Description
This Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza is a smoky, salty, and sweet masterpiece that brings the flavors of a backyard cookout to your kitchen. Topped with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and a signature sweet BBQ drizzle, it is a quick 45-minute meal that is much better than takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ball pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 4–6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup smoked gouda or cheddar (optional variation)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Flour for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven: Heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it heats up to ensure a crispy crust.
- Cook the Bacon: Fry bacon in a skillet until very crispy. Drain on paper towels and chop into small bits.
- Toss the Chicken: In a small bowl, toss the cooked chicken with two tablespoons of BBQ sauce to keep it juicy.
- Roll the Dough: On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large circle or rectangle. If it shrinks back, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.
- Assemble the Pizza: Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the dough, leaving an inch for the crust. Top with a heavy layer of mozzarella, followed by the saucy chicken, bacon bits, and red onion.
- Bake: Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
- Rest and Garnish: Let the pizza sit for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and an extra drizzle of sweet BBQ sauce before slicing.
Notes
Don’t use too much sauce on the base to avoid a soggy crust. For the best texture, reheat leftover slices in an oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees rather than the microwave. Add sliced jalapeños if you prefer a ‘Spicy Bird’ variation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of pizza)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 35mg