Fire up the pizza oven for this easy and delicious BBQ chicken pizza made with grilled chicken thighs and lots of shredded cheese.
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Table of Contents
What is BBQ chicken pizza made of?
Barbecue chicken pizza starts with a traditional pizza dough, but instead of a tomato-based sauce, BBQ sauce is used as a base. Shredded cheeses are layered on top along with cooked chicken and red onions.
The pizza became popular after it was introduced at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) in the 1980s. Today, several pizza joints carry BBQ chicken pizza. You can even buy pre-made pizzas in the freezer section.
To add to the barbecue flavor, this recipe is topped with grilled chicken thighs that are dusted in a sweet barbecue seasoning. If you don’t like thighs, use chicken breasts or even store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Look for boneless, skinless thighs.
- Oil: To prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill. Use olive oil or canola oil.
- Chicken Rub: Use your favorite blend or the quick recipe I included below.
- Pizza Dough: You should be able to find this in the deli case at your local grocery store. One 16-ounce ball is enough for two pizzas.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite. I like HNY FYR BBQ Sauce, because it’s sweet and spicy.
- Shredded Cheeses: Mozzarella cheese and smoked gouda cheese are great. Pepper jack and cheddar are also tasty choices.
- Red Onions: These add color and crunch to the pizza.
- Cilantro: Sprinkle this on at the end for a touch of color and brightness.
Substitutions: If you don't like cilantro, use fresh parsley or sliced green onions.
See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make BBQ chicken pizza
You will likely need two grills for this recipe. You’ll use the first grill on medium-high heat (375-400F) with direct heat to grill the chicken.
Then, you’ll need a pizza oven or oven accessory for your grill to cook the pizza. You can also bake the pizza in an oven indoors on a pizza stone.
- STEP ONE: Season the chicken with oil and chicken rub. Be sure to season both sides.
- STEP TWO: Grill the chicken thighs for about 3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165F degrees using a meat thermometer.
- STEP THREE: Chop the chicken, dice the onions and shred the cheeses.
- STEP FOUR: Divide the dough ball in half. Stretch the pizza dough out on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough on a floured pizza peel. Top with BBQ sauce, the cheeses, grilled chicken and red onions.
PRO TIP: Pizza dough will stretch better when it's had the chance to rest at room temperature for a few minutes. Don't use a rolling pin. Instead, stretch and pull it.
- STEP FIVE: Place the pizza into your preheated pizza oven. I use an Ooni set at about 700F degrees. Rotate the pizza every 60-90 seconds for an even cook. Once the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, it’s ready.
- STEP SIX: Remove the pizza from the oven and garnish with fresh cilantro. Slice and enjoy.
How to serve BBQ chicken pizza
If you make the pizzas small enough, you can give everyone their own individual pie. Otherwise, cut the pizza into slices and serve it up on a platter with extra herbs and sauce.
Keep a bottle of hot honey or ranch dressing nearby, in case someone wants to drizzle some on top of their slice.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best to keep the slices in a single layer. It will keep for 3-5 days.
If you reheat the pizza in the microwave, the dough will be soft. If you reheat it in an air fyrer, the dough will crisp up around the edges.
Leftover pizza doesn’t freeze too well, but you can freeze if for up to a month. After that, it will start to form ice crystals, which will make the pizza soggy.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- For ease, use pre-made pizza dough and let it set at room temp for several minutes
- Make sure your pizza peel is floured, so the pizza will glide into the oven easily
- Heat your pizza oven before building your pizza
- Don’t go too heavy on the sauce, or the pizza will be soggy
Frequently Asked Questions
I like baking pizzas in my Ooni Karu 12 Pizza Oven. It’s fueled by wood, which adds to the BBQ flavor. You can also find pizza oven accessories that fit inside of pellet grills or kamado-style grills.
Place a pizza stone on a rack inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 475F degrees. Build your pizza and slide the pizza onto the stone. Then, bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
The traditional recipe for BBQ chicken pizza doesn’t include pineapple, but this is your pizza party. Add whatever toppings you like. The key is to start with the BBQ sauce and cheese, then you can go wild.
PRO TIPS: Read these great tips on easy homemade pizza using a pizza oven.
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BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp BBQ rub, recipe below
- 16 ozs fresh pizza dough
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup smoked gouda cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced or diced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Heat Grills: To grill the chicken, heat your grill to medium-high heat (375-400F) degrees. For the pizza, heat your pizza oven or pizza oven grill accessory according to manufacturer's instructions. (To bake indoors, see above)
- Season: Rub oil and seasoning on both sides of the chicken thighs.
- Grill: Grill the chicken thighs over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165F degrees. Remove from grill and chop.
- Stretch Dough: Cut the dough ball in half. On a lightly floured surface, stretch the pizza crust out evenly to your desired thickness. Sprinkle your pizza peel with flour and place the dough on top.
- Build Pizza: Using the back of a spoon, spread 1/4 cup BBQ sauce onto the dough. Add 1/3 cup of each cheese. Top with half of the grilled chicken and sliced red onions.
- Bake: Shake the pizza into the preheated pizza oven. Rotate the pizza every 60-90 seconds. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Slice and serve.
- Repeat: Use the remaining ingredients to bake a second pizza.
Video
Notes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
