese, onion and celery. Repeat with remaining chips, chicken, cheese, onion and celery.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese had completely melted.
- Remove from oven and top with crumbled blue cheese, green onions and additional buffalo wing sauce (optional).
- Serve hot.
Notes
Hahaha – thanks for coming clean on your wing consumption, David! Too funny!
I’d never heard of a garbage plate before, a friend of mine just moved to Buffalo and goes to Rochester often, now I have to ask him if he’s heard of, or, had, one!
And – yay to sheet pan nachos – Lil Shashi and I call ’em “pile-em-high nachos” – where we pile up leftovers onto nachos with cheddar and salsa and boom – deliciousness delivered! Happy Monday to y’all, my friend!
Hey, I felt like I had to tell everyone the truth. I couldn’t go on living the lie that I was only responsible for 1/4 of the country’s wing consumption on Super Bowl Sunday! 🙂 Yes…ask your friend about the garbage plate! I’m pretty sure he’ll know what you’re talking about. Ooo…Pile Em High Nachos. I like that term! I’m thinking of making these again for our Super Bowl party…and I might just have to steal that term! Hope your week is off to a great start!
I’ve never heard of a garbage plate and I think I may have just made the same face you did. I have heard of buffalo chicken and I’ve also heard of nachos, but I don’t think I’ve had them together. I’m pretty sure I’d like to faceplant into these nachos!
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So here’s the thing. A garbage plate doesn’t sound good…but it is! My first experience was a little less than impressive, but then Laura and I tried somewhere else, and woah. You need a garbage plate in your life! 🙂 Also, faceplanting into nachos is totally allowed. Just make sure to send a photo please. Haha! Thanks, Rachelle!
Loved the way you described the entire dish.. It is yummy .. Im so drooling here!!
Thank you so much, Sharmila! These nachos are super tasty for sure…they didn’t last long around here. (especially since 5 guys were over…haha!)
David! I have never heard of garbage plates either, but something to look for in my next New York visit. Looking great nachos!
Haha! Not sure if they have garbage plates down in NYC…but I bet somewhere down there has to make ’em. You just might have to wander upstate to find one! 🙂 Hope you and the fam are doing well, Gaila!
I’ve never heard of garbage plates, but sounds pretty epic!!! And, not to mention, delicious. Hubby and I had nachos Friday night and put on a sheet pan too (only way to do it 😉 ). Buffalo chicken anything is the bomb dot com and I would devour these in no time. I can understand why yours disappeared so fast. Plus, blue cheese? LOVE IT!
Yeah, garbage plates are such a unique thing, Dawn. Everyone’s heard of Buffalo chicken but the nearby Rochester garbage plate isn’t quite so famous. Yet. They really sound quite odd, but man are they good! Yes to the blue cheese on these nachos! I love blue cheese + buffalo chicken, and I was literally scraping up the crumbs of cheese off the tray. Nothing to see here, folks, nothing to see. 🙂
I’ve never heard of garbage plates and as soon as I read that my face scrunched up in disgust lol. OMG those garbage plates sound interesting; I think I need to see and eat them to get a real feel for it 🙂 Next time I’m on the East Coast I’m going to see if I can find one of these Garbage Plates, I’m super curious now. Being an avid football fan, I’m always looking for fast and easy game food and Nachos always a crowd pleaser, I’m hosting a Super Bowl Party this year and need to start working on the menu. These are going to the top of the list.
See! I did the same thing as you, Mary. At first, I was like a what plate? Garbage? But then I put the name aside and tried ’em. And they’re awesome! (Well, to be fair, the first place we went was a little underwhelming, but I still have dreams about that 2nd stop!) I think they’re only around the Rochester, NY area. At least that’s the only place I’ve come across them so far! As far as the Super Bowl, definitely put nachos on the list! Sheet pan nachos are super easy to make and serve…and clean-up is a cinch. I vote for the buffalo chicken version, but I’m all about nachos in any form or fashion! 🙂
I recall some time ago you posted another recipe with a buffalo sauce, and that was the first time I heard of it. I haven’t heard of that garbage plate either. Well, there’s something similar in Canada, and it’s called “A plate loaded with cholesterol and your future kilograms”. Yup, such a long and not really appealing name. But I cannot argue that this garbage plate sounds good (However, I would not go with Italian bread). These nachos sound and look good too. You know me, when there’s a lot of cheese, I even don’t need any lavender:) Well done, David!
Haha…hey, I never said the garbage plate was healthy! I’m pretty sure we didn’t eat dinner the day we had that for lunch. 🙂 And you totally need to discover Buffalo sauce, Ben! You like spicy stuff, so I know you’d love buffalo! These nachos are super tasty, too. Even if you guys don’t have the Super Bowl up there, you could still munch on these while watching curling!
Nope! Never heard of a garbage plate! 🙂 I think I’ll stick to nachos! And I’ll take a double heaping portion of these buffalo chicken nachos!
These nachos are super awesome, Kathy! I think we’re making them again for the Super Bowl. And a double batch will definitely be in order! 🙂
I will add myself to the long list of those who’ve never heard of a garbage plate. I can’t say it sounds appetizing, but I trust you … and I’d eat almost anything once. I’ve never been to Rochester, but I’ve been to Buffalo many, many times. (My inlaws live there.) By this time, I’m pretty sure I have some degree of Buffalo sauce running through my veins, I’ve even so much of it. So, Buffalo nachos … are you kidding? Of course Buffalo nachos!
Yeah, it sounds pretty awful, Jeff, but I’m telling ya…give garbage plates a shot. Of course, you’ll probably have to go over to Rochester to get a legit good one. (Our first Rochester garbage plate left a lot to be desired…but the 2nd place was amazing! It was called Dogtown. Go there. #Trust) And since you have in-laws in Buffalo, you have no excuse now…make the extra trip over next time you hit the road! But for now, buffalo nachos. Lots and lots of buffalo nachos. It’s how we roll for the Super Bowl around here!
the perfect game day food right there!
Thanks, Manali!
A sheet pan is definitely the way to go with your nachos…easier to cover all the chips with toppings. I’m sure they will disappear quickly on game day.
I couldn’t agree more, Karen! I am definitely on Team Sheet Pan when it comes to nachos…plus, you can serve ’em right on the pan. Nice and easy clean-up. 🙂 Thanks so much, and I hope you are doing well!
Why have I only just heard of the garbage plate right now?! This is like a genius meal. In fact, I can already envision leftovers being turned into a garbage plate 😀
I’ll polish off these nachos, with a side of Italian bread too.
Wait…you spent time in upstate New York and didn’t eat a garbage plate? You need to go to Rochester ASAP. Those garbage plates are strange and delicious at the same time! 🙂 And I’ll save you a side of Italian bread for these nachos…but you have to eat it all!