Name: Cheesy BBQ Perinaise Chicken Flatbreads
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 large flatbreads (or naan breads); 200 g cooked chicken (shredded or sliced (rotisserie works perfectly)); 3 tbsp BBQ sauce (smoky variety preferred); 3 tbsp Perinaise (plus extra to drizzle after); 100 g mozzarella (torn or grated); 50 g mature cheddar (grated); ½ small red onion (thinly sliced); ½ red pepper (thinly sliced); 1 tsp smoked paprika; Salt and black pepper to taste; Fresh coriander and sliced spring onions (to serve (optional))

I made these for the first time on a Tuesday night when I genuinely could not be bothered. Like, the kind of evening where even boiling pasta felt like too much. I had leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge, half a bottle of Perinaise that I’d been dipping everything into for a week, and some flatbreads I’d bought with zero plan. Twenty minutes later I was standing over the kitchen counter eating the most satisfying thing I’d made in months — smoky, a little tangy, bubbling with melted cheese, and somehow tasting like something I’d order at a restaurant.

The smell when these come out of the oven is honestly unfair. That BBQ-Perinaise sauce caramelises at the edges while the cheese goes all golden and blistered on top, and the chicken underneath stays juicy because it’s already cooked before it even hits the oven. The flatbread crisps up just enough on the bottom to give you that crunch, but it doesn’t go rock hard. It’s the kind of recipe that feels like cheating in the best possible way.

Why This Works (And Why I Love It)

Done in 20 minutes, start to finish. No marinading, no resting, no waiting around.
Uses cooked chicken. Rotisserie, leftover grilled, meal-prepped — whatever you’ve got.
No fancy equipment. A baking tray and a grill (broiler) is genuinely all you need.
The sauce does all the heavy lifting. BBQ + Perinaise is one of those combinations that just makes sense without you having to think too hard about seasoning.
Scales up really easily. Making these for four people is the exact same effort as making them for two. Just grab more flatbreads.
Kid-friendly adjustable heat. Perinaise is mild enough that kids usually eat it happily, and you can add extra heat to your own portion separately.
Proper fridge-clearer. Red onion, peppers, leftover corn — almost anything works on top.

My Favourite Ingredient Swaps

This is where I want to actually help you, because “I don’t have that exact ingredient” kills more recipes than bad technique ever does.

The Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is my first choice every single time — it’s already seasoned, already juicy, and you can pull it apart in two minutes. But honestly? Leftover roast chicken, grilled chicken thighs you cooked two nights ago, or even a quickly pan-fried chicken breast works. If you’re cooking the chicken fresh, slice it thin, season it well, and get some colour on it in a hot pan first. If you’re vegetarian, swap the chicken for roasted chickpeas (toss in a bit of smoked paprika and oil first) or sliced halloumi. Both hold up really well under the grill.

The Perinaise: Perinaise (that creamy, slightly spiced peri peri mayo sauce) is the soul of this recipe, but if you can’t find it, you can make a really solid version at home in about 30 seconds. Mix 3 tablespoons of good mayo with 1.5 tablespoons of peri peri sauce (Nando’s bottled sauce works perfectly), a tiny squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of garlic powder. Stir. Done. If you want to go completely different, sriracha mayo is a genuinely great substitute, and a chipotle mayo works brilliantly for a smokier flavour.

The BBQ Sauce: Any BBQ sauce you like works here. Smoky and slightly sweet is the vibe you’re going for, so avoid anything that’s super vinegary or thin. If you’re making it healthier, a sugar-free BBQ sauce is fine — it’ll still caramelise a bit. No BBQ sauce at all? A good dollop of tomato paste mixed with smoked paprika, a tiny bit of honey, and Worcestershire sauce is a decent emergency version.

The Cheese: Mozzarella is the classic choice because it melts beautifully and goes stretchy in that satisfying way. But mature cheddar gives you way more flavour and goes golden faster under the grill. I actually love doing half and half — mozzarella for melt, cheddar for taste. If you’re dairy-free, a good vegan mozzarella (the Violife block, not the pre-shredded bag) melts surprisingly well here.

The Flatbreads: Shop-bought flatbreads are what I use, but naan bread works and actually gets even crispier. Pitta bread is slightly thinner so watch it under the grill — it can go from perfect to burned in about 45 seconds. Tortilla wraps work too if that’s what you have, though they’ll be crispier overall, more like a thin-crust pizza. For a gluten-free option, gluten-free pittas or flatbreads from most supermarkets work fine, just keep an eye on them as they can brown faster.

The Toppings: Red onion is my go-to because it softens nicely under the heat and adds a little sharpness. Sliced peppers (any colour), sweetcorn, jalapeños, sliced cherry tomatoes, or even pineapple (I’m not judging) all work really well. After the grill, I like to add fresh coriander and a drizzle of extra Perinaise. A handful of rocket on top is genuinely excellent if you want to feel a bit fancy.

Things to Watch Out For (Expert Tips)

1. Don’t overload the flatbread with sauce. I’ve done this. You slather on loads of sauce thinking more = better, and then the flatbread goes soggy in the middle and never crisps up properly. You want a thin, even layer of the BBQ sauce and then small dollops of Perinaise — not a swimming pool of it. Think of it like pizza. A little sauce spread thin, not thick. The flavour is concentrated, so you don’t need as much as you think.

2. The grill (broiler) is hotter than you expect. Every single time I test a new oven, the grill catches me out. These flatbreads need to go under a hot grill, but they’re done in 4–6 minutes and the cheese can go from perfectly bubbling to burned in under a minute if you walk away. Stay nearby. Seriously. Set a timer for 4 minutes and then just watch it through the oven door for the last couple of minutes. The cheese should be golden in spots — not completely brown all over.

3. Cold chicken straight from the fridge = uneven heating. If you’re using leftover chicken, don’t put it on the flatbreads cold and then expect the grill to heat it through properly in time. The cheese will be done but the chicken will still be cold in the middle, which is deeply unsatisfying. Take your chicken out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before you start, or give it a quick 30-second blast in the microwave to take the chill off before you pile it onto the flatbreads.

Leftovers & Reheating

Here’s the thing — these are genuinely best eaten fresh. The flatbread goes a bit soft once it’s stored, and there’s no getting around that. But if you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat them within a day. To reheat, please do not use the microwave unless you enjoy chewy, limp flatbreads. Put them back in the oven at 180°C (fan) for about 8 minutes, or better yet, slide them into a dry frying pan on a medium heat with the lid on for a few minutes. The base crisps back up and the cheese softens again without going rubbery. That frying pan method genuinely brings them back about 90% of the way to fresh.