BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are the perfect addition to any dinner table. Garlicky buttered french bread is pan-fried to perfection and paired with the savory flavors of BBQ chicken and the oh so creamy, melted Havarti Cheese.
BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
The inspiration behind this amazing grilled cheese sandwich came from my BBQ Chicken Sliders. We decided that the garlic butter we use on the slider would make a great coating on a sturdy white bread like sourdough. Unlike the soft dinner roll used in the sliders, these grilled cheese sandwiches have an amazingly flavorful and crispy sandwich bread, which was a major hit with the kids. We used our classic shredded chicken recipe to whip up a big batch of these mouth-watering cheesy sandwiches!
BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese Recipe
Served alone, with a bag of potato chips, or a with a side of fresh coleslaw, these BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are a sure-fire crowd pleaser. The primary ingredient in this dish is shredded chicken. I like to make a big batch of the stuff ahead of time. It is a great way to supplement your meal planning throughout the week. The chicken is moist and full of flavor and can be used in any number of other meals and appetizers, like Buffalo Chicken Wraps or Chicken Nachos. The other ingredients you will need are:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Onion
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Your favorite BBQ Sauce
- Havarti Cheese (or your favorite cheese, you could substitute cheddar, pepper jack, or even mozzarella).
- Butter
- Parsley
- Sourdough Bread (or other sturdy white bread)
How to Make BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese
I love a good savory meal that doesn’t take much to pull together. This is one of those meals. With a few tips, you’ll be enjoying these at your own dinner table!!
Garlic Butter
The garlic butter is one of those tiny little touches that take this meal over the edge. Simply add butter, garlic, and parsley to a small bowl and pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds (until the butter melts). You can add different spices and make it your own at this stage. Set it aside and let it cool just a bit.
Mix the Chicken
The shredded chicken gets mixed first with the paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce of your choice. Mix that all up and set it aside for now.
Soften the Onions
Slice the red onions as thin as you can get them and then cook them briefly in oil (to soften). After a bit of trial and error, we found that like liked the thinner slices better than the thicker sliced onions. If you choose to do thicker slices of onion, make sure to adjust the cooking time. You may also need to add some additional oil to the pan. Keep an eye on them and stir them around occasionally so they don’t stick to the pan.
Combine the Mixture
Add the chicken mixture to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until everything is cooked through.
Prepare the Sandwiches
Lay 12 slices of bread on a work surface. Spread the melted butter mixture over each piece and then turn each piece over so that the buttered side is down. Then add 6 pieces of cheese on half of the bread slices, top each piece of cheese with an equal portion of the bbq chicken mixture. Add the remaining cheese over the top of the chicken and finally, top with the remaining 6 slices of bread (both the bottom and the top should have the buttered side exposed). Set the buttered sandwiches in a large non-stick skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until the bottoms of the sandwiches are browned. Turn the sandwiches over, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted.
INGREDIENTS
BBQ CHICKEN
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 cups shredded roast chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 12 slices Havarti cheese
GARLIC BUTTER BREAD
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons parsley, minced
- 12 slices sourdough bread or sturdy white bread
INSTRUCTIONS
BBQ CHICKEN
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shredded chicken, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce and bbq sauce. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
GARLIC BUTTER BREAD
Add butter, garlic and minced parsley in a medium bowl. Microwave until melted
Lay 12 slices of bread on work surface. Spread melted butter mixture over each piece.
Turn each piece over and 6 of the bread slices with 6 of the cheese slices and the bbq chicken mixture, dividing evenly. Add the remaining cheese over the top of the chicken and top with the remaining 6 slices of bread (both the bottom and the top should have the buttered side exposed).
Set buttered sandwiches in a large non-stick skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until the bottoms of the sandwiches are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn sandwiches over, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes longer.
