Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
Topped with a juicy shredded barbecue chicken, this baked barbecue chicken flatbread comes together in a flash and is loaded with easy and flavorful ingredients making it the perfect dinner to throw together on a busy weeknight!
There are very few recipes that I love more than an easy weeknight recipe that the entire family loves. Between busy weeks and choosy children, the family favorite recipes are sometimes that every parent needs to fall back on!
When I’m in a pinch for time and want to make something that is healthy and doesn’t require me to spend all day in the kitchen, one of my go to dinner options are baked flatbreads that can come together in under 30 minutes..
Baked flatbreads are a nice alternative to a midweek pizza order because they are smaller in size and easier to personalize. Pepperoni pizza flatbreads. Simple cheese flatbreads. Taco inspired flatbreads. Or these delicious barbecue chicken flatbreads that have been a recent favorite of ours.
Loaded with protein rich, shredded BBQ chicken and topped with other delicious toppings like smoked gouda, fresh red onion, and sprinkles of fresh cilantro, these is a flatbread recipe that we truly never get sick of! I think your family is going to love this recipe too.
Let’s get to it!
Why you’ll love this flatbread with barbecue chicken:
On busy weeks, I have been reaching for this easy BBQ chicken flatbread because it’s:
Simple ingredients: This entire dinner is made with only 7 easy ingredients but is still full of flavor! Using fresh cilantro is key to enhance the flavor without adding to the ingredient count. Make sure you use enough BBQ sauce on your chicken because it’s also the sauce of your flatbread!
Loaded with protein: This barbecue chicken flatbread is packed with protein rich chicken that has been coated in BBQ sauce. Want to add even more protein? Make my cottage cheese flatbreads as your flatbread base to boost the protein content of this recipe.
Family friendly: No spices in sight for this recipe making it a great option to serve to kids. When sliced into pizza like shapes, many kids get excited that they are having a “pizza night” and you feel good knowing your pizza is loaded with protein packed chicken.
Easy to make: No fancy cooking skills needed to prep these easy baked flatbread pizzas. The hardest part is deciding if you should bake your flatbread prior to baking so that it gets a little bit crispy or just skip it and enjoy the softer bite of a flatbread.
Ready in under 30 minutes: ok ok, this is true if you use pre-cooked chicken. While this recipe starts at making shredded chicken in the crockpot, you can certainly skip that step and use pre-cooked and shredded chicken tossed in barbecue sauce to cut down on recipe prep time!
I think you and your family are all going to love this baked flatbread recipe!
Cottage Cheese Flatbreads
These 2 ingredient flatbreads pair perfectly with this barbecue chicken flatbread recipe!
Ingredients you’ll need:.
The best part of this recipe is that it comes together with only 7 ingredients… 8 ingredients if you want to pair it with my cottage cheese flatbread recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Chicken breast: For todays recipe we are going to make a super simple shredded chicken in the crockpot and then toss it on BBQ sauce once it’s cooked. You can make this recipe even easier by skipping this step and using pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken!
Flatbreads: You can make my 2 ingredient cottage cheese flatbreads for this recipe or buy pre-made flatbread rounds from the store like those from the Stonefire brand.
BBQ sauce: any brand you like but make sure you use ENOUGH BBQ sauce on your chicken because this is also going to act as the “sauce” of your flatbread.
Smoked gouda: I highly recommend using this specific type of cheese because its flavor pair perfectly with not only the barbecue chicken but also the cilantro and red onion! Buy the whole block of smoked gouda and shred it yourself for best results.
Mozzarella: I used rustic cut, shredded mozzarella cheese but have also made this with very finely chopped fresh mozzarella cheese. Both are delicious.
Cilantro: Fresh cilantro only and added to taste.
Red onion: Very finely diced and added to taste.
That’s all you’ll need for this recipe! It really is that easy and simple.
Step by Step Instructions:
Now let’s walk through how to make this recipe. Here’s how you’ll make your barbecue chicken flatbreads:
1) Start by trimming your chicken breast, seasoning with salt and pepper, and placing in your crockpot with 3/4 cup of water. Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or until your chicken easily shreds..
2) Once fully cooked, place your chicken in a bowl and shred. Then, add your BBQ sauce and mix until your chicken is thoroughly coated. Add ENOUGH BBQ sauce so that your chicken is well coated… the saucy chicken is going to act as the sauce of this flatbread recipe.
3) Shred your smoked gouda and chop your cilantro and red onion for your flatbread toppings.
4) Place your flatbread on a lined baking sheet and layer with your smoked gouda first then add your chicken, mozzarella, cilantro, and red onion. I added specific measurements to the recipe card but you can certainly add your toppings to taste.
LTN Tip: Flatbreads will not be as crispy as a traditional pizza crust. If you want a crispier flatbread, I recommend toasting it in a toaster or baking in the oven for 10 minutes before you add your toppings.
5) Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until your cheese is fully melted and the chicken is warmed through. Slice into triangles and enjoy!
Swaps and substitutions:
This recipe is delicious on its own but you can certainly make your own changes like:
Use pre-cooked chicken: If you want to cut down on time, use pre-cooked chicken like a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken breast in the crockpot.
Choose a flavored flatbread: I used a plain flatbread for this recipe but you can season yours with garlic or even stuff it with cheese for something different.
Dress up your BBQ sauce: I left this recipe really simple and just used barbecue sauce to coat the chicken. If you want to add more flavor, you can mix your BBQ sauce with some tomato sauce, brown sugar, garlic, or other flavors. .
Add some spice: Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or some diced jalapeños for a little spice.
Swap your toppings: Red onion and cilantro add some deliciously fresh flavors to this barbecue chicken flatbread recipe but you can change those out for any toppings you and your family prefer.
Recipe FAQ:
Is my flatbread supposed to be crispy?
Flatbreads will not be as crispy on the bottom as a traditional pizza crust would be. If you want to crisp up the flatbreads for this recipe then I recommend you toast them in a toaster or even bake them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes before adding your toppings!
Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Absolutely! Canned chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even a cooked and shredded chicken that you prepared for a different recipe can easily be tossed in BBQ sauce and used as the chicken for this recipe as well.
How should I store the leftovers?
This recipe is best served fresh but if you do not eat all of your barbecue chicken flatbread in one sitting, you can store it in an air tighter container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to enjoy your leftovers, I recommend warming it in the oven to help the flatbread crisp up.
Note that warming it in the oven could cause the chicken to dry out slightly so I would recommend drizzling a little extra BBQ sauce over your flatbread leftovers.
Other chicken recipes you will love:
If you love this barbecue chicken flatbread recipe then I think you will love some of these other chicken recipes that I have on the blog as well:
BBQ Chicken Sliders
Baked pesto parmesan chicken cutlet
One Pot Tuscan Chicken and Orzo Pasta
Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls
Honey Soy Chicken Cutlets
Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place your trimmed chicken breasts into a crockpot. Lightly season with salt and pepper, add 3/4 cup of water, and cook on high for 2.5 to 3 hours or until your chicken easily shreds.
- Place your cooked chicken breasts in a bowl and shred thoroughly. Stir in your barbecue sauce, adding to taste. (Note- you will want ENOUGH bbq sauce because this sauced chicken will also act as the sauce for your flatbread).
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil.Place your flatbreads onto your lined baked sheet. Note: If you want crispier flatbreads, bake the flatbreads in the oven for 5-10 minutes BEFORE adding your toppings.
- To your flatbreads, add ~1/2 a cup of smoked gouda to each flatbread until the top is evenly covered. Can adjust portion as desired.
- Then, fully layer each flatbread with 1/2 cup of barbecue chicken.
- Top each flatbread with 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of finely diced onions, and 1/4 cup of freshly chopped cilantro, adjusting to taste. Option to drizzle some extra barbecue sauce over top each flatbread for extra flavor.
- Bake your barbecue chicken flatbreads for 15-20 minutes or until your cheese is fully melted. Cut into triangles and enjoy!
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Hey! I’m Lauren
I’m a Registered Dietitian and busy toddler mom committed to bringing you delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipes!