The Best Chocolate Milkshake

This easy Chocolate Milkshake made with homemade chocolate syrup is thick and creamy with a killer chocolate flavor.

Hey, friends, it’s time for another milkshake recipe in my how to make a milkshake series. Today we’re tackling the perfect, the amazing classic Chocolate Milkshake.

The Secret to the Best Chocolate Milkshake

I’m pretty picky about my chocolate milkshakes. They must be thick, they must be creamy, and they must have a killer chocolate flavor. This chocolate shake absolutely fits all those bills, and might just be my favorite chocolate shake in all the world.

And want to know the secret to making the best chocolate milkshake?

Start with vanilla ice cream.

I know, I know. It sounds counterintuitive, but the best chocolate shakes are made with a combo of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Why You Should Use Chocolate Sauce to Make a Chocolate Shake

The best chocolate shakes are made with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup because that allows you to control the level of chocolate flavor and make sure your shake is packed with it.

Blending chocolate ice cream with milk creates a good shake, but the milk is going to dilute the chocolate flavor, and it’s just not going to pack the same chocolate punch as a shake made with plenty of chocolate sauce.

This recipe includes my favorite fudge sauce recipe , so you can make a chocolate shake even if you don’t have any chocolate syrup in your fridge, but if you do have some, feel free to use the sauce you have on hand.

How do you make a chocolate milkshake from scratch?

1. Start by making your chocolate syrup , simmering together butter, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar.
2. Once the sauce is complete, combine ice cream, milk, and some of the sauce and blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a chilled glass , top with whipped cream , and drizzle with remaining fudge sauce.

How to Make a Chocolate Shake Without a Blender

No blender? That’s not a problem. Make the chocolate sauce as described in the recipe and then scoop your ice cream into a mason jar (preferably a quart-size jar ). Microwave ice cream for 15 to 30 seconds, until the ice cream begins to melt, but don’t melt it all the way.

Add milk and chocolate syrup, put a lid on the jar, and shake until blended. If you have any stubborn ice cream lumps at the bottom, use a spoon to help them mix.

Then pour into a glass and drink! If you want to see a more in-depth post on this, go check out my post How to Make a Milkshake Without a Blender .

More Chocolate Milkshake Recipes

Want some more Chocolate Shake combos? Add some of these mix-ins to the base chocolate shake recipe to make something new.

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake: Add 1 slightly heaping tablespoon of peanut butter before blending.
• Chocolate Oreo Shake : Blend in 3 Oreos. Break an additional Oreo into pieces and drop crumbs over the top of the finished shake.
• Chocolate Banana Shake : Add 1/2 to a whole banana, broken into pieces, to the shake before blending. Using frozen bananas will create an extra creamy shake.

Are chocolate milk and chocolate milkshakes the same?

No, chocolate milk and chocolate milkshakes are not the same thing. Chocolate milk is made with milk and chocolate syrup (usually made with cocoa powder, sugar, and a bit of water) and a chocolate milkshake is made with milk, chocolate syrup, and ice cream, so it’s much richer, thicker, and frostier.

How do I thicken a chocolate milkshake?

For a thicker milkshake, start by using less milk, 1/2 cup instead of 3/4, and don’t over-blend, especially if you have a really powerful blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec . If the shake is still not as thick as you’d like, add more ice cream until it reaches your desired consistency.

Can I make a chocolate milkshake without ice cream?

You cannot make this milkshake recipe without ice cream. But if you want to make a chocolate milkshake without ice cream, either go try my Banana Milkshake Without Ice Cream recipe and make the chocolate version or check out my Frozen Hot Chocolate recipe.

Even though it’s called “frozen hot chocolate,” if I were going to make a non-ice-cream-based chocolate shake, this is exactly how I would do it, with sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and ice. It’s not as rich as a real chocolate milkshake, but it’s very good!

Can I make a chocolate milkshake with chocolate ice cream?

Sure. If all you have is chocolate ice cream, you can still use it to make a milkshake. Just follow the recipe below and either omit the chocolate sauce for a less chocolatey (but quicker) shake. Or use about half the chocolate sauce and then add more to taste if necessary.

More Chocolate Recipes

• Small Chocolate Cake
• Homemade Hot Chocolate
• Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

More Milkshake Recipes

• Homemade Strawberry Milkshake
• Vanilla Milkshake
• Strawberry Banana Milkshake
• Caramel Milkshake

Or check out my Milkshake Recipes Cheat Sheet .

Ingredients

Fudge Sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 heaping tablespoon ( 8g ) cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons milk any percentage
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Chocolate Milkshake

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream* about 3 scoops
• ▢ 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk any percentage
• ▢ Whipped cream optional

Instructions

Fudge Sauce

• In a small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder. Stir together and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in milk followed by the sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Whisk continuously, beating out any lumps as they form, until mixture begins to thicken and bubble 1-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk for 30 seconds to whisk some of the heat out of the sauce. Stir in optional vanilla and allow sauce to sit at room temperature to continue to cool slightly as you assemble the rest of your ingredients.

