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This BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread is everything you love about a smoky slice of BBQ chicken pizza, but packed into a warm loaf that you can pull apart piece by piece. It is fast, it is cheesy, and it turns a simple store bought bread into a crowd pleaser.
When you want something bold and comforting without rolling out dough, this BBQ chicken bread comes to the rescue. It is the kind of recipe you throw together on busy nights and still feel like you made something fun. If you love easy recipes that taste like a weekend treat, this BBQ chicken pizza bread will become a repeat craving.
Why People Love This Recipe
This BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread packs all the flavor of a BBQ chicken pizza into a loaf you can pull apart with almost no prep. The bread soaks up the smoky sauce, the chicken stays tender, and the cheese melts into every bite, giving you that full pizza experience without making dough.
What sets it apart is how quick it is. Many BBQ chicken bread recipes taste rushed, but this one layers real flavor fast. It is bold, messy in the best way, and always the first thing people reach for.
What Goes Into BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread
This BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread uses simple ingredients but layers them in a way that gives you the full flavor of BBQ chicken pizza without making dough.
- Crusty Sourdough Vienna: A whole unsliced loaf that holds the fillings and stays crisp.
- Barbecue Sauce: Adds smoky sweetness that seeps into every cut.
- Cooked Chicken Breast: Finely chopped so it tucks neatly into the loaf.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Melts smoothly for that classic stretchy pull.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat to 176C or 350F and place the whole loaf on a lightly greased oven tray so it is ready for stuffing.
- Slice: Use a bread knife to cut lengthwise along the creases, stopping before the base, then cut crosswise without slicing through.
- Add the Sauce: Spoon or squeeze barbecue sauce into every cut, making sure it coats the inside of the loaf so each pull apart piece has flavor.
- Stuff the Fillings: Tuck the chicken, mozzarella, onions, olives, and mushrooms into all the cuts, pressing everything deep into the bread.
- Season: Sprinkle with Italian pizza herbs, cover it tightly with foil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese starts to melt.
- Bake Until Crisp: Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are crisp.
- Grill the Toppings: While the bread bakes, grill the pineapple rings and cherry tomatoes in a lightly greased pan until caramelized to your liking.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven, top with the grilled pineapple and tomatoes, and finish with fresh shredded basil before serving.
This BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread is rich, cheesy, and saucy, so it shines even more when paired with sides that bring freshness or a different kind of comfort. A bowl of Cauliflower Fried Rice adds lightness without losing that cozy, satisfying feel. For something crisp and refreshing, Caprese Crostini With Grilled Avocado brings bright tomatoes and creamy avocado that balance the smoky barbecue flavors. If you want a fun, indulgent contrast, Mini Caprese Deep Dish Pizzas make the whole spread feel like a playful, mix and match feast.
Tips For Making BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread
- Use a firm loaf so it holds the fillings. A crusty sourdough Vienna works best because it keeps its shape even when stuffed and baked.
- Do not cut all the way through. Leave the base intact so the sauce and cheese stay inside and the loaf pulls apart cleanly.
- Press the fillings deep into the cuts. The more you tuck them in, the more even and flavorful each piece will be.
- Cover with foil for the first bake. This melts the cheese gently without drying out the bread.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, any sturdy crusty loaf works well. Sourdough, ciabatta, or a round boule all hold the fillings without getting soggy.
Absolutely. Leftover chicken, rotisserie pieces, or even shredded grilled chicken all work and save time.
Wrap the bread in foil and warm it in the oven at 160C or 320F until heated through. This keeps it crisp on the outside and soft inside.
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Barbecue Chicken Pizza Stuffed Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf crusty sourdough vienna whole and unsliced
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 whole cooked chicken breast sliced or chopped finely
- 7 oz mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
- ½ medium red onion finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 oz tin pineapple rings
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian pizza herbs dried seasoning
- 1 handful Basil leaves shredded or chopped finely
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 176C | 350F degrees. Place the loaf on a lightly greased oven tray. With a sharp bread knife, cut the bread in rows lengthwise along the bread creases, being careful not to cut through to the base of the loaf. Holding the bread over the top, cut across into it widthwise, again about 1cm above the base crust
- Spoon (or squeeze directly out of the bottle) the barbecue sauce into each cut and spread to evenly coat the inside of the bread. Insert the chicken breast, cheese slices, onions, olives and mushrooms into each slice/wedge. Push all ingredients down into the bread really well.
- Sprinkle with the italian pizza herbs; cover with foil and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
- Uncover and bake again for a further 10 minutes, or until bread has turned golden and crispy.
- While the bread is baking; grill pineapple rings and cherry tomatoes on a lightly greased nonstick pan/skillet until cooked to your liking.
- Remove the pizza pull apart bread from the oven and serve with the pineapple rings and cherry tomatoes. Top with shredded Basil leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Are the calories for the whole loaf?
I too was drooling on my keyboard at this recipe and you great photos. I had to try it that day. I had guest coming so I made 2 of them. Started out your way it was way to messy, so I used shredded cheese then, mixed it all into the BBQ sauce and spooned it in. Then cut up the grilled pineapple, tomato and basil at the end and sprinkled that over the top. Heavenly Recipe Thank You It was a great hit here.
Hi Kat! That’s a great way of doing it too! Thank you so much for commenting. I’ll be trying it out your way soon! I’m so glad you guys liked it! Xx
Karina, this looks so incredible! And deliciously messy! Gorgeous pictures as always 🙂 Pinned!
Aw Mila thank YOU so much! This shoot was definitely one of those, ‘second guessing myself,’ shoots!
You are as crazy as I am 😉
Girl, you sure?! 😉
Most def!!!
Oh my goodness that looks good! I can smell it all the way over here in the US! Beautiful photography, this bread could not possibly look any more gorgeous.
Ok Nicole. In all honesty, I may have passed out — like twice — when I read your comment, because it’s YOU saying that about my photography? I think I may just pass out again… wait…Ok I’m back. Thank you so much Nicole. I feel honoured and extra thankful to your generous compliments! Just wow! Anytime you’re over here I will gladly make this for you! Xxx
My.God! I can’t even. This looks insanely delicious. I’m dying over here!! Your recipes are always so over-the-top-incredible and your photography is torturing. I can’t wait to try that myself. Pinned!
Haha aw thank you girl!! That means so much to me…especially coming from you! Xx