Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos are a delicious fun twist on plain baked chicken tenders. Covered with melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, green onions and spicy jalapeno, these kicked up chicken nachos are easy, quick and the best comfort food!

Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos

Name: Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2-1/2 pounds chicken tenders; 1/2 cup all purpose flour; 4-5 large eggs (.. whisked); 1-1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon cayenne powder; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 4 green onions (.. diced); 6 slices cooked bacon (.. crispy); 1 large jalapeno pepper (.. diced, seeds and ribs removed)

So… nachos + chicken = chicken nachos. The math is simple. But what if you completely forego the nacho chips and instead substitute them with crispy baked chicken tenders and then load THOSE up with all your favorite flavors like shredded cheese, bacon and green onions?

Well, then you have Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos which is the perfect combination of all things crunchy, melty, spicy and savory…. and then dunked in Homemade Ranch Dip. #heaven

Chicken Tenders?

Ok, so this chicken nacho recipe is not your conventional way of serving up chicken tenders or even nachos, for that matter. Think of these tricked out chicken tenders as almost like regular nachos but without the nacho chips.

But think about it, how can this possibly be bad? Trust me … it’s not!

You are taking your favorite easy winner winner chicken dinner ingredient, baking those chicken tenders off in the oven until they are crisp and juicy, smothering them in melted cheese, crispy bacon bits, a splash of green onion and a scattering of diced jalapeno pepper. Dinner is served!

How to Cook Chicken Tender

So the question of how to cook these chicken tenders for my nachos was my big drama when I was making this recipe.

Usually, chicken tenders can be baked at 350 degrees and be cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees in approximately 15-20 minutes.

That is the proper cooking time for ‘normal’ size chicken tenders. If your chicken tenders are a bit larger than average (like mine were!), add an extra 5 minutes or so on to your cooking time.

Substitutions and modifications

Looking for a low carb or keto version of this chicken tender nacho recipe? Leave out the flour and breadcrumbs and instead substitute the breadcrumbs with crushed pork rinds and bake as instructed. Mix things up and grab a bag of the spicy pork rinds for even more flavor.
Want to go naked? Feel free!! Try these Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos without breading the chicken tenders. Simply rub some olive oil on your tenders and coat them in the spice mixture and bake. Load them down with the toppings and go to town!
I use pre-cooked bacon pieces because they are tasty and convenient and usually found on the salad dressing aisle of my grocery store. If this isn’t your preferred method … and if you really want to munch on extra bacon … go ahead and cook off 5-6 pieces of bacon until they are crispy to add to your Loaded Chicken Tender Nachos.
Not a fan of plain cheddar cheese? Substitute the cheddar with any cheese of your liking from gouda to Havarti to Monterey jack to extra sharp white cheddar. Cheese is life so go wild.

How to Make Loaded Chicken Nachos

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with foil sprayed lightly with non-stick spray.
If you have a wire baking rack that will fit on your baking pan, add that and lightly spray that with non-stick spray, as well. Set aside.
Next, add flour, eggs and breadcrumbs each to their own bowl large enough to dip your tenders.

Mix the parmesan cheese in with the breadcrumbs.
In a small bowl, combine your spices and then add 3/4 of your spice mixture to your flour (reserve the rest!) and stir to combine.

Rinse and pat dry your chicken tenders using a paper towel.
Starting with the flour, dredge your chicken tenders in the flour until completely covered and shake off any excess.
Then dredge the chicken tender through the eggs and finally the breadcrumbs.
Press the chicken tender firmly in the breadcrumbs to make sure that it is completely covered.
Move your breaded chicken tender to your baking pan and repeat until all of your chicken tenders are breaded.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until your chicken tenders have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Once baked, remove from the oven and move your chicken tenders into the center of the pan, grouped tightly together.

Sprinkle your chicken tender nachos with the remaining spice mixture, layers of shredded cheese, diced jalapeno, crispy bacon pieces and diced green onion.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until your cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven and serve with sour cream or Homemade Ranch Dip.

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Enjoy!