Chocolate Milkshake

• Combine ice cream, milk, and 3 tablespoons* of the sauce in your blender and blend until well-mixed and pourable.
• Pour into a glass, top with optional whipped cream and drizzle the remaining fudge sauce over the top. Enjoy!

Notes

These BBQ chicken nachos with shredded bbq chicken, melty cheese, ranch, and cilantro over crispy tortilla chips are a fun and easy twist on traditional nachos.

Last month I shared the recipes for my favorite BBQ shredded chicken , and my favorite meal to make with it, BBQ chicken sandwiches . Today I have another BBQ chicken recipe for you, but something a little more fun and a little less practical, BBQ chicken nachos.

This recipe makes a full half sheet pan, double-layer of homemade nachos that are perfect for sharing. They’re super easy to throw together and a very fun twist on traditional nachos.

The first time I ever tried BBQ chicken nachos, I was a little hesitant about the flavor combo, but after you take the first bite, it’s surprisingly irresistible. The tangy sweetness of the bbq sauce and chicken is just so good with the crunchy, salty chips and melty cheese.

If you like some sweet with your savory, you will love these.

Ingredients

• BBQ shredded chicken: I included the recipe for my favorite bbq shredded chicken in the recipe card below, but if you have leftover bbq chicken that will work just fine.
• A mix of cheeses: In the recipe, I call for a mixture of Monterey, sharp cheddar, and smoked gouda cheese. I like the way Monterey melts for nachos, the sharp bite of the cheddar, and the smokey flavor of the smoked gouda is really delicious paired with the chicken. But you can use whatever melty cheese or cheese combo you’d like here. If you want to keep things simple, a Monterey cheddar blend will work great. I do not recommend using all smoked gouda as it doesn’t melt quite as prettily on nachos as the other cheeses.
• Onions, tomatoes, and jalapeños: If you’re not a fan of heat, the jalapeños are optional. You can also replace the onions, tomatoes, and jalapeños with store-bought pico de gallo if you’re in a hurry.
• Cilantro: Cilantro looks pretty sprinkled over the top of the nachos, but it also really helps bring all the flavors of the nachos together. Unless you don’t like cilantro, don’t skip it!

How to Make BBQ Chicken Nachos

1. Cook the BBQ shredded chicken by lightly browning chicken breasts in butter and then simmering them in BBQ sauce until cooked through. Shred the chicken and set it aside.
2. Assemble the nachos with two layers of chips and toppings. Do a layer of chips topped with half of the toppings and cheese followed by a second layer of chips and the remaining toppings. Layering the nachos like this means that you will get cheese and chicken in every bite instead of eating a single layer of toppings and having a bunch of dry chips underneath.
3. Bake until cheese is melted , watching closely as the chip edges can begin to burn if left unattended.
4. Add toppings: Top with cilantro, more BBQ sauce, and ranch, and enjoy!

Additional Toppings

You can add any toppings you’d like to these nachos like…

• Guacamole
• Sour cream
• Black beans (warm before adding)
• Corn (warm before adding)
• Chopped pineapple

Tips and Tricks

• Be sure you’re using warm chicken when assembling the nachos. They don’t cook long enough to reheat cold chicken. If your chicken has begun to cool by the time you’re ready to make the nachos, reheat it on the stove or if using leftover chicken, warm it in the microwave before assembling.

Can I make these nachos ahead of time?

I don’t recommend it. Nachos are always best right out of the oven. Don’t try to bake them in advance. But you can cook the BBQ chicken and cut/shred the rest of your ingredients ahead of time. Assembling the nachos takes less than 5 minutes if the rest of your ingredients are all ready to go.

Can I make these nacho fries instead of using chips?

Sure! Like my carne asada fries and carnitas fries , bbq chicken fries are totally irresistible. Use a 28-ounce bag of frozen fries and bake them according to package instructions until they are just done. Add the toppings and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

This makes too many nachos. Can I cut the recipe in half?

Absolutely. This recipe halves with no preparation changes needed. A half batch can be baked on a quarter sheet baking pan or in a 9×13-inch casserole dish .

To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.

More Favorite Recipes for Sharing

• Nacho Cheese
• Homemade Carnitas (or Slow Cooker Carnitas )
• Country-style Pork Ribs
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

BBQ Shredded Chicken

• ▢ 1 cup barbecue sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 1½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 4 small or 2 large*
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 42g ) butter salted or unsalted is fine

Nachos

• ▢ 1 13 to 16-ounce bag of tortilla chips
• ▢ 3 cups ( 12oz ) shredded cheese I used 1 cup each of monterey jack, sharp cheddar, and smoked gouda
• ▢ 1 to 2 roma tomatoes chopped
• ▢ ½ red onion diced
• ▢ 1 to 2 jalapeños sliced, optional
• ▢ Barbecue sauce for topping
• ▢ Ranch dressing for topping
• ▢ ½ cup chopped, loosely packed cilantro for topping

Instructions

BBQ Shredded Chicken

• Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and water. Set aside.
• Pat chicken breasts dry and lightly salt and pepper both sides. Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and melt butter.
• Add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Flip the chicken breasts and pour barbecue sauce mixture over the top.
• Bring sauce to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low, keeping the sauce at just a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, re-cover, and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165°F, usually around 3 to 6 minutes more.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to continue simmering uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
• Shred chicken breasts and return shredded chicken to the pan of sauce. Stir until well-coated.

