Easy Sheet Pan Vegan Buffalo Chicken Nachos (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)

Name: Easy Sheet Pan Vegan Buffalo Chicken Nachos (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the Vegan Buffalo Chicken:; 2 20oz Cans (4 Cups) of Jackfruit in Brine (drained); 3/4 Cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce; 2 TB Vegan/Soy-Free Butter (I use MELT); 1 Tsp Minced Garlic; For the Nachos:; 1 12oz Bag of Large Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips*; 1 Batch of Vegan Buffalo Chicken; 1 8oz Bag (2 Cups) of Shredded Vegan Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese; 2 Cups Shredded Iceberg Lettuce; 1 Cup Diced Celery; 1/3 Cup Chopped Green Onions; Vegan Sour Cream (about 1/2 Cup)*; Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce (for drizzling on top)

February 25, 2019 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 36 Comments

What’s easier and more delicious than a big batch of sheet pan nachos? These Easy Sheet Pan Vegan Buffalo Chicken Nachos are gluten-free, allergy-free, & 100% meatless! Whip up these quick, bold, & spicy chips for a snack, party appetizer, or fun dinner! This baked plant-based recipe will be your go-to for nachos!

Vegan? Chicken? Chick’n? Nope, no real or fake processed meat here! A totally real food plant-based single ingredient? It could be no other than the deeply loved, JACKFRUIT! The dense and fibrous fruit that holds the ultimate mock meat properties! From pulled pork to chicken soup! It’s a no-brainer to throw on some buffalo sauce and make some bangin’ vegan buffalo chicken! But we can’t stop with just vegan buffalo chicken; we need to go all out and make it a full-on party-food-worthy! Break out your favorite tortilla chips and things are about to get real crazy!

How do you make vegan buffalo chicken?

Step one, you need two cans of jackfruit, about 4 cups. Then a big dose of Frank’s Buffalo Sauce (yes, it’s dairy-free and vegan!). Some vegan allergy-free butter, and just a touch of minced garlic. Throw everything in a pot to heat up, mingle, allowing the jackfruit to become infused with bold spicy flavor, and allowing you to easily pull the jackfruit pieces apart like you would for any pulled chicken! It takes about 5 minutes total and you can use this quick recipe for vegan buffalo chicken on or with anything…including these nachos!

What are the layers of ingredients in these loaded vegan buffalo chicken nachos?

These buffalo nachos are FULLY loaded with the goods! Starting with gluten-free big, crunchy, yellow corn tortilla chips, the vegan buffalo chicken, vegan cheddar (or pepper jack!) cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped celery, chopped green onion, vegan sour cream, and a fancy finishing drizzle of MORE buffalo sauce! These sheet pan nachos will feed a crowd! The recipe makes a huge batch and is so full with flavor, you may think you can eat the whole pan yourself!

How do you layer sheet pan nachos?

You spread out the corn tortilla chips first, then the vegan buffalo chicken, and last the shredded vegan cheese. You bake the nachos at this point to melt the cheese, before removing the nachos from the oven and finishing the layers by piling on the shredded lettuce, celery, green onion, vegan sour cream, and extra buffalo sauce. The tortilla chips are nice, thick, and sturdy, so they hold up all the layered ingredients, making the perfect foundation for the sheet pan nachos!

How long do you bake the nachos in the oven?

You bake the first three layers in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. At 400°F, you only need to leave the sheet pan in there for 5-7 minutes. However, this also depends on your brand of vegan cheese. Some are more “meltable” than others, so the time may vary!

Should you bake or broil nachos?

You can throw them under the broiler, but you run the risk of leaving the nachos in too long and burning the nachos that are exposed to the heat. Vegan cheese can take longer to melt, so watching closely and baking the nachos on the regular oven rack is ideal for this recipe.

Should you line the sheet pan for nachos?

I’ve seen people not line the sheet pan, but why make a mess for yourself? Plus, do you really own that clean of a sheet pan? In our celiac and food allergy household, we line everything (even the grill). A simple sheet of parchment paper works wonderfully and can easily be lifted out of the pan too! No clean up required when done. You can also use a Silpat, but of course, you’ll have to give that a wash at the end!

Can you make nachos ahead of time?

I actually DID make these nachos ahead of time, before anyone was able to give me their unbiased opinion. So short answer, yes, BUT…obviously eating them right away is ideal. Since you’re only baking the chips, vegan buffalo chicken, and shredded vegan cheese, you can hold off on layering on the other ingredients until you’re ready to serve. To fully make the nachos ahead of time. you can do all the layering beforehand and reheat (this is last resort!) Additionally, you can assemble the first three layers, keep the sheet pan in the fridge, and then just throw the nachos in the oven right before you’re ready to eat. Mini meal prep! Have the cold layers prepped and ready to go when the nachos are done baking!

How do you reheat nachos?

To reheat the nachos and not have soggy sad chips (say, for next day leftovers or midnight munchies), throw a plate of cold nachos in a toaster oven and allow them to crisp up for a few minutes. If all else fails, you can microwave them at slow intervals. You can eat the vegan buffalo chicken nachos cold too. Just like cold pizza!

How do you serve sheet pan nachos?

Right in on the sheet pan! Just place the whole finished pan of nachos on the table and let everyone dig in! Of course, you can serve out portions individually, but come on! This is party food! Whether you eat them as a snack, appetizer, or main meal (nacho dinners are the best!), you’ll be impressing EVERYONE with these meatless nachos!