This BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza is a fantastic option for a busy day or your next game day gathering that is always a big hit. Tons of flavor and ready in under 30 minutes!
Typically I have a pretty impressive amount of discipline and self control when it comes to food. When I’m cooking for a blog post, I normally decide before I even hit the kitchen whether or not I’ll eat after the last photo is taken. Most of the time, the answer is a big fat NO. It goes straight into the fridge to be consumed later for dinner or by the fist lucky guy to come across it.
That was the plan for this pizza.
The plan failed miserably.
I swear, it was calling my name. And after all, a girl’s got to eat. Right?
This recipe is incredibly fast and easy to put together since there is no pizza crust involved. A loaf of French bread is all you’ll need. Stay away from the hard, crusty variety and instead go with a fresh baked loaf that has some give when you give it a squeeze. Yes, I admit it, I’m a bread squeezer.
Slice that loaf of bread right down the middle and place the halves on a foil lined baking sheet.
For the sauce you’ll need a basic jarred marinara and your favorite BBQ sauce. I have deep feelings for Kinder’s Organic BBQ Sauce. I’ve been dedicated to this stuff ever since the first time I tried it.
Combine 1/2 cup marinara with 1/4 BBQ sauce and set it aside. We’ll need it later.
Chop two boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small, bite-sized pieces. Coat a large skillet with vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken till no longer pink, While the chicken cooks, season it with a little Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (or your favorite all-purpose seasoning mix).
Add 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce to the cooked chicken.
Continue to cook and stir until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and the sauce has begun to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat.
Slice up about 1/2 cup red onion, very thinly.
The cheese! An integral part of any pizza. This is an 8 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella, shredded, and about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar.
Divide the marinara/BBQ sauce mixture evenly between the halves of bread.
Top with the cooked chicken.
The thinly sliced red onion.
The glorious cheese!
Pop the baking sheet in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Cilantro is a great compliment but I use it sparingly and allow my cilantro lovers to add as much as they’d like to their individual servings.
Allow the French bread pizza to sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 loaf French bread
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small, bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, divided
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Coat a large skillet with vegetable oil and place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Sauté chopped chicken until nearly cooked through and barely any pink remains. Season with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper as it cooks. Add 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, reduce heat to MEDIUM, and continue to simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sauce has thickened. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl combine remaining ¼ cup BBQ sauce and marinara. Cut French bread in half and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Coat each half of bread with the sauce mixture. Divide chicken evenly between bread. Top with sliced red onions. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and cheddar.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes and then slice and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Adapted from Allrecipes
Great recipe! I was looking for a recipe to use a leftover French bread. It reminded me of an appetizer I might have ordered from a restaurant.
Is it possible to cook this on the grill?? Sort of loosely wrap it in foil so it doesn’t mess up the cheese?
I’ve not tried this so I can’t say for sure how that would work out. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
I had the whole family try it and they loved it! 10/10 would recommend. The only two things I changed is to use 3 chicken breasts and use more of that marinara/bbq sauce
I love making this now. The first time I shared it with family but now I keep it for me haha. What isn’t the best way to reheat leftovers? My husband says use the microwave but wouldn’t the oven be better?
Hi Susan. I think the best way to reheat pizza of any kind is in a toaster oven, if you’ve got one. If not, a conventional oven or microwave will do. For a conventional oven, I would reheat slices of the pizza on a foil-lined baking sheet at about 375 to 400 degrees F just long enough to heat it through.
in the step by step it says 1/2 c marinara and 1/4 c bbq sauce but in recipe it is reversed?? which is the proper measurements?? thanks
Thank you for catching that, Jenn! The recipe card has been updated.
I cheated on this one, Valerie, made it with some Costco baby turkey………er, I mean, rotisserie chicken, or, as I like to call it, RotoChix!
King Soopers (Kroeger) makes a whole-wheat French loaf that is to die for, used that and also went a little nuts with the cilantro.
Came out great and took all of 20 minutes before we were stuffing our faces with it!
I love it all, RL! We don’t have Kroeger’s here in California but I’d love to try that whole-wheat French. Sounds wonderful! I can’t get me enough of those baby turkeys 🙂
That’s how you used up the big costco cheese (if you remember my previous comment.. lol). I’m going to make this. The marinara + bbq sauce mix is a new sauce for me (sounds yummy!) and I know I’ll lose my control…I’m a big fan of bread and bbq sauce (not to mention cheese!). xD
Yes, this is one of the many ways to use up some of that fresh mozzarella and a little bit of the cheddar. I usually portion up and vacuum seal the cheddar and jack cheese I buy from Costco since they come in such big blocks. I can’t pass up the price! I hope you enjoy the pizza, Nami 🙂
I was seriously drooling when I first saw you post a picture of these!! I’ve always wanted to make french bread pizza, but never had!! I love that you mix the bbq sauce with marinara!
We LOVE pizza in our house. Though I’m sad to say we usually rely on delivery. LOVE the idea of French Bread pizza… and BBQ Chicken? My family wouldn’t know what to do! Can’t wait to make this.
Can you come bring me this for dinner?? This is my kind of pizza 🙂
Absolutely, Aggie. Be right over 🙂