Leftover chicken doesn’t usually inspire much excitement, but a BBQ chicken grilled cheese is a different story. Toss the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce, then layer it with melted American cheese between buttery, toasted brioche bread, and lunch suddenly feels a whole lot more interesting.
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If you’re anything like us, you almost always have cooked chicken tucked away in the refrigerator or freezer, and this sandwich is one of our favorite ways to turn it into something everyone actually looks forward to eating. In about 15 minutes, yesterday’s chicken becomes a crispy, cheesy sandwich for lunch or a quick dinner.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
It doesn’t take much to turn leftover chicken into a sandwich that’s crisp on the outside, cheesy in the middle, and packed with barbecue flavor.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Chicken: Pre-cooked shredded chicken gets this sandwich on the table in about 15 minutes. Rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, braised chicken, baked chicken, or smoked chicken all work. If the chicken is cold, warm it with the barbecue sauce before assembling the sandwiches so the filling is hot by the time the bread is toasted.
- Bread: Sourdough may be the classic choice for grilled cheese, but for a sandwich loaded with BBQ chicken, we prefer thick-cut bakery-style brioche. It toasts to a crisp, buttery crust, stays soft in the center, and has a slight sweetness that pairs well with the barbecue sauce. Texas toast or thick-cut white bread are good substitutes, and sliced sourdough is always an option if you prefer a more traditional grilled cheese.
- American Cheese: American cheese melts smoothly and creates the gooey center that makes grilled cheese so satisfying. If you’d like a little more flavor, add a slice of sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or smoked Gouda along with the American cheese.
- BBQ Sauce: We usually use our homemade BBQ sauce, but any barbecue sauce you enjoy will work. A light coating is all the chicken needs to stay flavorful and juicy. Adding too much sauce can make the sandwich messy and keep the bread from crisping as it toasts.
- Pickled Red Onions or Pickled Jalapeรฑos: These are completely optional, but we highly recommend adding one or both. The bright acidity balances the richness of the cheese and barbecue sauce, and the jalapeรฑos add just enough heat without overpowering the sandwich.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t skip warming the chicken. Cold chicken straight from the refrigerator won’t heat through in the time it takes to toast the bread. Warm the chicken in the barbecue sauce for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat before assembling the sandwiches. That way, the pork is hot by the time the bread is toasted, and the cheese has melted.
- Use less chicken than you think you need. About 1/3 cup per sandwich is the right amount. More than that can push the filling out the sides when you cut or bite into the sandwich, making it harder to eat.
- Layer the cheese on both sides of the chicken. Placing a slice of cheese against each piece of bread helps hold the chicken in place as the cheese melts, making the sandwich easier to flip and eat.
- Use softened butter. It spreads evenly across the bread, giving you a consistent golden crust without tearing the slices.
- Use medium heat. Too high and the bread burns before the cheese melts. Too low, and the bread absorbs too much butter, turning greasy rather than crisp. Medium heat gives you the golden crust and melted cheese at the same time.
More BBQ Chicken Recipes To Try
Love BBQ chicken? Here are a few more recipes to add to your menu this week.
- BBQ Spatchcock Chicken – Juicy oven BBQ spatchcock chicken with a smoky dry rub and sticky homemade BBQ sauce. Ready in under an hour with no grill required.
- Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs – All the flavor of weekend grilling without needing the grill. Perfect for dinner or meal prep.
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BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese
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Equipment
- Small Saucepan (1-2 Quarts)
- Large Skillet (10 inches)
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices sourdough or bakery-style bread
- 4 slices American cheese
- โ cup pre-cooked shredded chicken
- ยผ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- pickled red onion, optional
- pickled jalapeรฑos, optional
Instructions
- Combine shredded chicken and BBQ sauce in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir to coat and warm through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place all four slices, butter-side down, in a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay one slice of American cheese on each slice of bread.
- Cook until the butter side is golden brown. Remove all the slices from the pan.
- Spoon half the BBQ chicken mixture onto the cheese side of two of the slices. Add any optional toppings. Top each with a remaining slice, cheese-side down.
- Cut in half and serve immediately.
