Chicken BBQ Pizza (Printable)

Savory grilled chicken layered with tangy barbecue sauce, red onions, and melted cheese on golden crust.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 prepared pizza dough ball, about 9–10 ounces

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for drizzling

→ Chicken

03 - 1 large chicken breast, grilled and sliced, about 7 ounces

→ Vegetables

04 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

05 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, about 5 1/4 ounces
06 - 1/2 cup shredded smoked gouda or cheddar cheese, about 1 3/4 ounces

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Set the oven to 450°F and, if using, place a pizza stone inside to preheat.
02 - Roll or stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza peel.
03 - Spread the barbecue sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges for the crust.
04 - Distribute the grilled chicken slices evenly over the sauced dough.
05 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and smoked gouda (or cheddar) cheeses evenly over the pizza.
06 - Scatter the thinly sliced red onion over the top.
07 - Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
08 - Remove pizza from oven, drizzle with extra barbecue sauce, sprinkle with cilantro if desired, slice, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can have homemade pizza on the table faster than delivery would arrive.
  • The smoky-savory flavors are addictive without being fussy, so even people who claim they don't like barbecue sauce will reach for another slice.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken from the store and nobody will know you didn't spend an hour grilling, which is the kind of secret that makes weeknight cooking feel like a win.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the oven fully preheat, especially if using a stone—a cold oven means a soggy crust and undercooked cheese.
  • If your barbecue sauce is particularly thin and watery, use slightly less than the full half cup or it'll make the dough soggy before it even gets in the oven.
  • Sliced onions matter more than you'd think; if they're too thick, they won't soften properly and can taste a bit raw against the hot cheese.
03 -
  • Use a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet to transfer the dough—it's the difference between a smooth slide and a floppy mess that lands in your oven.
  • If you're grilling the chicken yourself, marinade it in a little barbecue sauce before cooking so the flavors are already building from the start.
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