Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Switch up pizza night with this smoky Barbecue Chicken Pizza recipe. Best of all, it’s on the table in no time!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza is right up there with our other favorite kinds of pizza – Classic Pepperoni, and Chicken Alfredo Pizza with a delicious White Sauce. When it comes to dinner, pizza is always a good idea!

BBQ Chicken Pizza topped with bacon and cilantro.

Pizza night!

Every Friday night it’s pizza and movie night in the Merkley home. We sometimes do homemade pizza – sometimes we pick one up.

Either way, we love trying new pizza! Not too long ago, we decided to try out a new recipe for a homemade version of Barbecue Chicken Pizza and it was AMAZING!

The crispy bacon and cilantro took our pizza to a whole new level of deliciousness.

The best part of all was that this homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza was so easy to make! We loved it so much that we’re adding it to the meal planner. If you love barbecue chicken like we do, I highly suggest you make it. 🙂

Homemade Dough for Pizza.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza

To make this BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe as easy as possible, we use a can of store-bought pizza dough, as well as rotisserie chicken. It saves so much time!

That way, it only takes about 20 minutes to throw this pizza together! If you have a little extra time try out our easy Homemade Pizza Dough recipe.

CHICKEN. Begin by cubing your chicken breast and tossing it into store-bought or Homemade BBQ Sauce.

CRUST. Bake pizza dough for 5 minutes at whatever temperature the dough packaging instructs.

BBQ SAUCE. While the pizza dough is still warm, add a ½ cup barbecue sauce for the pizza sauce (add more or less if desired).

BAKE. Add cheese, barbecue chicken, cilantro, and bacon to your pizza. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake pizza an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown.

Drizzle with more barbecue sauce, and ENJOY!

MORE toppings

Cheese. One of the easiest ways to change the flavor is to use a different cheese. Mozzarella is my favorite to use because it pairs well with a variety of ingredients, it melts easily, and browns beautifully.

With that said, you can use your favorite cheese along with or instead of mozzarella. I’d suggest trying: smoked gouda cheese, blue cheese, or gorgonzola.

Additional toppings. Add any of your favorite pizza toppings: pineapple, sausage, jalapeno peppers, or red onions.

Barbecue sauce on pizza dough for barbecue chicken pizza.

How to use Pizza Stone

You can easily use a regular pizza pan and spray it with cooking spray, but if you have one, I suggest using a pizza stone.

Pizza stones hold heat more equally creating an evenly cooked crust. It also draws out extra moisture from more wet areas of the dough making sure that every part of the crust is baked to perfection. 

  • Always place your pizza stone on the lowest rack in a COLD oven. If you preheat the oven and then place the stone in, the sudden change in temperature can crack the stone.
  • Allow the oven and the stone to heat up for about 30 minutes before placing your pizza on it.

A pizza peel is a must when cooking with a stone. The pizza peel is used to transport the pizza to and from the oven.

  • Sprinkle it with cornmeal before placing the dough directly onto the peel and adding your sauce and toppings.
  • Point the tip of your peel onto the back edge of your preheated pizza stone.
  • Pull the peel towards you, letting the pizza gently slide onto the stone.

Precooked chicken. The pizza is not in the oven long enough to cook the chicken properly, so it MUST be precooked. To save time, use rotisserie chicken, canned chicken chunks, or keep cooked chicken in the freezer to grab on a busy day.

What to serve with BBQ Pizza

There are so many great sides and salads to serve with pizza. Here are some of our favorites:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza on a pizza stone.

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. Make this BBQ pizza recipe ahead of time and freeze it for a quick, delicious meal.

  • To freeze, bake the pizza crust for 7 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and put on the toppings.
  • Place the pizza on a freezer-safe aluminum baking tray or a clean piece of cardboard and flash freeze for about 2 hours.
  • Remove it from the freezer and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap then again with aluminum foil.
  • Label and freeze for 3-6 months.

To bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pizza on a baking sheet and bake until hot and the cheese has melted; about 5-7 minutes.

For a beautifully browned top, flip on the broiler and allow the top to cook 1-2 minutes longer. Keep a close eye on it. *Freezing canned pizza dough may prevent it from rising as much as it does when baked fresh.

