BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

This BBQ Chicken Pizza blends sweet‑tangy barbecue sauce with juicy chicken, melty cheese, and zesty onion on a crisp, chewy crust. The chicken gets coated in smoky sauce, layered onto dough with cheese and onions, then baked until the crust is golden and cheese bubbles. Fresh herbs on top add brightness. The result is a comforting, smoky‑sweet, cheesy pizza — easy enough for a weeknight but tasty like a restaurant slice.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

A sweet‑tangy smoky pizza topped with BBQ‑sauced chicken, melty cheese, and red onion on a crisp crust.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 1

Course: Lunch, Pizza

Cuisine: American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast about 0.75 lb
• ½  tsp smoked paprika
• ¼  tsp garlic powder
• ⅛  tsp salt
• ⅛  tsp ground black pepper
• ½  tbsp cooking oil
• ¼  cup barbecue sauce

For the Pizza

• 1 prepared pizza dough or homemade yeast dough 12‑inch
• ½  cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken from above
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ⅓  cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese or extra mozzarella
• ¼  cup thinly sliced red onion
• Optional: chopped fresh cilantro or basil for garnish

Equipment

• Baking sheet or pizza pan
• Oven
• Mixing bowl
• Skillet, knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups (or pizza stone)
• Spoon
• Kitchen towel
• Tongs

Method

 

Prepare the Chicken:

1. Heat ½ tbsp cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. While the oil heats, season the chicken breast with ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breast to the pan. Cook for about 6–7 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked.
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, shred it into small pieces using a fork or your hands.
5. In a medium bowl, toss the shredded chicken with ¼ cup barbecue sauce, coating it evenly. Set aside.

Prepare the Pizza Dough:

1. Preheat your oven to 475 °F.
2. Lightly flour your work surface. Place the pizza dough on the surface and gently stretch or roll it out into a 12-inch circle.
3. If you’re using store-bought dough, you may need to press it out to fit your pan.
4. Transfer the rolled dough onto a greased pizza pan or a baking sheet.

Assemble the Pizza:

1. Use the back of a spoon to spread ½ cup barbecue sauce over the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges for the crust.
2. Evenly distribute the barbecue-coated chicken on top of the sauce.
3. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and smoked Gouda (or extra mozzarella) cheese evenly over the chicken.
4. Scatter the thinly sliced red onion on top of the cheese.

Bake the Pizza:

1. Slide the pizza into the preheated oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
2. The cheese should be melty, and the crust should be crisp but not burnt. If you want a crispier crust, you can bake it for an additional 2–3 minutes.

Garnish and Serve:

1. Remove the pizza from the oven using oven mitts. Let it rest for 2–3 minutes before slicing.
2. For garnish, sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro or basil on top of the pizza for added freshness and color.
3. Slice the pizza into 6–8 pieces and serve while hot.

Notes

• For a crispier crust, bake directly on a preheated pizza stone or use a hot sheet pan.
• Use cooked chicken (rotisserie, grilled, or leftover) — raw chicken won’t cook through in pizza bake time.
• Leftovers reheat well in a 350 °F oven for 5–7 minutes, so the crust gets crispy again.