Cant-Decide BBQ Chicken Pizza
When dinner is a standoff, this gets pizza on the table fast.
If you’re too tired to debate dinner, this is the move. BBQ chicken pizza gives you something that feels like takeout, but it comes together with a short ingredient list and very little thinking. Use cooked chicken, jarred BBQ sauce, and a store-bought crust so you’re mostly just assembling and baking. It’s best on nights when you want a real dinner without chopping a whole mountain of vegetables or babysitting a pan. Expect a smoky-sweet, cheesy pizza with crispy edges and a few messy hands — not restaurant-perfect, but absolutely satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 unit store-bought pizza crust — about 12-inch
- 1 cup BBQ sauce — plus more if you like it saucier
- 2 cup cooked chicken — shredded or chopped
- 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
- 0.5 cup red onion — thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro — chopped, optional but nice
Method
- 1 Heat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone or sheet pan, put it in the oven while it heats.
- 2 Place the crust on a piece of parchment or a lightly floured surface. Spread the BBQ sauce over the crust, leaving a small border around the edge.
- 3 Top with the chicken, red onion, and mozzarella.
- 4 Bake until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned in spots, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- 5 Finish with cilantro if using. Slice and eat right away.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the chicken and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of thinly sliced bell pepper, mushrooms, or canned pineapple instead.
- Faster swap — Use naan or flatbread instead of a pizza crust and bake for about 8 minutes, just until the cheese melts.
- Easy substitution — Swap mozzarella for a shredded cheddar blend, or add a little red pepper flake if you want more bite.
Notes
Use fully cooked chicken so the pizza stays quick. If your BBQ sauce is very thick, stir in 1 tbsp water so it spreads easily. For a crispier crust, preheat the pan or stone before baking.
Equipment that helps
- sheet pan — It gives the crust a hot surface so the bottom browns instead of turning soft.
- pizza cutter or sharp knife — It makes slicing fast when you’re ready to eat and not fuss with the pie.
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