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BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese

BBQ chicken grilled cheese with smoky, BBQ-sauced shredded chicken and a cheddar-mozzarella melt that turns golden and bubbly on thick sourdough or Texas toast. Pulled-apart sandwiches show caramelized onion-like red onion throughout for that melty, gooey interior.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 740

Ingredients
  

Sandwiches
  • 4 thick sourdough or Texas toast bread
  • 1.5 cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • 3 tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 0.5 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.25 cup red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Coat the chicken and prep the fillings
  1. Toss the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce until evenly coated, so every strand looks glossy with sauce.
  2. Mix the shredded sharp cheddar and shredded mozzarella together into a single cheese blend.
Assemble the sandwiches
  1. Butter one side of each bread slice so the outside browns evenly in the skillet.
  2. Assemble the sandwiches by placing BBQ-sauced shredded chicken, the cheese blend, and the very thinly sliced red onion on the unbuttered sides, then close with buttered sides facing out.
Grill and melt
  1. Cook in a large skillet over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes per side, pressing gently, until deep golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
Serve
  1. Slice diagonally and serve immediately so the melted cheese stretches when you pull the sandwich apart.

Notes

For best melt and crisping, use medium-low heat and press gently once in each flip to keep the fillings inside; if your skillet runs hot, shorten each side to avoid over-browning. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days and rewarm in a skillet for 2-3 minutes to re-crisp the bread; freezing not recommended. For a lower-carb swap, use thick keto-friendly bread and keep the same cheese and BBQ chicken filling.