Last year, Emma and I were craving pizza but couldn't agree on toppings until he suggested making BBQ chicken pizza like the one from his favorite restaurant. After fifteen years of making pizza dough from scratch and testing tons of sauce combinations for my cooking column, I figured we could do better than takeout. What started as a weekend experiment turned into our most-requested dinner - even my picky neighbors bug me for the recipe whenever they smell it cooking.
Why You'll Love This BBQ Chicken Pizza
This pizza has become our Friday night thing because it's way easier than you'd think and tastes better than anything we can order. Emma loves helping roll out the dough (and stealing pieces of chicken), while I love how the house smells when it's baking. The thing that really gets me is how the BBQ sauce gets all caramelized on the edges, making these sweet, crispy spots that everyone fights over.
What makes this recipe work for busy families is that you can prep everything ahead of time. I usually make the dough in the morning, cook the chicken during lunch, and then we just throw it all together when dinner time rolls around. Plus, it's one of those meals where everyone can mess with their own slice - Emma piles on extra cheese, I add jalapeños, and we both load up the red onions.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Pizza
- How To Make BBQ Chicken Pizza Step By Step
- Storing Your BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Smart Swaps for Your BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Fun Twists on BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Equipment For BBQ Chicken Pizza
- How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple
- Top Tip
- Why This Recipe Works
- FAQ
- Time to Make Pizza Night Happen!
- Related
- Pairing
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Pizza
Pizza Dough:
- All-purpose flour
- Active dry yeast
- Warm water
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Sugar
The Toppings:
- Boneless chicken breasts
- BBQ sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Smoked gouda
Extra Stuff:
- Ranch for dipping
- Jalapeños
- Bacon bits
- More cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make BBQ Chicken Pizza Step By Step
Make the Dough:
- Mix warm water with yeast and sugar
- Let it sit until it gets foamy
- Add flour, salt, and olive oil
- Knead until it's not sticky anymore
- Let it rise for an hour
Cook the Chicken:
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder
- Cook in a skillet until done
- Let it cool, then shred or chop it up
- Toss with a little BBQ sauce
Prep Everything Else:
- Slice the red onion thin
- Shred your cheese
- Get your BBQ sauce ready
- Preheat oven to 475°F
Put It Together:
- Roll out the dough
- Spread BBQ sauce on top
- Add cheese, then chicken, then onions
- Drizzle a little more BBQ sauce on top
Bake It:
- Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting
- 12-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly
- Add cilantro right when it comes out
Storing Your BBQ Chicken Pizza
Leftover Pizza (3-4 days):
- Let it cool completely first
- Wrap slices in foil or plastic wrap
- Stick it in the fridge
- Reheat in the oven, not the microwave
Freezing Pizza (up to 3 months):
- Cool it down completely
- Wrap each slice individually
- Put them in freezer bags
- Write the date on the bag (you'll forget)
Reheating Tips:
- Oven at 350°F for 10 minutes
- Skillet on medium heat works too
- Microwave makes it chewy (don't do it)
- Air fryer if you have one
Make-Ahead Dough:
- Let it come to room temperature before rolling
- Make dough up to 2 days ahead
- Keep it in the fridge in a covered bowl
Smart Swaps for Your BBQ Chicken Pizza
Dough Options:
- Homemade → Store-bought pizza dough (saves time)
- Regular → Cauliflower crust (for the low-carb people)
- Wheat → Gluten-free dough (check the freezer section)
- Fresh → Naan bread (makes personal pizzas)
Chicken Switches:
- Fresh chicken → Rotisserie chicken (way easier)
- Chicken breast → Chicken thighs (more flavor)
- Regular → Turkey (if that's your thing)
- Cooked → Leftover grilled chicken
Cheese Changes:
- Mozzarella → Cheddar blend
- Regular → Dairy-free cheese
- Fresh → Pre-shredded (I won't judge)
- Plain → Add some pepper jack for heat
Sauce Swaps:
- Regular → Homemade sauce (if you have time)
- BBQ sauce → Buffalo sauce (totally different pizza)
- Sweet → Spicy BBQ sauce
Fun Twists on BBQ Chicken Pizza
Hawaiian BBQ:
- Add pineapple chunks
- Use ham instead of chicken
- Extra BBQ sauce
- Emma's go-to choice
Spicy BBQ:
- Jalapeños everywhere
- Pepper jack cheese
- Spicy BBQ sauce
- Hot sauce drizzle after baking
Bacon BBQ:
- Crispy bacon pieces
- Keep the chicken too
- Caramelized onions
- Ranch for dipping
White BBQ:
- Skip the red sauce
- Use white BBQ sauce instead
- Add some garlic
- Totally different but good
Veggie BBQ:
- Red onions
- Skip the chicken (obviously)
- Grilled bell peppers
- Mushrooms
Equipment For BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Large mixing bowl (for the dough)
- Pizza stone or baking sheet
- Rolling pin (or wine bottle works too)
- Sharp knife
- Cheese grater
How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple
Three years ago, our neighbor invited us over for dinner and served this BBQ chicken pizza that blew my mind. I'd been making pizza for years, but hers had this smoky flavor I couldn't figure out. After bugging her for weeks, she finally told me her secret: she grills the chicken first instead of just cooking it in a pan. The grill marks and that little bit of char make all the difference. also showed us that if you let the dough rest for 20 minutes after rolling it out, it doesn't shrink back when you're trying to stretch it to fit the pan.
