This post has been sponsored by Borden® Cheese. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My family and friends share a whole lotta love for two things: football and FOOD! These tasty BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pinwheels are no exception. Let me tell ya’, these little bites disappear quickly. Especially if you serve them at your tailgate party or while watching the game. Big win? Pinwheel appetizers are so easy to make, plus you can make them ahead of time. Here’s how!

Big Flavors in these Pinwheels!

We have all heard the phrase “Go Big or Go Home.” I hear ya’ loud and clear. That’s why we have cranked up the flavors in a classic cream cheese pinwheel. The stars of the show? Tender rotisserie chicken, tangy BBQ sauce, and LOADS of Borden® Cheese Thick Cut Shreds.

Overhead picture of three bags of pre-shredded cheese on a white board background next to a reusable shopping bag from Food Lion

There are so many flavors to choose from. For this game day recipe, we went with the Ultimate Mac N’ Cheese and Sharp Cheddar blends. Just grab and go to make snacking fast and easy.

Save $1.00 at Food Lion when you buy 2 Borden® Cheese products.

A bowl of cream cheese filling next to two bags of shredded cheddar cheese

Ingredients Needed to Make BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pinwheels:

Borden® Cheese Thick Cut Shreds – any flavor mix you want
Cream cheese – softened to room temp for easy mixing and spreading
BBQ sauce – pick your fave sweet + tangy sauce
Green onions – for color and freshness
Dry BBQ spice rub – oh, yeah!
Rotisserie chicken
Liquid smoke seasoning – optional boost to the BBQ flavor
Large flour tortillas

Are y’all hungry yet? Because the starting lineup for this recipe is mouthwatering. You get the classic creamy filling of a tortilla pinwheel blended with thick bites of cheese, tender chicken, and all of that BBQ nom-nom spice.

TIP: You can also use leftover BBQ chicken or even premium canned chicken for this recipe. We went with a smoked rotisserie for the best taste.

A large bowl with a mixture of thick cut cheddar cheese, cream cheese, chopped chicken, barbecue sauce and green onions

You can really adapt this recipe for BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pinwheels to suit your own taste. Change up how you mix the Borden® Cheese flavors, swap out the sauces, or use dill pickles instead of green onions.

Just toss everything in a bowl, mix, spread, and roll. Easy and delicious. More time for me and my gang to cheer on our team!

How to Make Pinwheels:

In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, BBQ sauce, chopped green onions and dry spice rub until well blended.
Next, fold in the Borden® Cheese Thick Cut Shreds and chopped rotisserie chicken until well incorporated. Taste the mixture and re-season to preference.
Then, lay a 10-inch flour tortilla onto a flat surface. Using a plastic spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the cheese mixture evenly on the tortilla.
Using your hands and starting with the outer edge, tightly roll the tortilla into a “pinwheel.” Repeat until all of the mixture has been used.
Wrap each roll with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Before serving, unwrap the rolls from their plastic wrap. With a serrated knife, cut the rolls into ½ inch slices.

I have one rule about making these: the chef gets to eat the ends of the rolls.

For party-perfect presentation, stack the BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pinwheels on a platter. Top with fresh chopped chives or onions, and sprinkle with more of the BBQ spice rub. So yummy!

TIP: You can also make this appetizer using chopped ham. Vegetarians in the house? Leave out the protein and go full cheese! There’s no wrong way to mix it up as long as you are using Borden® Cheese.

When making your pinwheels, make sure to taste the mixture and re-season to your preference. Some spice rubs have more salt than others, and you don’t want to overdo it. Also, if you decide to use liquid smoke seasoning, use it sparingly. It really packs a lot of smoky flavor.

how to make cheddar cheese roll up tortilla appetizers

You can really taste the cheese in this appetizer thanks to the thick cut shredded cheese. Everyone will love these cheesy chicken bites.

Borden® Cheese Thick Cut Shreds are also great for all of your hot cheesy recipes, too. All that melty goodness from the larger pieces of cheese gives you maximum cheese coverage.

An overhead picture of tortilla roll ups on a white square platter next to a bowl of barbecue sauce

More Tips + Ideas for Game Day Snacking:

Prep as many ingredients and snacks as you can in advance. This gives you time to enjoy all the pre-game fun instead of working in the kitchen.
Look for chances to save. Borden® Cheese loves to have offers!
After rolling + wrapping this pinwheel appetizer, you can chill them in the fridge for several hours or overnight before slicing.
You can make “mini” versions of this recipe by using smaller tortillas.
Serve with wooden picks and dipping sauces if desired.
Mix up the flavors and create “hot” and “mild” platters by using spicy sauce and jalapenos.

Game Winning Cheese Snacks to Try:

Easy BLT Cheese Ball

Hot Ham Skillet Dip

Skillet Chili Cheese Dip

Nashville Hot Chicken Wraps

A platter of party appetizers with dipping sauce

This recipe for BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pinwheels makes about 80 individual bites, which makes it perfect for feeding a crowd. They will be a hit at your next party, and we can’t wait for you to try them.

Be sure to leave us a comment at the end of this post and let us know how yours turned out. 🙂

Bonus Tip: After a big day prepping and watching the big game make your next day easy. Use your left over tortilla and Borden® Cheese to make and easy (and hopefully celebratory) quesadilla for a melty, gooey lunch.

Gooey, melty Borden cheese makes excellent quesdillas for lunch and snaking.

Save $1.00 at Food Lion when you buy 2 Borden® Cheese products.

📖 Recipe