This is a classic BBQ Chicken Pizza that delivers restaurant-style flavor at home. Who can resist pizza topped with shredded chicken, sweet-and-smoky barbecue sauce, and melty cheese? No one!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe
- A Restaurant-Style Favorite You Can Make at Home. You can order it at a bar or your local pizzeria, but there’s no reason you can’t make it at home! Like my Buffalo Chicken Pizza, and Flatbread Pizza, this BBQ chicken pizza makes for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Repurpose Your Leftovers. Make a batch of Baked BBQ Chicken breasts and have them with a side of Oven Roasted Vegetables, then reserve some to make BBQ chicken pizza the next day.
- Tangy, Sweet, Smoky Barbecue. Whether it’s BBQ Chicken Marinade or Crockpot BBQ Chicken, there’s something about that BBQ flavor that makes it universally loved.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza
The Ingredients
- Pizza Dough. You’ll need half of my full dough recipe to make the crust for 1 BBQ chicken pizza; the other half can be frozen. Feel free to substitute your own favorite homemade pizza dough recipe or make this a gluten-free BBQ chicken pizza by using a gluten-free or cauliflower crust.
- Homemade BBQ Sauce. Or your barbecue sauce of choice.
- Garlic Powder. Adds some savory flavor to the BBQ chicken mixture.
- Shredded Chicken Breast. You can use rotisserie chicken, leftovers, or follow the instructions in How to Cook Shredded Chicken.
- Mozzarella Cheese. Mozzarella brings the melty factor.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar brings the flavor. A smoked cheddar or gouda cheese would also be delicious here.
- Red Onion. Slice this as thinly as possible—a mandoline helps.
- Green Onions. For a pop of color and pungent flavor.
The Directions
- Prepare. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F.
- Make the BBQ Chicken. Whisk the BBQ sauce with the garlic powder, then toss in the cooked chicken.
- Shape the Crust. Roll out the dough and transfer it to a baking sheet.
- Add the Chicken. Spread the chicken mixture over the crust, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
- Finish Topping. Sprinkle the cheeses on top, followed by the red onion.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake BBQ chicken pizza for 15 to 18 minutes.
- Serve. Scatter green onions over the top, let the BBQ chicken pizza cool for a few minutes, then slice and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- BBQ Pork Pizza. Swap the shredded chicken for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork or Instant Pot Pulled Pork.
- BBQ Chicken Pizza With Pineapple. If you’re a fan, lay those sweet golden rings on this BBQ chicken pizza and have it your way!
- BBQ Chickpea Pizza. Rinse and drain two cans of chickpeas, then lightly smash them in a bowl—you don’t want to completely mash them, but just smash them enough that they won’t roll off the pizza. Stir in the BBQ sauce and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
- BBQ Chicken Naan Pizzas. Instead of whole wheat crust, use store-bought naan or Homemade Naan (see my Naan Pizza).
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Shred Your Own Cheese. It absolutely makes a difference! Store-bought shredded cheese is coated in potato starch and cellulose to keep it from sticking together in the package. This also means it doesn’t melt as smoothly as freshly shredded cheese. I highly recommend taking the time to shred cheese off the block for pizza.
- Don’t Over-Work the Crust. The more you handle the homemade pizza dough, the more the gluten strands in the flour will toughen, giving you a crust with an unpleasant texture and without a lot of rise.
- Switch up the Toppings. Go wild with your favorite BBQ chicken pizza toppings. Cilantro, basil, mushrooms or green peppers would all be great toppings to add!
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
With sweet-and-smoky barbecue chicken and plenty of cheese, no one can resist this homemade BBQ chicken pizza. It's a weeknight winner!
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Ingredients
- 1 Whole Wheat Pizza Dough 1/2 recipe to make 1 crust freeze the second crust, or use your favorite pizza dough recipe—enough to yield one 11×14-inch pizza**
- 1 cup Homemade BBQ Sauce or your barbecue sauce of choice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ½ to 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast about 2 breasts; see this post for Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, How to Cook Shredded Chicken, Baked Chicken Breast, or Instant Pot Chicken
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese about 4 ounces
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese about 4 ounces
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place rack in upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or dust it with cornmeal or flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce and garlic powder. Add shredded chicken and toss to coat.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll into an 11×14-inch rectangle. Gently transfer the rolled dough to a prepared baking sheet (you can also roll out the dough on floured parchment, then lift up the crust and paper together and set them on the baking sheet). Top with the BBQ chicken, leaving a 3/4 inch border uncovered around all sides.
- Sprinkle on the mozzarella, cheddar cheese, and red onion. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with the green onion. Let cool a few minutes, then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate BBQ chicken pizza in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm up leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F until the pizza is heated through.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze pizza in an airtight storage container for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen according to the instructions above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (of 12)Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 15gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 39mgPotassium: 177mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 243IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 138mgIron: 1mg
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Made for game day and we all loved it!
Hi Maureen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!