Smoky Chicken BBQ Pizza (Print Version)

A smoky dish with grilled chicken, barbecue sauce, red onions, and melted cheese on a crispy crust.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 prepared pizza dough (8.8–10.6 oz)

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for drizzling

→ Chicken

03 - 1 large grilled chicken breast, sliced (7 oz)

→ Vegetables

04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

05 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (5.3 oz)
06 - 1/2 cup shredded smoked gouda or cheddar cheese (1.8 oz)

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 450°F. Place pizza stone inside if using to preheat.
02 - Roll or stretch dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza peel.
03 - Spread barbecue sauce evenly over dough, leaving a border around the edges.
04 - Arrange sliced grilled chicken evenly over the sauce.
05 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and smoked gouda (or cheddar) cheeses over chicken.
06 - Scatter thinly sliced red onions on top of the cheese layer.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly with light browning.
08 - Remove from oven, drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, sprinkle with chopped cilantro if desired, then slice and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 40 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like something worth celebrating.
  • The combination of smoky gouda and tangy barbecue creates a flavor that feels more interesting than it actually is to make.
02 -
  • Cold or room-temperature chicken will cool your pizza down and interfere with that perfect melted cheese moment, so warm it up if it's not freshly grilled.
  • The difference between a good pizza and a great one is watching it closely during those final few minutes, when the cheese color shifts from pale to golden brown.
03 -
  • Let your pizza stone or baking sheet heat in the oven for at least 10 minutes before adding the pizza, the temperature difference is what creates that crispy crust.
  • Don't skip spreading the sauce all the way to the edges of the dough, it prevents the crust from tasting plain and unfinished.
Return