The perfect BBQ chicken pizza recipe lies in the hands of the cook. In other words, all you need is to take a basic pizza crust recipe and combine it with a basic BBQ chicken pizza recipe and the possibilities are endless. You can get creative when it comes to making BBQ chicken pizza and add ingredients to fit your taste. Here is a basic BBQ chicken pizza recipe, as well as ideas for variations, so you can make the perfect pizza that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe
Pizza Crust Recipe
If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can make your own pizza crust to go with the perfect BBQ chicken pizza recipe. Making your own crust is really not as difficult as it may seem. If, however, you don’t have the time or desire to make your own crust, just buy a pizza crust from the grocery store. You can use a refrigerated crust or a ready-to-use packaged crust. Pizza crust mixes are also available where you typically just add water and mix up the dough. Here is a deliciously simple recipe to make sure own homemade pizza crust to use as the base for your BBQ chicken pizza:
Ingredients
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 ¼ tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• ½ tsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. table salt
Cooking Instructions
1. Pour the brown sugar and dry yeast into a large mixing bowl. Add the water and slowly stir until the sugar and yeast have dissolved. Let the mixture set for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in the oil and salt into the bowl of yeast mixture. Gradually mix in 2 ½ cups of the flour.
3. Sprinkle a clean surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking. Turn the dough onto the surface, then slowly knead in the remaining 1 cup of flour. Continue to knead the dough until it is no longer sticky to the touch.
4. Pour the olive oil into a clean, large bowl. Rub the oil all over the sides and bottom of the bowl. Place the kneaded dough into the oiled bowl and cover with a cloth.
5. Let the dough sit for approximately one hour until it rises to double the original size. Gently punch the dough down with your hands and form it into a tight ball. Let the dough sit for two minutes, then roll it out to the desired thickness to make your pizza crust.
This dough should be cooked at 425 degrees. Lightly grease the pizza pan before transferring the dough and allow the dough to sit on the pan for 15 minutes before adding toppings and baking it. The crust will take about 15 to 20 minutes to bake.
Basic BBQ Chicken Recipe
Once you’ve got your crust together—whether it’s homemade or store-bought—it’s time to get busy making the topping for your pizza. Below you will find a basic BBQ chicken pizza recipe; however, you can add or remove toppings to suit your own taste.
Ingredients
• 3 cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. molasses
• 1 cup barbeque sauce, any flavor
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
• 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees if using a homemade pizza crust for your BBQ chicken pizza recipe. If using a store-bought crust, refer to the cooking instructions on the label for the oven temperature.
2. Combine the cooked chicken, honey, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, molasses and cilantro in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir well, then bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Remove from heat as soon as it boils. Spread the mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the Gouda cheese and red onion over the top. Bake the pizza for 15 to 20 minutes, or according to the package directions on the store-bought pizza crust.
Variations
A BBQ chicken pizza recipe doesn’t have to be followed exactly. Once you get the basics down, you can add or removed ingredients to your liking. For example, if you prefer your sauce a little less sweet, cut out the honey or molasses from the recipe. If you want to add a little extra spice to your BBQ chicken pizza recipe, toss in a tablespoon of crushed red peppers to the chicken mixture while you are cooking it in the saucepan.
You can also switch up what you top the pizza with. Although red onions seem to be pretty standard in any BBQ chicken pizza recipe, if you’re not an onion lover it’s fine to skip them. You can replace them with sliced green or red peppers or even chopped and seeded plum tomatoes. If you like all of these ingredients load up your BBQ chicken pizza with peppers, tomatoes and onions. Throw some sliced mushrooms on the top, too, if your taste buds allow it.
Cheese is another ingredient that can be altered. Smoked Gouda tends to go well with the hickory flavor of barbeque sauce but you could use mozzarella instead. You may even want to mix mozzarella with smoked Gouda, or perhaps toss in some sharp cheddar to the mix. Sprinkle some Parmesan over the top, too, if you’d like.
Although chicken is a must-have when it comes to making a BBQ chicken pizza, you don’t necessarily have to cook your own chicken breasts, then cut them up. To make this meal in a hurry, buy pre-cooked packaged chicken breast slices. You can find these in the deli section of most supermarkets. They are cut to the perfect size for throwing together a quick BBQ chicken pizza.
BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe – The Conclusion
So next time you’re looking for a delicious take on plain pizza, whip up one with a BBQ chicken zest to it. It’s perfect for family dinner night, game night or even as an after-school snack for the kids. The best part about making a BBQ chicken pizza is that you can toss whatever you want on top to tailor the pizza to fit your taste. As long as you have BBQ chicken and a pizza crust, you can turn it into the perfect BBQ chicken pizza recipe!
