Forget delivery and make sweet, tangy, and smoky BBQ chicken pizza from the comfort of your own home in under 30 minutes. This delicious pizza is loaded with shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, red onions, and bubbly cheese, all baked on a crispy crust. Serve this family favorite on its own or with a ton of fresh green herbs on top. Trust me, this one is going to disappear quickly. Tasty, weeknight dinners have never been easier!
Why You'll Love Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza
- It's quick and easy. This pizza takes just 10 minutes to prepare, and less than 30 minutes total to make (and that includes the prep!) The secret? Topping it with cooked chicken. It speeds everything up and it's the most delicious way to use up any extra leftover roast chicken that you may have in the refrigerator.
- Try it with homemade pizza dough. You can make homemade pizza using store-bought dough, or make the dough from scratch too. The thought of making homemade pizza may be daunting, but it really isn't. It's really easy to prepare and just requires some waiting around to allow the dough to rise. Try it with my homemade pizza dough or sourdough pizza dough.
- Or pick up store bought pizza dough. If you’ve never picked up pizza dough from your grocery store, you're missing out! It's got all the benefits of homemade dough without having to mix it up yourself. I would recommend it if you are crunched for time and want to eat this pizza asap. Store-bought pizza dough is what makes pizza on a late weeknight stress-free (and quick!).
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious BBQ chicken pizza at home, you will need the following ingredients:
- cooked chicken breast - this recipe requires cooked shredded chicken, and is a great recipe to use up any leftover roast chicken that you have. You can also easily use rotisserie chicken if you don’t want to roast it yourself. Either way you will not be able to put this down!
- BBQ sauce - you can use homemade BBQ or your favorite bottled BBQ sauce to get the perfect flavour for your tastebuds.
- pizza dough - use homemade pizza dough or store-bought, whichever is easier.
- cornmeal - helps create a delicious texture on the bottom of the crust, and prevents the pizza from sticking to the pan.
- olive oil
- mozzarella cheese - I love using fresh mozzarella on pizzas, but if you have a bag of shredded cheese on hand that’s fine too.
- red onion
- cheddar cheese
- fresh herbs - I topped this pizza with scallions, cilantro, and micro greens. If you can find arugula micro greens, those work amazingly well here. Basil, oregano, or fresh spinach would also be great.
- lime
How to Make the Best BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Prep. Preheat oven to 450 F. When hot, place rimmed quarter sheet baking pan in the oven for at least 20 minutes. In a small bowl, toss chicken breast in ¼ cup BBQ sauce. Set aside.
- Roll the dough. Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to desired thickness (note that the cook time is based on dough about ¼-inch thick). Prick the dough all over with a fork.
- Pre-bake the dough. Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle cornmeal evenly on top. Transfer pizza dough to baking sheet, brush with olive oil, then bake for 7 minutes.
- Add toppings. Spread remaining BBQ sauce on pizza dough, leaving about ½-inch border along the edge. Layer mozzarella, chicken, red onion, and cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake and serve. Bake for an additional 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then top with scallions, cilantro, and micro greens (if using). Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How to roast chicken breast: You can use rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken, or homemade roasted chicken breast for this recipe.
- If roasting your own chicken, drizzle one chicken breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Roast in a 450 F preheated oven until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breast. Remove and let cool slightly. Using two forks or your hands, pull meat and place in a small bowl.
- How to store: Store leftover pizza wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic cling wrap, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze cooked pizza: Cut the pizza into slices and store each slice wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Then store the slices into a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
More Pizza Recipes
- Butter Chicken Pizza
- Easy Skillet Neapolitan Margherita Pizza
- Salami and Mushroom Skillet Pizza
- Mushroom and Arugula Skillet Pizza
- Classic Roman Herbed Potato Pizza
- Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
- Homemade Calzones
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Recipe
BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
Description
Forget delivery and make sweet, tangy, and smoky BBQ chicken pizza from the comfort of your own home in under 30 minutes. The easiest weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken (or one chicken breast, shredded)
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, divided
- 10 oz. pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- ¼ to ½ cup micro greens (optional, for garnish)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. When hot, place rimmed quarter sheet baking pan in the oven for at least 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, toss shredded chicken in ¼ cup BBQ sauce. Set aside.
- Roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to desired thickness (note that the cook time is based on dough about ¼-inch thick). Prick the dough all over with a fork.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle cornmeal evenly on top. Transfer pizza dough to baking sheet, brush with olive oil, then bake for 7 minutes.
- Spread remaining BBQ sauce on pizza dough, leaving about ½-inch border along the edge. Layer mozzarella, chicken, red onion, and cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for an additional 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then top with scallions, cilantro, and micro greens (if using). Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
How to roast chicken breast: You can use shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken or homemade roasted chicken breast for this recipe.
- If roasting your own chicken, drizzle one chicken breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Roast in a 450 F preheated oven until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breast. Remove and let cool slightly. Using two forks or your hands, pull meat and place in a small bowl.
How to store: Store leftover pizza wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic cling wrap, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to freeze cooked pizza: Cut the pizza into slices and store each slice wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Then store the slices into a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
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Heather says
I am such a fan of 30 minute meals and never thought of making my own bbq chicken pizza .. until NOW! Great flavor combinations, super easy to make and great for busy weeknights. Fantastic!