Loaded protein topping focaccia
BBQ Chicken & Red Onion Focaccia (American-Inspired)
Smoky-sweet barbecue sauce, tender pre-cooked chicken and sharp red onion over a pillowy focaccia, with a little extra sauce brushed on after baking.
- Total
- 4.5 hr
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Hydration
- 78%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Toss about 200 g pre-cooked shredded chicken with a moderate amount of BBQ sauce, top a dimpled 78% hydration focaccia with the chicken, mozzarella and thin red onion, bake at 220°C/425°F for 18–22 minutes (watching for scorching), then brush with a little more sauce after baking.
Why this works
Chicken is pre-cooked because it cannot cook through safely in the bake. Barbecue sauce is high in sugar, so it is applied moderately and largely tucked under cheese to shield it, and the oven is set a touch lower (220°C) to prevent the sugars from burning. A post-bake brush restores bright, un-scorched sauce flavor.
The schedule
~40m hands-on of 4.7h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 40m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1.5h
- Bake · 20m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Cook and lightly sauce the chicken
Use fully pre-cooked chicken. Shred it and toss with just enough BBQ sauce to coat, holding back some sauce for finishing.
Look for: Lightly glazed, not dripping — excess sugary sauce is what scorches.
Avoid: Do not use raw chicken — it will not cook through in the bake. And go moderate on the sauce; it is sugary and burns.
- 2
Mix
Whisk flour and yeast. Add water and 20 g oil, then salt. Stir to a wet, shaggy dough.
Look for: Slack and sticky, pulling off the spoon in sheets.
- 3
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds in the first hour, then rise until bubbly and nearly doubled.
Look for: Domed, blistered surface; airy and jiggly.
- 4
Pan and proof
Oil the pan, transfer the dough, coat the top with oil, and proof until it fills the pan.
Look for: Spreads to the corners and wobbles when nudged.
- 5
Dimple and top
Dimple to the pan bottom. Scatter most of the mozzarella, add the sauced chicken in a single layer, tuck the remaining cheese over the sauciest spots, then lay red onion on top.
Look for: Cheese blankets the exposed sauce so it is shielded from direct heat; onion sits thin so it softens.
- 6
Bake (watch for scorching)
Bake at 220°C/425°F for 18–22 minutes. Check at 15 minutes; if the sauce or onion darkens fast, tent loosely with foil.
Look for: Cheese bubbles, onion tips caramelize, and the base is crisp — sauce is deep brown, not black.
Avoid: Sugary BBQ sauce can go from caramelized to burnt quickly — tent with foil if it darkens early.
- 7
After baking: brush and garnish
Off the heat, brush with the reserved BBQ sauce for fresh flavor and scatter cilantro. Cool a few minutes before slicing.
Look for: The finishing sauce is glossy and bright, not baked-on and bitter.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Tall and tender under a smoky-sweet top.
- Crust: Crisp fried bottom; deep-gold edges.
- Height: About 3–4 cm tall.
- Color: Caramelized onion and bubbling cheese; sauce deep brown, not charred.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, burnt sauce | Too much sugary BBQ sauce exposed to direct oven heat | Use less during the bake, shield it under cheese, drop the oven to 220°C, and finish with fresh sauce after baking. |
| Cold chicken in the middle | Piled too thick to reheat | Spread it single-layer; it only needs warming since it is pre-cooked. |
| Sharp, raw onion bite | Onion sliced thick or piled deep | Slice it thin and single-layer so it softens; for less bite, soak slices in cold water first. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled slices wrapped tightly up to 1 month.
Reheating: Re-crisp in a 200°C/400°F oven 6–8 minutes; brush with a little fresh sauce after.
Contains wheat/gluten and dairy. Check BBQ sauce for allergens (some contain soy, mustard or Worcestershire/anchovy).
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
Fresh — buy local
- Meat / seafood (opens Amazon) ↗ — From a butcher or deli; pre-cook before topping.
- Barbecue sauce (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
- Cheese (opens Amazon) ↗ — Buy fresh from a good cheese counter or deli.
- Onions (opens Amazon) ↗ — A kitchen staple; buy fresh.
- Fresh herbs (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fresh is best; a windowsill pot works well.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Why does my BBQ topping burn?
- Barbecue sauce is high in sugar. Use less under cheese during the bake, keep the oven at 220°C, tent with foil if it darkens early, and brush on fresh sauce after baking.
- Can I use raw chicken?
- No — it will not reach a safe temperature in the bake. Use fully cooked chicken, shredded and lightly sauced.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/bbq-chicken-red-onion-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.