Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken & Caramelized Onions
Home » COOK » Recipes » Recipes By Course » Appetizers & Starters »Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken and caramelized onions are a hearty appetizer option for parties and big game days, or a tasty light dinner with a salad. They’re easy to make using rotisserie chicken, and simple to scale up if needed!
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Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken
The whole ingredients list and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
I grew up living in restaurants that my dad ran, and potato skins were a popular starter that was always on the menu.
So for me, they are a great appetizer option for serving at parties and informal gatherings.
However, this recipe also makes a great entree when served with a salad.
These baked potato skins stuffed with BBQ chicken and caramelized onions and topped with cheese have two time-saving shortcuts – rotisserie chicken and store-bought barbecue sauce.
And while the potatoes are baking in the oven, you can caramelize the onions which provide awesome flavor.
So take a look through the ingredients list and let’s get cooking!

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
Ingredients Needed For Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken
- Fresh Produce – Large Baking Potatoes, Yellow Onion, Parsley
- Protein – Rotisserie Chicken Breast
- Dairy – Unsalted Butter, Mozzarella
- Store Cupboard – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Dried Rosemary
- Balsamic Vinegar
- BBQ Sauce – use your favorite brand, or even your own homemade sauce if you prefer.
The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card at the end of this post.
Equipment Needed For This Recipe
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowls
- Large Frying Pan/Saute Pan
- Rubber/Silicon Spatula – or you could use a:
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
- Pastry Brush
- Kitchen Tongs
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Rotisserie Chicken
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is rotisserie chicken, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese & Walnuts
- Comforting Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole with Mushrooms & Peas
- Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Recipe in 30 Minutes
- Raspberry Chicken Salad with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

More Ways To Stuff Potato Skins
Mix up your platter of baked potato skins with these recipes:
- Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins with Pepperoni & Fresh Basil
- Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon
- These Jalapeño Popper Baked Potatoes Are Popping with Flavor!
- Loaded Baked Potatoes {with Cheese & Bacon}

Recipe Tips
- Prepare larger batches of the caramelized onions to keep in the refrigerator. They are delicious on burgers and sandwiches, in soups and appetizers, or on top of pizza or flatbreads.
- As written, this recipe yields 12 substantial appetizers. If needed, it can be doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Storing Leftovers: Cool and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken Recipe Card
The printable recipe card below has the full ingredients list and instructions. To save ink, any demonstration photos do not print.

Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken & Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
- 6 large baking potatoes cleaned and pierced with a fork several times
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion ends removed and sliced root to tip ¼” thick
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast shredded
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup Mozzarella shredded
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas 7.
- Place the potatoes in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the potatoes are baking, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and rosemary and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are a deep, rich brown.
- Deglaze the pan by adding the balsamic vinegar and gently scraping up any brown bits off the bottom with a spatula. Remove from heat and set aside.
- When the cooking time is complete, remove the potatoes from the oven and transfer them to a baking rack to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- While the potatoes are cooling, place the caramelized onions, shredded chicken breast, and BBQ sauce in a large bowl. Stir to combine and set the bowl aside.
- Once cool, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the soft interior with a spoon, leaving a one-quarter-inch margin around the skins. (Save the cooked potato filling for another recipe).
- Place the potato skins cut side down on a baking rack set over a baking sheet. Brush the skins with the remaining olive oil and return to the hot oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip over the skins with tongs. Divide the BBQ chicken and onion mixture evenly between the potato skins and top each with an equal amount of Mozzarella cheese.
- Place the baking sheet back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley right before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare larger batches of the caramelized onions to keep in the refrigerator. They are delicious on burgers and sandwiches, in soups and appetizers, or on top of pizza or flatbreads.
- As written, this recipe yields 12 substantial appetizers. If needed, it can be doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Recipes To Make A Special Dinner
You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Soup: 30-Minute Instant Pot Tomato Soup Recipe
- Salad: Grilled Corn Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
- Main Dish: How To Make Pizza Margherita (On A Cast-Iron Griddle)
- Beverage: Classic Margaritas on the Rocks
- Dessert: No-Churn Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.