Barbecued Chicken Pizza combines tangy barbecue sauce, tender chicken, smoked Gouda, mozzarella, and red onion, with fresh cilantro added after baking. The two cheeses give it a creamy, smoky finish that pairs well with the sauce. It’s a satisfying choice for pizza night when you want something savory with a little sweetness.
Choose a barbecue sauce you already enjoy, since its flavor carries through every slice. A sweet, smoky sauce produces a different result from a peppery or vinegar-forward one. Taste yours before assembling, and remember that smoked Gouda adds another layer of smokiness without requiring a grill or wood-fired oven.
Start with prepared dough, or make your own thin crust pizza dough and allow extra time for mixing and rising. Let the dough relax before stretching. If it keeps springing back, give it a short rest rather than forcing it into shape.
A pizza stone provides a hot baking surface, although this recipe also includes an inverted baking sheet option. Follow your equipment’s heating instructions and check that the parchment paper you use is rated for the oven temperature.
Have the toppings ready before assembling. Thinly sliced onion is easier to distribute, and spreading the chicken and cheese evenly helps each slice get a balanced mixture. Leave a border around the edge and avoid concentrating the toppings in the center. For a convenient variation, use the rotisserie-chicken shortcut in the recipe notes.
Serve with a crisp green salad or a simple vegetable side to balance the rich topping. If you’re planning another pizza night, try homemade pizza or Capricciosa Pizza for a different combination of flavors.
This recipe is adapted from Food Network Kitchen’s Almost-Famous Barbecue Chicken Pizza.
If you are adventurous in the kitchen, try making your own pizza sauce and pizza crust with some of these fabulous recipes!
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Barbecued Chicken Pizza
- Total Time: 2:15
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 pound prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark barbecue sauce
- 1 8–ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast (see note below)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2/3 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
- 2/3 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro, for topping
Instructions
- Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Shape the pizza dough into a ball, add it to the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Position racks in the upper third and middle of the oven. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the top rack and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lay out a sheet of parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Transfer the ball of dough to the parchment and roll it out into a 10-inch round, stretching it with your hands as needed. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil, cover with another piece of parchment and set aside to let rise slightly, about 30 minutes.
- While the dough rises, mix 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small bowl. Put the chicken in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper and brush with the barbecue sauce mixture. Bake on the middle oven rack until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Uncover the dough and spread with the remaining 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Top with the chicken, gouda, mozzarella and red onion. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto a pizza peel or another inverted baking sheet, then slide onto the hot stone or baking sheet; bake until the cheese melts and the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Notes
- Shortcut – You could also just buy a rotisserie chicken, then shred it and coat it in some BBQ sauce if you don’t want to cook the chicken yourself. This is flexible!
- Prep Time: 1:30
- Cook Time: :45
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian