BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

Friday-night pizza has entered the chat. This BBQ chicken pizza layers smoky barbecue sauce, tender chicken, mozzarella, red onion, and roasted red tomatoes over a crisp crust, then finishes with fresh cilantro. It is takeout energy without the delivery wait.

Recipe at a Glance

• Prep: 30 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Bake: 18 to 22 minutes
• Chill: None
• Rest: A few minutes before slicing
• Total: About 70 minutes
• Servings: 4
• Difficulty: Easy
• Oven: 425°F

Ingredients

The existing recipe card remains the source of truth for the exact quantities: 1 pizza dough, 1/3 cup BBQ sauce plus more if needed, 1 to 2 cups shredded chicken, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup red onion slices, and roasted red tomatoes. The original recipe does not give a numeric quantity for the roasted red tomatoes, so none is invented here.

Prepare the Dough

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and allow it to fully preheat.
2. Lightly oil a pizza stone or large baking sheet.
3. Place the non-frozen pizza dough on the prepared surface. Roll or gently stretch it to your desired shape and thickness.
4. If the dough keeps shrinking while you stretch it, stop and let it rest for a few minutes, then try again. Dough often relaxes when you stop fighting it.

Prepare the BBQ Chicken

1. Measure 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce from the recipe’s 1/3 cup starting amount and spread it over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.
2. Place the shredded chicken in a bowl and toss it with the remaining BBQ sauce. Add more sauce only if needed to coat the chicken.
3. Spread the sauced chicken evenly over the pizza so each slice gets a little.

Assemble the Pizza

1. Sprinkle the 2 cups mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough.
2. Add the BBQ-coated chicken.
3. Scatter the 1/4 cup red onion slices and the roasted red tomatoes over the top.
4. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, checking toward the early end of the range. The crust should be cooked through and the cheese fully melted and lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven and finish with fresh cilantro if desired.
6. Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before slicing. This helps the cheese settle and reduces topping slide.

Tips and Troubleshooting

• Soggy crust: Keep the sauce layer moderate and fully preheat the oven.
• Dry chicken: Toss the chicken with BBQ sauce before adding it to the pizza.
• Cheese browns too quickly: Check the pizza before the end of the baking window because ovens vary.
• Toppings slide: Give the pizza a short rest before cutting.
• Dough keeps shrinking: Let it rest for a few minutes before stretching again.
• Uneven cooking: Keep the dough thickness as consistent as possible, especially through the center.

Substitutions

• Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
• Use cooked rotisserie chicken as the shredded chicken shortcut while keeping the existing 1 to 2 cup quantity range.
• Use a dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese if needed, knowing that melting can differ.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat slices in a 375°F oven or toaster oven until hot and crisp. An air fryer is another good option for restoring the crust. Freeze wrapped slices for longer storage and reheat until hot throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought pizza dough?

Yes. The existing recipe calls for 1 pizza dough that is not frozen, so refrigerated or freshly prepared dough is the most direct fit.

Can I use leftover chicken?

Yes. Shredded cooked chicken works well because it can be coated in BBQ sauce before it goes onto the pizza.

How do I keep the pizza from getting soggy?

Use a moderate sauce layer, avoid excess wet toppings, and make sure the oven is fully preheated before baking.

Shop This Recipe

• Pizza stone
• Pizza cutter
• Large baking sheet

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Plan Pizza Night

Use What Should I Make? when you need dinner inspiration, browse Recipes by Budget when you are shopping with a target spend, or use 7 Dinners From One Grocery Trip to turn one shopping trip into a week of meals. For kitchen gear, visit Shop My Kitchen. For another restaurant-style dinner, try Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich.