Welcome back to the kitchen! Today we are making the ultimate BBQ Chicken Pizza. If you have been following the channel for a while, you know that my heart usually belongs to the world of baking. We spend so much time together creating intricate cakes, sweet pastries, and delicate desserts. However, whenever I share a quick sneak peek of my savory dinners behind the scenes, the comments section goes absolutely crazy. You have been asking for more savory recipes to balance out all those sweet treats we bake every week, and I hear you loud and clear. That is exactly why I am launching this brand new “Savory Recipes” section on the blog, and we are kicking things off with an absolute showstopper: my all-time favorite Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza.
There is something inherently magical about making pizza from scratch. While ordering takeout is definitely convenient on a busy weeknight, it simply cannot compete with the flavor, texture, and satisfaction of a pizza made right in your own oven. This BBQ Chicken Pizza is the perfect bridge between my love for baking doughs and the craving for a hearty, savory dinner. It combines the comforting, chewy perfection of a well-crafted pizza crust with the bold, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors of a classic American barbecue. If you have ever felt intimidated by working with yeast for savory dishes, do not worry; we are going to apply all the gentle techniques we use in our sweet breads to create a pizza crust that is crispy on the outside and wonderfully airy on the inside.
Let us talk about the star of the show: the flavor profile. A traditional tomato-based pizza is wonderful, but swapping out marinara for a rich, smoky barbecue sauce completely transforms the dish. The barbecue sauce acts as a sticky, caramelized base that bubbles up beautifully in the high heat of the oven. You want to use a high-quality BBQ sauce here—whether it is your secret homemade family recipe or your favorite premium store-bought brand. The sauce provides a robust foundation that pairs flawlessly with the tender, seasoned chunks of chicken breast.
Speaking of the chicken, the secret to avoiding dry meat on your pizza is to pre-cook it gently and toss it generously in even more barbecue sauce before it ever hits the dough. This ensures every single bite is juicy and packed with flavor. But a BBQ chicken pizza isn’t complete without the supporting cast of toppings. We are using thinly sliced red onions, which mellow out and become incredibly sweet as they roast. Then, we have the cheese. A standard mozzarella is great for that classic stretch, but my personal secret is blending low-moisture mozzarella with a generous handful of smoked Gouda. The smoked Gouda elevates the entire pizza, complementing the barbecue sauce and giving the dish a gourmet, wood-fired taste even if you are just using a standard home oven. Finally, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro right after the pizza comes out of the oven adds a bright, herbaceous pop of color and flavor that cuts through the richness of the cheese and sauce.
Now, let us dive into the baker’s perspective: the dough. As someone who spends hours perfecting cake crumb and cookie textures, I take my pizza dough very seriously. For this recipe, we are using a high-hydration dough that requires just a little bit of patience but rewards you with an incredible artisan-style crust. Using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour is crucial here; the higher protein content develops stronger gluten networks, giving your crust that signature chew and allowing it to hold up under the weight of the heavy sauce and toppings. We will let the dough rest and rise slowly. If you have the time, letting the dough ferment in the refrigerator overnight will develop complex, sourdough-like flavors that will make your followers think you ordered from a high-end pizzeria.
Baking the pizza correctly is just as important as the ingredients. Home ovens do not reach the 900 degrees Fahrenheit of a commercial pizza oven, but we can mimic that environment. If you have a pizza stone or a baking steel, place it in the oven and preheat it at your oven’s highest possible temperature (usually around 500°F to 550°F) for at least an hour before baking. This intense bottom heat is what shocks the dough into rising rapidly, creating those beautiful air bubbles in the crust and ensuring the bottom is crisp, not soggy. If you do not have a stone, an inverted heavy-duty baking sheet works wonderfully too.
This BBQ Chicken Pizza is more than just a recipe; it is a fun, interactive cooking project perfect for a weekend dinner with family or friends. Once you realize how simple and rewarding it is to craft your own pizza, you will never want to go back to delivery. I highly recommend watching the companion video tutorial on the channel, where I show you exactly how to stretch the dough without tearing it and the exact golden-brown color you are looking for on the crust. Gather your ingredients, preheat that oven to the max, and let’s get cooking!
Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza
4
servings20
minutes15
minutesIngredients
For the Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza:
1 ½ cups (350ml) warm water (around 105°F – 115°F)
1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 ½ to 4 cups (440g – 500g) bread flour (plus more for dusting)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
For the BBQ Chicken & Toppings:
1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 1 large breast)
¾ cup of your favorite high-quality BBQ sauce, divided
1 ½ cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
½ cup smoked Gouda cheese, freshly grated
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing the crust)
Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (for garnish)
Directions
- Prepare the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly. This proves your yeast is active.
- Mix and Knead:
- Add the olive oil, salt, and 3 ½ cups of bread flour to the yeast mixture. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky (not overly sticky). If it is too sticky, add the remaining half cup of flour a tablespoon at a time.
- First Rise:
- Form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, and turn it once to coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare the Chicken:
- While the dough rises, prepare your toppings. In a small bowl, toss the cooked shredded chicken with ¼ cup of the BBQ sauce until the meat is fully coated. Set aside. Grate your cheeses and slice the red onion.
- Preheat the Oven:
- Place your pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to its highest setting (usually 500°F or 260°C). Let the stone heat up for at least 45 minutes to an hour.
- Shape the Pizza:
- Once the dough has doubled, punch it down to release the air. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal pieces (this recipe makes two 12-inch pizzas). Roll or stretch one piece of the dough into a 12-inch circle. Place the stretched dough onto a piece of parchment paper or a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.
- Assemble:
- Brush the outer edge of the crust lightly with olive oil. Spread ¼ cup of BBQ sauce evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and half of the smoked Gouda evenly over the sauce. Distribute half of the BBQ-coated chicken and half of the sliced red onions on top of the cheese.
- Bake to Perfection:
- Carefully transfer the pizza (with the parchment paper) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes. The pizza is ready when the crust is puffed and golden brown, and the cheese is melted and bubbling securely.
- Garnish and Serve:
- Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle generously with fresh chopped cilantro, slice, and serve immediately!
Notes
- 💡 Tip: Pre-bake your stretched dough for just 3 minutes before adding the sauce to guarantee an extra crispy bottom crust!
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