Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf
If you want a meal that will stick to your ribs and leave everyone singing praises to you then look no further than Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf! Flavorful, easy, and enough to feed the crew, this meatloaf is also very customizable to your tastes. So let’s hop aboard the “you-are-everyone’s-favorite-person-for-making-a-delicious-meal train” and make some meatloaf!
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Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf
If you say, “Ew! I hate meatloaf!” then this is for you! This Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf doesn’t taste like traditional meatloaf. I know because my husband enjoys this meatloaf and he doesn’t even like to look at a “normal” meatloaf. And just a little hint…this recipe is good to make into little meatballs and leave the bbq sauce off for those eaters who have weird opinions about all the delicious and healthy foods you make for them. The grated sweet potato in this is a great way to add some hidden veggies since it melts away into the meat!
I have been making this for years and haven’t put it on the blog yet because for some reason I just can’t get good photos of this meal haha. So whatever, this is what I have and I’m going for it, but trust me it tastes way better than it looks! You can halve this recipe, divide it into small loaves and perhaps freeze them (I haven’t done this yet), or double this up as far as you need to feed a crowd.
Ingredients for Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf
Again, this meatloaf can be customized in a few ways, so I’ll mention that as we go along.
Ground Chicken: You can sub for ground turkey, or even ground beef. Probably any ground meat because they all go well as BBQ. So pick your favorite or choose what is on sale if you aren’t picky.
Sweet Potato: If you don’t have sweet potato or rather use a carrot instead then go for it. I have done this many times. You could even probably grate some zucchini, squeeze out some moisture from it, and throw that in as well.
BBQ Sauce: Just use your favorite! I use both red and sometimes I make gold bbq that I will use. That will be in another blog post!
Onion: Yellow, white, sweet, red…whatever.
Spices: Cumin, Coriander, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt. If you like some heat then add a bit of cayenne to it!
Eggs: Use good farm-fresh eggs
Bread Crumbs: These help bind the meatloaf together along with the eggs. I usually have panko on hand but you can crush up crackers, blitz some oatmeal in a food processor, or even make some bread crumbs out of sliced bread. I will save the heals of bread in the freezer, then toast them up really dry and make bread crumbs.
Cheese: You don’t have to stuff it with cheese because it is still so good without it, but why wouldn’t you add cheese to a meal that can have cheese added to it? I prefer to buy block cheese since it doesn’t have the additives that shredded cheese does to keep it from sticking together. Block cheese, therefore, melts better, and it’s cheaper to buy and grate yourself!
How to Cook Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf
Just like any meatloaf, it is very simple to throw together and lets you pop it into the oven and walk away for an hour while it does the magic. This meatloaf does require a small extra step of love in making it by cooking the grated veggies in a skillet beforehand but it is well worth it.
First, grate your sweet potatoes and onions. Cook them over medium-high heat with a little oil until the sweet potatoes are bright orange and the veggies have softened some. This step really makes a difference in allowing the veggies to blend into the meatloaf, but If you want to try it without cooking it first then it will be fine, just the sweet potato might be as “melted” away in the meatloaf. Let the veggies cool for a few minutes while you prepare the rest.
Mix all the remaining ingredients and add the veggies. I like to really blend it all up! I use my hands.
Then, add half to a pan and pat it out into a rectangle or oval. Whatever long shape that makes you happy haha. I like to add parchment paper to the pan as well. Make a little well in the meat and add your cheese to it. Then add the remaining meat over top and seal it well. Pat it and spank it and make sure every crack is sealed!
Add some bbq sauce on top and sail it away into the oven for an hour! You can add some more bbq sauce on top when there is maybe 10 left to cook and let that caramelize a little. My family prefers light bbq on top but to add more on the plate as we eat.
Serve it with sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, salad, corn, or whatever veggie side dish you like. You can make this a sheet pan dinner and add root veggies to the pan to cook the hour-long with the meatloaf!
Enjoy!
I hope this Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf becomes a family favorite for you like it is for my family!
Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Chicken Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 TBS Butter, Olive oil, or Coconut oil
- 1 Small Sweet Potato (about a cup or so) can substitute with carrot
- 1 Small Onion yellow, white, or sweet will work
- 2 Lb Ground Chicken can substitute with ground turkey
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup Panko-style bread crumbs
- 1/4 Cup BBQ sauce, plus more to top the meatloaf
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 oz Block Cheese cheddar, colby jack, pepper jack, use a favorite!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375, and grate the sweet potato and onion.
- Over medium-high heat, melt the oil or butter and add the sweet potato and onion. Saute for maybe 5 minutes or until the sweet potato has turned a brighter orange color. Set aside to cool for a few minutes while you combine the other ingredients.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix very well. Get your hands dirty!
- On a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, place half of the meat mixture and shape it into about a 12-inch long log. Create a well in the middle and add cheese. Top with remaining meat and pat well to seal the cheese into the meatloaf.
- Top with the desired amount of BBQ sauce and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature for doneness.
