Chances are you are already familiar with BBQ Chicken Pizza, and for good reason! It’s a sweet and savory pie that is generally loved by adults and children alike. We’re sharing our best tips and tricks so not only can you enjoy this California Pizza Kitchen inspired pizza at home, but you can prep almost everything days in advance to assemble at a later time. Weeknight dinner win!
The biggest tip we have for making pizza night at home quick and simple is to use our absolute favorite pizza dough from DeLallo! This kit has a pre-measured flour mixture and a yeast packet, so all you need to do is combine them in a mixing bowl with some lukewarm water. It mixes easily with a fork — my kids help me with this all the time, no joke! — and then you finish by kneading by hand for 3 minutes. The pizza dough has a smooth texture and is extremely easy to work with. We use it all the time, truly!
Piled high with shredded bbq chicken, it’s sweet, a little smoky from the Gouda cheese, with a slight sharp bite from red onion. Finish it all off with lots of fresh cilantro and scallions. These flavors just work so well together, you won’t be able to stop after one slice! It seriously tastes amazing.
Now that we’re all collectively drooling, let’s make the best homemade bbq chicken pizza!
Ingredients For BBQ Chicken Pizza
- 1 DeLallo Italian Pizza Dough Kit
- ½ cup barbecue sauce, either homemade or your favorite brand!
- Chicken breasts, boneless skinless — either roast a chicken breast at home or grab a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it. Easy!
- Shredded mozzarella cheese, freshly grated or prepackaged
- Smoked gouda cheese, grated
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Cilantro and scallions — don’t skip these, they add the best flavor!
- DeLallo Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finally, you’ll want a 12-inch cast iron skillet! This will ensure a super crispy pizza dough, which is sturdy enough to stand up to the delicious bbq chicken pizza toppings!
Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
First, make the pizza dough using DeLallo’s Pizza Dough Kit! This is so simple, even my children can mix it up on their own. Simply pour the flour mixture into a large bowl, then add the package of yeast and lukewarm water. Mix it all together using a fork, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes, or until smooth.
Transfer the pizza dough to a lightly oiled bowl, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. You can leave the prepared pizza dough on the counter to proof for 45 minutes or place it in a refrigerator for up to 3 days! We tend to do the later, which means dinner is generally prepped days in advance. Love that!
How To Make BBQ Chicken Pizza At Home
Begin by shredding 1 medium or 2 small cooked chicken breasts. You can roast them yourself (400F for ~20-25 minutes), or you can simply grab a rotisserie chicken at the store.
Pro tip: shred chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. It gives the chicken a fine shred with the absolute best texture! Next, stir in half of the barbecue sauce, then set aside.
When ready to make pizza, preheat an oven to 500F. It’s best to let this heat up for a solid hour, if possible. Place a pizza stone on the bottom of the oven (or on the lowest rack). You can do this while the dough rises, if making it all the same day!
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, then roll out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Spoon on the remaining bbq sauce, then top with shredded chicken, mozzarella, gouda, and a few tablespoons of thinly sliced red onion. Carefully transfer the pizza crust to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom is a golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle with lots of green onion and fresh cilantro. Slice and serve immediately!
Tips For The Best Homemade Pizza
- Preheat the cast iron skillet for at least 10 minutes before assembling the pizza!
- Use the barbecue sauce as both a base for the pizza and to mix with the shredded chicken!
- Pre-cook the toppings! Don’t put raw chicken on the pizza, as it won’t have enough time to cook through. Cook beforehand, then shred and use as a topping.
- Finish with fresh herbs! This adds so much brightness and flavor to the pizza pie! Just make sure they go on after the pizza has been removed from the oven.
Truly so delicious and every bit as delicious as the infamous CPK pizza!
If you make this BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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More pizza recipes to try!
Easy dinner recipes the whole family will love!
- Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Weeknight Slow Baked Salmon
- Sheet Pan Fajitas
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Pesto Panini
BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp DeLallo Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 DeLallo Italian Pizza Dough Kit
- ½ cup BBQ sauce divided
- 1 chicken breast roasted and shredded, instructions below
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella shredded
- ½ cup smoked gouda shredded
- ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Make the pizza dough. Combine flour mix and yeast packet from DeLallo Italian Pizza Dough Kit in a large mixing bowl with 1 ¼ cups of lukewarm water. Stir with a fork until dough begins to form. Knead by hand for 3 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. Transfer to a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes, or up to 3 days in advance (in a refrigerator).
- Make the bbq chicken. Place shredded chicken in a small bowl, then pour ¼ cup bbq sauce on top. Mix well, then set aside.
- Preheat the oven and roll out the dough. When ready to assemble the pizza, preheat oven to 500F, then place a 12-inch cast iron skillet inside. Heat for at least 10 minutes, until the pan is smoking hot. While the pan is heating, roll out the dough to desired thickness. For this recipe, we recommend using ¼ of the prepared pizza dough.
- Assemble the bbq chicken pizza. Drizzle 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in the skillet, then carefully place the rolled out pizza dough on top. Spoon on the remaining ¼ cup bbq sauce, spreading it into an even layer. Next, add the shredded bbq chicken. Top with an even layer of shredded mozzarella and smoked gouda cheeses. Finally, scatter the thinly sliced red onion all over the top.
- Cook the pizza. Carefully transfer the skillet back to the oven, then cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is crispy and the cheese has melted completely.
- Cool slightly, then slice. Carefully remove the pizza from the cast iron skillet — it can be helpful to lift it up with a thin metal spatula — then place on a cutting board. Garnish with sliced scallions and fresh cilantro, then slice and serve immediately!
Notes
- To roast chicken breast: preheat oven to 400F. Season chicken breast with 1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Roast until an internal temp of 165F is reached, about 20 minutes for a boneless breast or 30-35 minutes for bone-in breast.
- To easily shred chicken: discard chicken skin and bone, if using bone-in, then place the fully cooked chicken breast in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Shred on low speed at first, then increase to medium speed after a minute or so. Continue until chicken is completely shredded.
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