Chicken BBQ Topped Pizza (Print version)

Smoky barbecue sauce layered with grilled chicken, red onions, and melted cheese on a golden crust.

# Required ingredients:

→ Dough

01 - 1 prepared pizza dough (approximately 9–10.5 oz)

→ Sauce

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

→ Chicken

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

→ Vegetables

04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

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

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Set oven to 450°F. Place pizza stone inside if using, to heat.
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 along edges.
04 - Evenly distribute grilled chicken slices over sauced dough.
05 - Sprinkle mozzarella and smoked gouda or cheddar cheeses evenly atop.
06 - Scatter thin red onion slices over the cheese layer.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
08 - Remove pizza from oven, drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, and sprinkle chopped cilantro if desired. Slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It bridges the gap between weeknight quick and weekend impressive—no one needs to know you threw it together in under an hour.
  • The smoky-tangy-cheesy combination hits different, especially when you use a smoked cheese that actually tastes like something.
  • It's forgiving enough for beginners but has enough room to play around that experienced cooks won't get bored.
02 -
  • Barbecue sauce can burn if the pizza sits in the oven too long, so set a timer and actually look at your pizza when it goes off—every oven runs different.
  • If you're using wet-sauced chicken or fresh cilantro that hasn't been dried, pat them down first; excess moisture is the enemy of crispness.
03 -
  • If your dough is cold and resists stretching, let it warm up on the counter for five minutes—warm dough is cooperative dough.
  • Don't sauce your pizza too heavily; let the toppings sing instead of drowning in barbecue sauce.
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