Nachos

• Cover a half sheet baking tray with half of the chips followed by half each of the cheese, shredded BBQ chicken*, tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. Layer remaining chips over the top followed by remaining chicken, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and finishing everything off with the last of the cheese.
• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until cheese is melted. Drizzle additional BBQ sauce and ranch dressing over the top* and then sprinkle with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This cheesy Salsa Chicken is the easiest homemade chicken dinner ever. No cutting or measuring needed and made all in one pan!

I’ve shared a lot of low-effort dinners here, like my Quick Beef Teriyaki , BBQ Chicken Thighs , and Parmesan Chicken Soup . Today I’m sharing the recipe I make when I don’t even have the energy to make those.

This is the ultimate easy dinner, requiring no measuring, no cutting, you make it in one pan, and you probably always have the ingredients on hand: Salsa Chicken.

Looks good, huh? (It tastes even better!) The salsa reduces down in the oven, making it perfect for spooning over rice on the side, and the chicken comes out moist and perfect every time. All you have to do is steam some broccoli or toss together a quick side salad and dinner is DONE.

I’ve included measurements in the full recipe below so I could give a calorie count, but the wonderful thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to measure anything if you don’t want to. Eyeballing the ingredients works just fine and means you don’t have to wash any extra measuring cups or spoons.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Small-to-medium boneless skinless chicken breasts: This recipe calls for 8-ounce chicken breasts. You can use larger chicken breasts, but you’ll need to extend the cooking time.
• Taco seasoning: If you don’t keep a taco seasoning blend on hand, substitute chili powder and cumin in its place.
• Cheddar cheese: I like to use cheddar cheese for salsa chicken, but you could also use pepper jack, Monterey, or a Mexican blend instead.

How to Make Salsa Chicken

1. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and taco seasoning over both sides of your chicken breasts –don’t measure it, just sprinkle until it’s lightly coated.
2. Sear your chicken on the stove in an oven-safe pan, pour salsa over the top and then bake for 15 to 20 minutes. In the last five minutes of cooking time, sprinkle cheese over the top.
3. Let the chicken finish cooking, rest the meat for 5 minutes, and you’re done!

I don’t have an oven-safe skillet. What can I use instead?

If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, go ahead and sear the chicken breasts on the stove and then transfer them to a medium-sized baking dish. You want to use a dish that’s large enough to fit all of your chicken pieces without them touching (for even cooking) but not too large. If you use a dish that’s too large, the salsa can end up spread too thin and burn.

Once your chicken is transferred, follow the rest of the recipe as written.

What to serve with salsa chicken?

Serve your salsa chicken with a simple and easy side like steamed broccoli or green beans and rice. Spoon leftover pan drippings over the rice and enjoy!!

Can I make a smaller/larger batch of chicken?

Absolutely. This recipe scales up or down without any major preparation changes. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider.

More Easy Recipes

• Tri-tip in the Oven
• Homemade Carnitas
• Carnitas Enchiladas
• Asparagus-stuffed Chicken Breasts
• Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

Special Equipment

• ▢ Instant-read thermometer

Salsa Chicken

• ▢ 4 small (about 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ Salt*
• ▢ Pepper
• ▢ Taco seasoning*
• ▢ 1 ½ cup salsa
• ▢ 1 cup ( 4oz ) shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Sprinkle both sides of your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Grease with cooking spray or a drizzle of your favorite cooking oil. Once hot, add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until well-browned. Flip the breasts and repeat.
• Once both sides of the breasts are browned, remove pan from heat and pour salsa over the top of the chicken. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15 to 25 minutes (the size of your chicken breasts will have a dramatic effect on cooking time), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken reads 150°F.
• Sprinkle cheese over the top and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon extra salsa from the pan over white rice and serve with steamed green beans or broccoli and enjoy!

Notes

The Best Chocolate Milkshake

Ingredients

Fudge Sauce

• 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
• 1 heaping tablespoon ( 8g ) cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
• 2 tablespoons milk any percentage
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Chocolate Milkshake

• 1 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream* about 3 scoops
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk any percentage
• Whipped cream optional

Instructions

Fudge Sauce

• In a small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder. Stir together and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in milk followed by the sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Whisk continuously, beating out any lumps as they form, until mixture begins to thicken and bubble 1-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk for 30 seconds to whisk some of the heat out of the sauce. Stir in optional vanilla and allow sauce to sit at room temperature to continue to cool slightly as you assemble the rest of your ingredients.

Chocolate Milkshake

• Combine ice cream, milk, and 3 tablespoons* of the sauce in your blender and blend until well-mixed and pourable.
• Pour into a glass, top with optional whipped cream and drizzle the remaining fudge sauce over the top. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition