French Bread BBQ Pizza

Time :35 minutes
Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Homemade pizzas sometimes feel like they're missing that special something that delivery pizzas provide. Not anymore! French Bread BBQ Pizza uses buttery French bread as a crust and layers of melty mozzarella and cheddar as the cheese, so it's already on the right track! But then it uses smoky-sweet barbecue sauce instead of marinara and loads up each serving with savory chicken! French Bread BBQ Pizza is delivery-quality fresh from your own oven!
Homemade pizzas sometimes feel like they're missing that special something that delivery pizzas provide. Not anymore! French Bread BBQ Pizza uses buttery French bread as a crust and layers of melty mozzarella and cheddar as the cheese, so it's already on the right track! But then it uses smoky-sweet barbecue sauce instead of marinara and loads up each serving with savory chicken! French Bread BBQ Pizza is delivery-quality fresh from your own oven!

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-14-ounce) loaf French bread
  • 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce homemade or store-bought, divided, plus more, to taste, for serving
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 cup cheddar or Gouda cheese shredded
  • 1/2 small red onion quartered and thinly sliced
  • fresh cilantro leaves optional, to taste, for serving

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Depending on the length of the loaf, you may need to cut it crosswise into 4 pieces to fit on the baking sheet.
  • Arrange the bread halves, cut-sides up, on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Toast the bread halves until they are slightly dry to the touch and the edges start to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl, add the shredded chicken and 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce and toss until coated.
  • In a separate, medium bowl, add the mozzarella and the cheddar and toss to combine.
  • Spread 3/4 cup of the remaining barbecue sauce evenly on the cut-sides of the toasted French bread halves, making sure to reach all the way to the edges.
  • Top the cut-sides of the French bread halves evenly with about 1/2 of the cheese mixture.
  • Sprinkle the cheese layers evenly with the onions.
  • Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the onion layers on each of the French bread halves.
  • Top the chicken layers with the remaining cheese mixture.
  • Bake the pizzas until the cheese is melted with a few golden-brown spots on top, about 12-15 minutes.
  • Serve topped with the extra barbecue sauce and the cilantro.
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