STORE baked pizza. Leftover BBQ Chicken Pizza can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Place slices in an airtight container, and separate each slice with a paper towel or parchment paper.

For best results, reheat in the oven or toaster oven. If you’re in a hurry you can reheat it in the microwave.

BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe close up on wax paper.

For more pizza recipes, check out:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza Recipe

5 from 10 votes
Switch up pizza night with this smoky Barbecue Chicken Pizza recipe. Best of all, it's on the table in no time!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 537 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 1 can pre-made pizza dough or 14 oz. homemade dough
  • 1 1/2 c cubed chicken rotisserie chicken works great
  • 1 1/4 c barbecue sauce divided
  • 3 pieces cooked bacon chopped
  • 1/3 c fresh cilantro chopped
  • 3 c mozzarella cheese
  • garlic salt (with parsley flakes)

Instructions
 

  • Begin by cubing your chicken and tossing it in ½ cup of Homemade BBQ Sauce.
  • Bake the pizza dough for 5 minutes at whatever temperature the instructions say on the pizza dough packaging.
  • While the pizza dough is still warm, spread ½ cup of BBQ Sauce (add more or less if desired).
  • Add cheese, barbecue chicken, cilantro, and bacon to your pizza. Sprinkle with garlic salt.
  • Bake pizza an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown.
  • Drizzle with more barbecue sauce, and ENJOY!

Like this recipe?

Pin it now to remember it later! Share it with your Facebook friends (you know they’ll love it). Or tweet it to the world. Maybe even email it to your favorite cousin!

Related Posts

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Flavorful lemon chicken pasta is covered in a delicious sauce made from lemons, whipping cream, cheese, and fresh basil. We love to serve this hearty lemon chicken pasta with Copycat…

20 minutes minutes

4.95 from 17 votes

Hawaiian Haystacks

Totally customizable Hawaiian Haystacks are a pile of fluffy rice stacked with chicken, gravy, and all your favorite toppings! Hawaiian Haystacks are the ultimate weeknight dinner go-to. They’re quick, easy,…

35 minutes minutes

5 from 13 votes

Turkey Burger Recipe

This lean & juicy turkey burger recipe is packed with flavor but light on calories. They are a perfectly delicious addition to your next BBQ! You wouldn’t guess this delicious…

13 minutes minutes

5 from 9 votes

Mozzarella Pasta Salad

Easy & Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Salad is light, delicious, and flavorful. This simply dressed salad is a favorite! My favorite thing about this pasta salad is that it’s lighter, healthier,…

15 minutes minutes

5 from 11 votes

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

Join the Conversation

Rate and Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    This pizza is incredibly good! You can always determine what Toppings your family wants but we like it jusT like you see it.

  2. 5 stars
    Who knew making this at home would be so easy!? It was so delicious, soft, & the taste was amazing! We will definitely make this at home more!

  3. 5 stars
    This is a nice switch from the traditional cheese And pepperoni we normally have. Thanks for all the tips as well!

  4. Hey just a heads up, when you jump to the recipe to print, your recipe says to use pizza sauce But your in deacription in your blog You say to use bbq sauce after baking dough for 5 min. I used oizza sauce per your print instructions. I hope its good!

  5. hi! You say to only use BBQ sauce in your ingredients but once we get to the assembly you say to use pizza sauce. what do you suggest? 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    This has been my oldest son’s favorite pizza since before I can remember! Every time we make pizza at home, which is weekly, he makes BBQ chicken. He does add a few extra ingredients, caramelized onions, a smoked cheese like Gouda or Cheddar and jalapeno peppers.

  7. 5 stars
    Oh my heck! I could eat this pizza everyday of the week. Has all my favorite things in it: barbecue, bacon, and cheese! So delicious, will definitely be making again.

  8. 5 stars
    My kids love this kind of pizza. It’s more delicious and satisfying than the store-bought. We’ll surely have this again, thanks Kristyn!

  9. 5 stars
    I’m a pizza lover and I am amazed at this pizza recipe. It is irresistibly delicious and pleasing, a new favorite!