Boost ooey, gooey grilled cheese into a dinner-ready main dish by adding saucy cooked chicken to the filling. Using two heavy skillets creates a homemade sandwich press, ensuring crisply golden sandwiches with fully melted cheese. A combination of cheeses is especially delicious—experiment with easy melters like Swiss, Colby, Havarti, Muenster, fontina, or Gouda.

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a heavy large skillet (cast-iron is best) over medium-high heat. Sauté onion about 4 minutes or until very tender. Stir in chicken, sauce, and barbecue seasoning. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until hot. Remove from skillet to a small bowl. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel; keep skillet hot over medium heat. Heat a second skillet of similar size over medium-high heat.

  2. Spread one side of each side of bread with butter; lay butter-side down on work surface. Sprinkle 2 slices of bread with half of cheese; spoon half of chicken mixture on top of cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; top with remaining slices of bread. Butter tops of sandwiches.

  3. Place sandwiches in hot skillet; place second skillet (bottom-down) on top of the sandwiches (if it’s not cast-iron, weight it down with a couple of cans from your pantry.)

  4. Cook sandwiches over medium heat for 5 minutes or until you hear melting cheese sizzling in pan. Gently remove top skillet, using a spatula if needed to be sure the sandwich isn’t sticking. Serve sandwiches immediately.

Variations

*Or use any leftover cooked Just Bare® chicken, from a home-roasted chicken or grilled chicken.

Tips

FAMILY-STYLE GRILLED CHEESE
To cook 4 to 6 sandwiches at the same time, heat the oven to 400˚F.  Double or triple the amount of filling, depending on how many sandwiches you want to make. Preheat two large rimmed baking sheets (half-sheet pans.) Arrange filled sandwiches on one baking pan, then top with the second hot baking sheet—weighing it down with a heavy oven-safe skillet. Bake about 20 minutes or until sandwiches are golden brown and cheese is melted.