BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Tender BBQ chicken meets melted cheddar and mozzarella between crispy golden sourdough slices

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & BBQ Mixture

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
02 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite variety)

→ Cheese

03 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
04 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Bread & Butter

05 - 8 slices sourdough or country-style bread
06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

→ Optional Add-Ins

07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, mix the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce until evenly coated. Set aside.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
03 - Lay out the bread slices. Spread one side of each slice with softened butter.
04 - Turn 4 slices butter-side down. Top each with 1/4 of the BBQ chicken mixture, a generous layer of mixed cheese, and optional onion and cilantro if desired.
05 - Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter-side up, to form sandwiches.
06 - Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
07 - Place sandwiches in the skillet (work in batches if needed). Cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden and crispy and cheese is fully melted.
08 - Remove from skillet, let cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of tangy BBQ sauce and gooey melted cheese creates this incredible sweet and savory situation that hits every craving at once
  • It comes together in under twenty minutes using leftover chicken, making it perfect for those nights when takeout sounds tempting but you want something homemade
  • Sourdough bread gets this irresistible crunch while staying soft inside, basically the grilled cheese texture of your dreams
02 -
  • Medium heat might feel too slow but going higher will burn your bread before the cheese melts, which is the most common mistake people make
  • Buttering the bread instead of the pan gives you more even coverage and better browning, a trick I learned from a restaurant cook
  • Sometimes I sprinkle a little extra cheese directly onto the buttered bread before adding the chicken because it creates this incredible cheesy crust on the outside
03 -
  • If your bread is fresh from the bakery, let it sit out for an hour before using because slightly stale bread grills up better than super fresh
  • A cast iron skillet holds heat beautifully and gives you the most even browning, though any heavy bottomed pan will work

Go Back