But here's the part that really changed our pizza game taught Emma how to brush the crust edges with garlic butter before baking. Now he won't let me skip it, and honestly, it makes the crust taste like garlic bread. We've never gone back to plain crust edges. Now this BBQ chicken pizza recipe is what everyone asks for when they come over. moved to Florida last year, but every time we make pizza, Emma says "This is pizza" and brushes those edges extra carefully.
Top Tip
- game changing combo starts with grilling the chicken first instead of just cooking it in a pan - those grill marks and that little bit of char give the pizza this smoky flavor that you just can't get any other way. Then comes the garlic butter trick that Emma learned from her: brush the crust edges with garlic butter before baking, and it turns regular pizza crust into something that tastes like garlic bread. We've never made pizza without doing this since showed us.
- The other thing taught us was to let your rolled-out dough rest for 20 minutes after you roll it out. This stops it from shrinking back when you're trying to stretch it to fit the pan, which used to drive me crazy. Emma never skips the garlic butter step now - he takes it very seriously and makes sure every edge gets covered. It's one of those little things that makes a big difference in how the whole pizza tastes.
Why This Recipe Works
Making this BBQ chicken pizza for years has taught me exactly why it beats takeout every single time. The key is in the layers - you're not just throwing BBQ Chicken Pizza sauce and chicken on dough. When you grill the chicken first, it gets this smoky char that regular pan-cooked chicken just can't match. Then the BBQ sauce gets all caramelized in the oven, making these sweet, crispy edges that make every bite different. The red onions get slightly burnt on top but stay a little sharp underneath, cutting through all that rich cheese and sauce.
But the real thing that makes it work is the cheese blend and Sarah's garlic butter trick. Most places just use mozzarella, but adding a little smoked gouda gives it this depth that makes people ask "what's different about this?" The garlic butter on the crust edges means you're basically eating pizza with built-in garlic bread, and letting the dough rest stops that annoying shrinkage that used to make me want to throw the whole thing out. Emma has become our garlic butter inspector, and honestly, his attention to detail makes the difference between good pizza and pizza that people bug you to make again.
FAQ
What toppings go on barbecue chicken pizza?
Classic BBQ chicken pizza has shredded chicken tossed in BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced red onions, and fresh cilantro. Some people add bacon, jalapeños, or bell peppers. The trick is not piling on too much stuff - too many toppings make the crust soggy and hard to eat.
What toppings are on a Domino's BBQ chicken pizza?
Domino's BBQ chicken pizza comes with grilled chicken, BBQ sauce, onions, and a cheese blend on their hand-tossed crust. They use a sweet BBQ sauce and pre-cooked chicken pieces. Our homemade version tastes better because we grill the chicken fresh and use real cheese instead of processed stuff.
What toppings go on BBQ meat pizza?
BBQ meat pizzas usually have pulled pork, brisket, or chicken as the main thing, plus BBQ sauce, cheese, and onions. Some places add bacon or sausage for extra smokiness. The meat should be the star, so keep other toppings simple to let those flavors come through.
What toppings are on Papa John's BBQ chicken pizza?
Papa John's version has grilled chicken, onions, green peppers, and their BBQ sauce with mozzarella cheese. They use a tangy BBQ sauce that's less sweet than some other places. The green peppers add crunch, but we like red onions better for their sharper bite that cuts through the richness.
Time to Make Pizza Night Happen!
Now you've got all the tricks to make BBQ chicken pizza that'll have your family bugging you for it every week - from Sarah's grilling technique to Emma's garlic butter thing. This homemade version proves that sometimes the best meals happen in your own kitchen, not from a delivery box.
Want more crowd-pleasing recipes? Try our Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe that's good for cozy nights when you want something warm and filling. Need a fun appetizer? Our Easy Potato Cheese Balls Recipe disappears at every party we bring them to. Or switch things up with our Easy Sushi Bake Recipe that gives you all the sushi flavors without the rolling mess!
Show us your pizza masterpieces! We can’t wait to see your garlic butter tricks and discover your creative topping combos!
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with BBQ Chicken Pizza
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl (For dough preparation)
- 1 Pizza stone or baking sheet (For baking the pizza)
- 1 Rolling Pin (Or wine bottle as alternative)
- 1 Sharp knife (For chopping toppings)
- 1 Cheese grater (For shredding cheese)
- 1 Skillet (To cook the chicken)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour - For dough
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast - For dough
- 1 ¼ cups Warm water - For dough
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil - For dough
- 1 teaspoon Salt - For dough
- 1 tablespoon Sugar - For dough
- 2 Boneless chicken breasts - Cooked and shredded
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce - Divided for tossing & topping
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese - Shredded
- ½ cup Smoked gouda cheese - Shredded
- 1 Red onion - Thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Fresh cilantro - Chopped
- Optional Ranch dressing - For dipping
- Optional Jalapeños - Sliced
- Optional Bacon bits - Cooked
- Optional Extra cheese - Additional shredded cheese
Instructions
- Mix warm water with yeast and sugar until foamy
- Combine flour, salt, and olive oil and knead dough
- Season chicken and cook it in a skillet until done
- Shred chicken and toss it with BBQ sauce gently
- Thinly slice red onion and prepare all other toppings
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