Cheesy BBQ Chicken Zucchini Nachos (Print)

Roasted zucchini rounds topped with smoky BBQ chicken, melty cheese, and fresh garnishes create a vibrant, low-carb twist on classic nachos.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Zucchini Nachos

01 - 3 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ For the BBQ Chicken

06 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
07 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

→ Toppings

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
09 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
11 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
12 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1/4 cup sour cream
14 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss zucchini rounds with olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
03 - Roast zucchini for 10–12 minutes until slightly golden and tender but not mushy.
04 - While zucchini roasts, combine shredded chicken with BBQ sauce in a bowl. Mix well to coat evenly.
05 - Remove zucchini from the oven. Carefully arrange zucchini rounds close together on the baking sheet to form a nacho base.
06 - Evenly distribute BBQ chicken over the zucchini. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
07 - Return to the oven and bake for 5–7 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven. Top nachos with cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño slices, and cilantro.
09 - Drizzle with sour cream and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • All the guilty pleasure satisfaction of nachos without the carb coma aftermath
  • The zucchini gets just tender enough while holding its shape, creating the perfect vessel for all that cheesy BBQ goodness
  • These come together in under 40 minutes but taste like you spent all day planning something special
02 -
  • The key is not overcooking the zucchini in that first roast. If they're too soft going in, they'll collapse under the toppings and you'll end up with a delicious but sad zucchini situation instead of proper nachos.
  • Pat your zucchini dry with paper towels before tossing with oil. This extra step prevents them from steaming and helps them actually roast instead of getting soggy.
  • Work quickly when transferring the zucchini back to the sheet. If they cool down too much before the final bake, everything takes longer to melt and you risk drying out the chicken.
03 -
  • If you're making these for a crowd, prep everything ahead and just do the final bake right before serving. The zucchini can roast hours in advance, and the BBQ chicken mixture actually gets better as it sits.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. The texture won't be quite as perfect as fresh, but they're still head and shoulders above most leftovers.

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