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Sure, you could order takeout pizza, but enjoying pizza when it’s hot and fresh from the oven is so much better. Keep reading for my tips on making the best barbecue chicken pizza at home.

BBQ Chicken Pizza: behind the recipe

I don’t think I could ever get tired of pizza. Truthfully, we make homemade pizza almost every week. One of my very favorite pizzas to make at home is BBQ Chicken Pizza, especially when there is leftover grilled or baked chicken in the fridge.

When I don’t have leftover chicken, I’ll purchase a cooked rotisserie chicken from the deli that’s already been removed from the bone.  

This pizza doesn’t require a lot of prep or lots of other ingredients. Add a little onion and sauce (you might like this easy homemade barbecue sauce), toss on the cheese, and you can have a gourmet pizza in literally minutes!

What kind of pizza crust or dough is best to use for BBQ Chicken Pizza?

When making pizza of any kind at home, I personally prefer to use a pizza dough instead of a packaged pre-cooked pizza crust. Sometimes I’ll make pizza dough completely from scratch, but that’s only if I have plenty of time and am in the mood to do some serious kneading.

That being said, the DeLallo Italian Pizza Dough Kit made with specialty Italian flour is another good option. Everything you need is in the kit. Simply mix it up and allow the dough to rise for an hour, then roll it out.

A kit makes two thick or four thin pizzas, though so only use this one if you plan to make multiple pizzas. Most often, I’ll buy a pizza dough ball from the grocery deli department (I know these are available at Kroger, Publix, and Trader Joes in both regular or whole wheat).

Before rolling out the dough, you’ll want to let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Otherwise, the dough will not be pliable enough to stretch into a round.

If you are crunched for time, one of my other favorite convenience pizza crusts is the Wewalka Round Bistro Pizza Dough (also available at Kroger).

This dough is rolled up inside the package on parchment paper, so all you have to do is unroll it onto a pan and bake it right on the parchment, after you’ve added the pizza toppings, of course!

two barbecue chicken pizzas ready for the oven in round pizza pans

Tips for making the best barbecue chicken pizza

  • Bake the pizza in a pre-heated oven at a high temperature, around 425 degrees.
  • Roll out the dough on a non-stick pizza pan that’s been lightly coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with a couple tablespoons of cornmeal. This gives the crust a nice crispy texture.
  • Lightly brush the dough with olive oil, then a thin layer of barbecue sauce before adding other toppings. If you add any “watery” ingredients like onions right on top of the dough, as it bakes it will become soggy instead of crispy.
  • Add cheese on top of the sauce, then add the other ingredients. I sometimes add just half the cheese, then the toppings, and add more cheese on top, but that’s just my preference.
  • Lightly drizzle with more barbecue sauce before baking — and again after it comes out of the oven.
  • Bake the pizza until the cheese if melted and bubbly, about 12-15 minutes. The crust should be crispy on the bottom.
a squirt bottle with barbecue sauce being drizzled on a pizza

More pizza recipes!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza in a black pizza pan garnished with pepperoncini

Let’s cook!

Here’s a little secret! Not always, but when I have more time, when making this BBQ Chicken Pizza I fry up a couple of slices of bacon to crumble on top. You know, everything is always better with bacon!

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Barbecue Chicken Pizza in a black pizza pan garnished with pepperoncini

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza is the easiest gourmet pizza ever! Topped with spicy sauce, mozzarella cheese, red onions & bacon, this is a weeknight meal your family will love!
4.60 from 5 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Pizza
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 317 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • pizza dough or pre-baked crust
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken use leftovers or get smoked chicken from your favorite barbecue restaurant
  • 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese , shredded
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled (optional)
  • pepperoncini peppers for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare pizza dough or crust and place on a lightly greased pizza pan.
  • Baste crust with olive oil, then spread a thin layer of barbecue sauce on top of crust. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and half the shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Next, add the chicken, red onion rings, and bacon. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and Italian seasoning. Drizzle a little more barbecue sauce over all.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 22gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 792mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword bacon, barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was.
Sheila Thigpen, blogger

About Sheila Thigpen

Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer

Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.

2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is great! I had to substitute Monterey Jack, no mozzarella, otherwise I followed the recipe as written. I had a Pillsbury crust but will try one you suggested next time. I’m even looking forward to leftovers for lunch! Thank you for an easy, delicious meal!

  2. 4 stars
    This is one of our favorite homemade pizzas also. The cornmeal on the bottom sounds like a great idea. Will try that next time. Thanks.

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