BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Grilled Cheese

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Grilled Cheese is the perfect ooey-gooey Hawaiian style grilled cheese sandwich. Delicious!

Grilled cheese is basically my love language, and I've never met a grilled cheese I didn't like. From savory to sweet, it is a very versatile sandwich. I've shred tons of recipes with you, such as Caprese Grilled Cheese and Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese, but this BBQ Chicken & Pineapple Grilled Cheese will become a regular staple for lunch or dinner.

Serve this with Easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries for the perfect meal!

If you've heard of Hawaiian Pizza, and enjoy it, this is the sandwich for you. Moist white meat shredded chicken, coated in savory sweet BBQ sauce, delicious juicy pineapple slices, and rich extra sharp cheddar cheese, it's so perfect.  I like to use this Instant Pot Chicken (all purpose shredded chicken) recipe and keep shredded chicken frozen at all times!

How to make BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Grilled Cheese:

**scroll down for full ingredients list and printable directions**

• Prepare the chicken:
  • Place chicken breasts into an oven safe baking dish, spread BBQ sauce over chicken and bake until cooked through.
  • Remove from oven and shred chicken with 2 forks. In a large bowl combine shredded chicken and BBQ sauce; mix until evenly coated.
• Assemble the sandwiches:
  • Taking 8 slices of bread, butter one side of each slice (only one side). Place bread butter side down, and lay all slices out in front of you.
  • Spread ¼ cup of cheese onto 4 slices of bread.
  • On top of that cheese, spread one fourth of the chicken mixture onto each slice.
  • Add 3 pineapple slices on top of the chicken, then top with the remaining cheese (should be about ¼ cup on top of each slice).
  • Taking the slices that have only been buttered, place them on top of the cheese layer, butter facing out. Press down with hand or spatula.
• Cook the BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Grilled Cheese sandwiches:
  • Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium heat and spray with non stick spray. Place 2 sandwiches butter side down on the pan, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until browned.
  • Flip and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes or until browned.
    • Careful, they tend to cook fast on the second side.
  • Repeat these steps until all sandwiches are cooked.

Pro tips for making this grilled cheese:

• Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses have additives so that they don’t clump together in the bag, but you need the cheese to melt together so pre-shredded cheese really isn’t ideal for melting.
• Watch the sandwiches carefully as they are cooking so they don't burn.
• Use a heavy bottom skillet or grill pan or cast iron for the perfect cooking.
• Use a thick sliced bread to make sure the sandwich holds up to the filling.
• Use the instant pot to have pre-shredded chicken on hand.

Sides to serve with BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

• Air Fryer French Fries
• Simple Wedge Salad
• Arby's Curly Fries
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
• Super Simple Buffalo Potato Wedges

If you like grilled cheeses as much as I do, checkout these other grilled cheese sandwiches!

• French Onion Grilled Cheese
• Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese (Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches)
• Caprese Grilled Cheese
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
• Apple Grilled Cheese
• Spinach Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Havarti Melt