There are pizzas you order because they’re convenient, and then there are pizzas you start craving before you’ve even finished the last slice. BBQ chicken pizza belongs firmly in the second category.
Smoky barbecue sauce, juicy chicken, melted cheese, red onion and a crisp, slightly charred crust make BBQ chicken pizza one of the great alternatives to the traditional pepperoni-and-tomato-sauce routine.
Better yet, it’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
Whether you’re firing up an outdoor pizza oven, using your BBQ or simply working with the oven in your kitchen, here’s how to make a BBQ chicken pizza worth cancelling delivery for.
What Is BBQ Chicken Pizza?
Unlike traditional pizza, BBQ chicken pizza swaps tomato sauce for barbecue sauce and typically combines cooked chicken with mozzarella, red onion and cilantro.
The result hits several flavours at once: sweet, smoky, salty, tangy and savoury.
The exact toppings are also incredibly easy to customize. Bacon, jalapeños, smoked cheddar, pineapple and even leftover brisket can all find their way onto a BBQ pizza without causing an international incident.
BBQ Chicken Pizza Ingredients
For one large pizza, you’ll need:
For the pizza
- 1 ball pizza dough, approximately 12–16 oz
- 1 to 1½ cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- ½ cup BBQ sauce, plus extra for the chicken
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded smoked cheddar or regular cheddar
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Olive oil
- Flour or cornmeal for preparing the dough
Optional toppings
- Sliced jalapeños
- Cooked bacon
- Hot honey
- Pineapple
- Pickled red onions
- Smoked gouda
- Green onions
What’s the Best Chicken for BBQ Chicken Pizza?
Here’s the secret: don’t overcomplicate the chicken.
Grilled chicken breast or chicken thighs are excellent, but leftover chicken and rotisserie chicken work beautifully too.
Chicken thighs provide a little more fat and flavour, while chicken breast keeps things lighter.
Whatever you use, toss the cooked chicken with a small amount of BBQ sauce before putting it on the pizza. This keeps the chicken juicy while adding another layer of barbecue flavour.
Just don’t drown it.
You’re making pizza, not chicken soup.
What BBQ Sauce Is Best for BBQ Chicken Pizza?
The sauce makes a massive difference.
For classic BBQ chicken pizza, look for a sauce that’s smoky, slightly sweet and tangy rather than overwhelmingly sugary.
Kansas City-style BBQ sauce works particularly well because its thicker consistency stays on the pizza instead of soaking into the dough.
If you prefer something sharper, a vinegar-forward sauce can cut through the richness of the cheese. Spicy barbecue sauce is another great option if you want some heat.
Whatever sauce you choose, remember that you’re also getting sweetness from the caramelized crust and onions. You don’t need half the bottle.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza
1. Get your oven hot
Preheat your oven to 475°F to 500°F.
If you’re using a pizza stone or pizza steel, put it in the oven while it preheats and give it at least 30 minutes to get properly hot.
High heat is one of the easiest ways to get closer to restaurant-quality pizza at home.
2. Prepare the chicken
Chop or shred your cooked chicken and toss it with approximately two tablespoons of BBQ sauce.
You want the chicken lightly coated, not swimming.
3. Stretch the dough
Allow refrigerated pizza dough to come closer to room temperature before stretching it.
Lightly flour your work surface and gently stretch the dough into roughly a 12-inch circle.
Don’t obsess over making it perfectly round. Slightly irregular homemade pizza looks better anyway.
4. Add the BBQ sauce
Spread approximately ½ cup of BBQ sauce across the dough, leaving about an inch around the edge for the crust.
Use less sauce than you think you need. Too much sauce is one of the fastest routes to a soggy pizza.
5. Add the toppings
Start with mozzarella and cheddar.
Then evenly distribute the BBQ chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
Keeping the toppings relatively light allows the crust to cook properly and gives each ingredient room to actually taste like something.
6. Bake
Bake for approximately 10–14 minutes, depending on your oven and dough.
You’re looking for bubbling cheese, caramelized toppings and a golden crust with darker spots around the edges.
Using an outdoor pizza oven? Your cooking time could be dramatically shorter, so follow the temperature recommendations for your oven.
7. Finish it properly
Once the pizza comes out, give it a few minutes to cool.
Then add fresh cilantro.
