Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Bread (Easy Pull-Apart Appetizer)
Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Bread is an easy and delicious pull-apart appetizer perfect for game days, parties, or a comforting meal. This recipe combines rotisserie chicken, crispy bacon, ranch dressing, and a blend of cheeses stuffed inside a soft Italian bread loaf and baked to cheesy perfection.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 slices (1-inch each) 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 8 oz Chive and Onion cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup bottled Ranch salad dressing
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3 medium green onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese (for mixing)
For the Bread Assembly
- 1 16-inch loaf Italian Bread loaf
- 2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese (for layering)
- 1 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a sheet pan for baking.
- Make the Cheese Mixture: In a medium-size mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, bottled ranch dressing, garlic salt, and onion powder until smooth and creamy.
- Combine the Filling: Add the chopped rotisserie chicken, crumbled bacon, finely chopped green onions, and 1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese to the cheese mixture. Mix by hand until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Prepare the Bread: Slice the Italian bread loaf in half lengthwise. Carefully hollow out some of the bread from the center of each half to create space for the filling.
- Assemble the Stuffed Bread: Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Colby-Jack cheese evenly on the bottom piece of bread. Spread the chicken and cheese filling over the shredded cheese from end to end. Then cover the filling with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Place the top half of the bread onto the filling gently, pressing it down slightly to secure.
- Butter and Wrap: Brush the entire outside of the assembled bread with melted butter to ensure a golden crust. Wrap the loaf tightly in aluminum foil.
- Bake: Place the foil-wrapped loaf onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the filling is heated through and the cheese inside has melted.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Carefully open the foil and bake the bread uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to allow the crust to crisp up nicely.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1-inch pieces and serve warm as a delicious appetizer or main dish.
Notes
- Use a soft, fluffy Italian bread loaf that is approximately 16 inches long for the best balance of bread to filling.
- If a longer loaf is used, the filling quantity can be increased accordingly, but avoid using a shorter loaf to maintain the texture ratio.
- You can prepare the chicken mixture a day ahead to save time on the day you serve this appetizer.
- To keep the bread moist and flavorful, bake wrapped in foil initially and then uncovered for the final crispness.