My semi-homemade BBQ chicken pizza is better than any restaurant or delivery joint in town. I top store-bought pizza dough with tangy barbecue sauce, shredded chicken, red onions, and smoky Gouda cheese to create this yummy pizza. And it’s ready to eat in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect quick and easy recipe for pizza night. I can’t see myself ordering pizza again when it’s so simple to make myself with 5 ingredients!
Top Reader Reviews
What a delicious family dinner recipe! Quick, easy and flavorful! Yum!
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BBQ chicken pizza is one of my favorites, and this recipe did not let me down! So good.
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BBQ Shredded Chicken Pizza with Gouda
I’ve always been a huge fan of California Pizza Kitchen’s iconic BBQ chicken pizza, but I wanted to create a version that didn’t require a brick oven or a long grocery list. I start with store-bought pizza dough for convenience, combine leftover shredded chicken with BBQ sauce, then add the classic red onions and cheese on top.
My big flavor win is all in the cheese! While plain mozzarella is fine, I love to use a mix of smoked Gouda and mozzarella for the best BBQ flavor. The Gouda melts more quickly, creating a silky, creamy texture, and it adds a hint of smokiness that perfectly mimics the flavor of a wood-fired pizza oven. My kids ask for this shredded chicken pizza every single week, and I love that I can get it on the table with just 5 simple ingredients!
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Avoid a Soggy Center!
For the perfect balance of a crispy crust and fully melted cheese, use an instant-read thermometer to check the center of the pizza. You are looking for an internal temperature of 200-210°F when the probe is inserted into the center crust. This temperature ensures the dough is fully set, ensuring your slices don’t flop over when you pick them up.
BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- Pizza Stone, Pizza Pan, or Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough or pre-made pizza crust
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (divided*)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (**)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (smoked gouda, mozzarella, or a combo of both; divided)
- ¼ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or green onions (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Once heated, place a pizza stone or pan in the oven. This will help your pizza cook more quickly and evenly.
- Place the pizza dough (or pre-made pizza crust) on a large piece of parchment paper. If the crust is still in dough form, roll out the dough.1 pound pizza dough or pre-made pizza crust
- Spread a thin layer of about 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce on the pizza crust.½ cup BBQ sauce
- In a bowl, combine the remaining 6 tablespoons BBQ sauce and the shredded chicken.2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Add on the toppings in this order: 1½ cups shredded cheese, sliced red onion, BBQ chicken, remaining ½ cup shredded cheese.2 cups shredded cheese, ¼ cup sliced red onion
- Remove the pizza pan or stone from the oven. Slide the pizza onto the pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, the crust is crispy on the outside and cooked through. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro.½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or green onions
Notes
- If your oven allows it, bump the heat up to 450°F or 475°F. A higher, faster heat creates a better crumb and better browning on the cheese. Just keep a closer eye on it–it may cook in 8-10 minutes instead of 15.
- If you happen to have a particularly thin BBQ sauce, you can thicken it with a slurry. Combine 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water, then stir this mixture into the sauce over low heat until it thickens.
- You can also create a barrier to prevent the sauce from soaking into the crust by brushing the dough with a tiny bit of olive oil.
- Optionally, pop the rolled-out dough into the oven on its own for 3-5 minutes (less time if you bumped up the oven temp) before adding any sauce or toppings to ensure it bakes fully through.
- Don’t add too much sauce, or your pizza will turn out soggy.
- To mellow out the onions, toss them in a bit of BBQ sauce before adding them to the pizza so they caramelize.
- Other great toppings include crispy bacon bits, pickled jalapeños, or even grilled pineapple!
- Take extra care when transferring the pizza to the hot pan. Be sure to wear oven mitts!
- Because BBQ sauce contains sugar, it can caramelize quickly. If you notice your crust needs more time but the sauce is getting too dark, loosely tent the pizza with foil for the last 3 minutes of baking.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Use Those Leftovers!
Instead of starting with shredded chicken and barbecue sauce, sometimes I like to make this pizza with leftover BBQ pulled chicken instead. It adds tons of extra flavor to really amp things up.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Pizza Step by Step
Prep: Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 425°F. If your oven goes higher, I highly recommend bumping it up to 450°F or 475°F. This higher heat mimics a professional pizza oven, giving you a much better crumb and better browning. Once heated, slide your pizza stone or pan inside to get it screaming hot.
Assemble the Pizza: Place 1 pound of pizza dough (or a pre-made crust) on a large piece of parchment paper and roll it out to about 14-16 inches. Before adding the sauce, I like to brush the dough with a tiny bit of olive oil to create a barrier that keeps the BBQ sauce from soaking in, ensuring the crust stays crispy, not soggy. Spread about 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce over your barrier. In a separate bowl, toss 2 cups of shredded chicken with the remaining 6 tablespoons of BBQ sauce so every bite is juicy. Now, layer your toppings in this specific order: 1½ cups of shredded cheese, ¼ cup of sliced red onions, the BBQ-tossed chicken, and then the remaining ½ cup of the cheese. Layering the chicken under that final bit of cheese keeps the meat from drying out in the high heat.
Bake the Pizza: Carefully slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto your hot stone or pan. Bake in the preheated for 10-15 minutes (check earlier if baking at a higher temperature). Once the cheese is melted and bubbly, the crust is crispy, and it’s cooked through (the dough should reach 200-210°F–see my tip above!), remove the pizza and let it rest for 2 minutes before slicing. This allows the cheese to set. Finish with ½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro or green onions and enjoy!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Let BBQ chicken pizza cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container (or wrapped in aluminum foil) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
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