Sweet mother of yum! Here’s a ridiculously good, easy and cheap technique to make you a rock star Diva this autumn. Or anytime, really. But I think we’re collectively getting the warm fuzzies for fall. Am I right? Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread! 

 

Let’s talk pull-apart breads, shall we? Simply put; you roll out pizza dough and you schmere and sprinkle it with delicious things. Next, you cut it into squares and stack the squares in a loaf pan. Now, you bake it until all those delicious things are melty and gooey and the dough is cooked through. Then you plop it in front of your unsuspecting recipients and wait for the eye rolling bliss. Because, you rock.

 

It’s kind of like architecturally organized monkey bread, perfect for tearing and sharing with a crowd. It can be sweet or savory. Personally, I love to serve a savory version as a football snack or a light lunch with a salad or soup. Sweet varieties are perfect for brunch or coffee. Just remember plenty of napkins.

 

Here’s a family favorite; Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread. There’s actually chicken in this so it’s a legitimate meal, right? We know I’m right.

 

 

BUFFALO CHICKEN PULL-APART BREAD

 

Serves: 4-6  Total Time: 50 minutes

 

 

What You’ll Need:

 

 

• 1 chicken breast – cooked and shredded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank’s)
• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 (13.8 oz.) tube refrigerated pizza dough – or homemade equivalent
• 2 tablespoons green onion – sliced
• Ranch dressing or sour cream – optional garnish

 

 

Here’s How:

 

1. Grease a 1-quart loaf pan.  To begin, in a small sauce pan on medium heat, melt one tablespoon butter and add the buffalo sauce and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Now, on a well-floured surface, roll out your pizza dough, quite thinly, into a large rectangle. 
3. Brush the dough with some of the buffalo sauce.
4. Use your pizza cutter or knife to cut dough into four long strips and then cut strips into square-ish shapes approximately 4”X 4” in size. I ended out with 16 squares.
5. Mix the shredded chicken with the remaining sauce and distribute evenly over the dough. 
6. Sprinkle both the cheeses and one tablespoon of the green onion evenly over the whole thing.
7. Use a greased, flat spatula to pick up and stack the squares by rows. This can get messy, so don’t worry about neatness. If you’re severely OCD this may not be the best recipe for you.
8. Next, with the loaf pan tilted up on one end, place the stacks vertically into your loaf pan. Let this rest while you preheat the oven
9. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the dough appears baked through.
10. Let the loaf rest for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a serving platter. Garnish with green onion. You can serve this with ranch dressing or sour cream, if desired.

 

 

Not fond of bleu cheese? No problem, just use more mozzarella!

 

This technique can be used with other flavors . . . like:

 

Pepperoni pizza 

Spread the dough with pizza sauce, top with sliced pepperoni and mozzarella.

 

Taco

Spread dough with salsa, top with browned taco seasoned beef and pepper jack cheese.

 

More cheese, please

Spread dough with butter melted with a teaspoon of minced garlic. Top with your favorite shredded cheese. Don’t forget the parmesan!

 

Or schmere with cream cheese and jam or pie filling for a delightfully delicious dessert.

 

Just imagine the smells coming out of your oven!

 

Let’s get stacking!

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