Cheesy Chicken Marinara Pull Bread

The last few months have been hectic.  With the kids home from school and the sounds of “But Daaaaaaaaad. I’m Staaaaaaarving!” being more commonplace than not, there’s been very little time to make and photograph new recipes for you.  On top of that, my wife has been under deadline to finish her novel and get it submitted (Done last week, Congrats, Honey), so for most of the summer it’s been one very tired dad making and serving food as quickly as possible.

Gawd I love the beginning of school.

First, I need to give a huge shout out to all the guest posters who kept the blog running over the summer. You guys were freaking awesome. If it wasn’t for the effort you all put in, we might have had to go on hiatus. And while guest posts are still welcome and will be ongoing, each newsletter should now start with a new recipe.

Yep, we’re back, and it’s good to be here.

Today I wanted to share a perfect game day or movie night snack that can also double as a light meal.  A simple combination of bread, chicken, cheese and marinara sauce.  It’s ready in 45 minutes, serves 8 to 10 as a snack and easily 4 for dinner. On top of that, it’s just about as amazing as it gets.

You know how great a nice crusty bread tastes when you mop up all the spaghetti sauce left on a plate? Yeah. Every bite of this is that good. No. seriously. It’s that good. But of course it’s better if you dip it in a little more sauce.

This dish is a fast, loose kind of affair that’s perfect for cooking by the seat of your pants. Feel free to change up the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. If you’ve got a hankering for a different cheese, use it. Want beef or Italian sausage instead of chicken, or just don’t want any protein at all? That’s fine. It’s still going to be good.

No. It’s going to be freaking amazing.

Do you have a favorite pull bread? Is it just cheese and onions, or do you crave the BLT version floating around? What would you do differently, if anything? Let us know in the comments. We’d be happy to try your ideas out. In fact, we’re craving them!

Yield: 4 servings

Cheesy Chicken Marinara Pull Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 (14.5 ounce can) Marinara Sauce - Divided
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.Mix chicken and cheese together, tossing well. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup Marinara sauce depending on how you like yours, and turn gently with a spoon until well coated.
2. Cut bread nearly all the way through in 3/4-inch squares. (Make sure you don't cut all the way through the bread, you need the bottom intact!) Using a small spoon, fill each of the cuts in the bread with chicken mixture.
3. Wrap in foil and bake 10 minutes. Carefully unwrap and cook another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top of the bread is browned slightly. Serve with marinara on the side.
4. Share and enjoy!

Notes

Can be made with Homemade French Bread or store bought. If you'd rather use a ragu, feel free!

The same is true of the cheese. Want provolone or Parmesan? Then use it. We won't judge.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1108Total Fat: 65gSaturated Fat: 35gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 201mgSodium: 2045mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 62g