For something a little more aggressive, drizzle hot honey over the top.
Sweet BBQ sauce, smoky chicken, cheese and spicy honey is a dangerous combination.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill
Want to take the BBQ part literally?
You can cook the entire pizza directly on your grill.
Preheat the grill to approximately 450°F to 500°F and create both direct and indirect heat zones.
Stretch and lightly oil your pizza dough, then place it directly over the heat for roughly one to two minutes until the underside begins to develop grill marks.
Flip the crust, move it toward indirect heat and quickly add your BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken and onions.
Close the lid and cook until the cheese melts and the crust is crisp.
The grill adds another layer of smoke that works ridiculously well with BBQ chicken.
The Best Cheese for BBQ Chicken Pizza
Mozzarella should be your foundation because it melts beautifully without overpowering everything else.
But using two cheeses makes a noticeable difference.
Try combining mozzarella with:
- Smoked cheddar
- Sharp cheddar
- Smoked gouda
- Monterey Jack
- Provolone
Smoked gouda is particularly good if you want to lean harder into the barbecue flavour.
BBQ Chicken Pizza Topping Ideas
Once you’ve nailed the basic recipe, things can get interesting.
BBQ Chicken Bacon Pizza
Add crispy chopped bacon before baking. It’s not subtle. That’s the point.
Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza
Add sliced jalapeños and finish with hot honey or chili crisp.
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza
Add pineapple.
Yes, pineapple belongs on pizza if you like pineapple on pizza. Civilization will survive.
Smoked BBQ Chicken Pizza
Use smoked chicken, smoked gouda and a smoky BBQ sauce for maximum backyard-barbecue energy.
BBQ Chicken Ranch Pizza
Drizzle ranch dressing over the finished pizza. It’s excessive in exactly the right way.
What Goes With BBQ Chicken Pizza?
BBQ chicken pizza is substantial enough to work by itself, but if you’re feeding a crowd, pair it with something fresh or acidic to balance all that cheese and barbecue sauce.
A crisp Caesar salad, vinegar-based coleslaw, grilled vegetables or simple cucumber salad all work well.
For a full backyard spread, add grilled corn, wings or smoked vegetables.
How to Store Leftover BBQ Chicken Pizza
Let leftover pizza cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Refrigerated BBQ chicken pizza should generally be eaten within three to four days.
For reheating, skip the microwave if possible.
Put a slice into a skillet over medium-low heat and cover it for a few minutes. The bottom crisps back up while the trapped heat melts the cheese.
An air fryer also works exceptionally well.
Can You Freeze BBQ Chicken Pizza?
Absolutely.
Wrap individual cooled slices tightly and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Individual slices make reheating much easier because you can grab exactly what you need rather than defrosting an entire pizza.
BBQ Chicken Pizza FAQs
What sauce goes on BBQ chicken pizza?
Barbecue sauce replaces traditional tomato pizza sauce. A thick, smoky and slightly sweet BBQ sauce generally works best.
Do you cook chicken before putting it on pizza?
Yes. Chicken should be fully cooked before being added to your pizza. The pizza’s relatively short cooking time isn’t intended to safely cook raw chicken.
What cheese goes best with BBQ chicken pizza?
Mozzarella is the classic choice. Combining mozzarella with cheddar, smoked gouda or Monterey Jack adds more flavour.
Does BBQ chicken pizza have tomato sauce?
Usually not. BBQ sauce takes the place of traditional tomato sauce, although there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with a combination of the two.
Can you use rotisserie chicken for BBQ chicken pizza?
Yes. In fact, rotisserie chicken is one of the easiest ways to make BBQ chicken pizza because it’s already cooked, flavourful and easy to shred.
Can you make BBQ chicken pizza with leftover chicken?
Definitely. Leftover grilled, roasted or smoked chicken is ideal. Toss it with a little BBQ sauce before adding it to the pizza.
The Final Slice
The beauty of BBQ chicken pizza is that it’s almost impossible to make boring.
Start with good dough, don’t overload it with sauce, use juicy cooked chicken and combine mozzarella with a more flavourful cheese. From there, make it yours.
Add bacon. Add jalapeños. Break out the smoker. Drizzle it with hot honey.
And if someone complains about the pineapple, give them a slice of cheese pizza and continue enjoying your evening.