Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza

This Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza is the ultimate quick and easy pizza which is BURSTING with flavour!

This post features a previous client – Jack Daniel’s® . Still love their sauces and highly recommend using them in this recipe!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Look I’m gonna be honest with you. At heart, I’ve always been a tomato base pizza kinda guy. Ever since I was a young warthog it’s the way I’ve made them (and the way I’ve ordered them 😏). But in recent times a BBQ base has been my go to. That sweet, sticky, smoky goodness slathered underneath melted cheese? I’m telling you folks, it’s so addictive.

Tomato base there’ll always be a place for you in my heart, but today it’s all about the BBQ. Here’s why you’re going to fall in love with this BBQ Chicken Pizza:

• Smoky – Where there’s BBQ, there’s gotta be a smoky twang of flavour. Here we inject smokiness, without the pizza going near a smoker!
• Date Night Dinner – Delicious meal for two for when you fancy a little cook up in the kitchen.
• Quick and Easy – No faffing about, we’re going straight in with store bought pizza dough for a quick and easy dinner!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Ingredients

When it comes to making the pizza, like I mentioned easier I usually going for a pre-made pizza dough, simply for convenience reasons. If I’m making this pizza it’s usually for a quick and easy dinner, so don’t have to time faff about with making pizza dough (I know, please forgive my sins).

Alongside the pizza dough, here’s what you’ll need for the pizza:

BBQ Chicken Pizza Toppings

• BBQ Sauce – Here I use Jack Daniel’s® Full Flavour Smoky (smoke layer #1).
• Applewood Smoked Cheddar – (smoke layer #2).
• Chicken – seasoned with smoked paprika (smoke layer #3)
• Mozzarella – Low-moisture mozzarella so the top doesn’t go watery.
• Peppers & Red Onion – Adds gorgeous colour and flavour, both thinly sliced.
• Jalapeños – BBQ sauce takes on spice beautifully!
• Oregano – a pinch of dried oregano for that classic pizza flavour.

Pizzas are all about preference though, so if there’s a favourite topping of yours you want to incorporate then go for it!

How to make BBQ Chicken Pizza

I guess the obvious question is ‘what makes a BBQ pizza a BBQ pizza?’. It’s generally all about the sauce and how you use it. I always go for using it as the base, but here’s 4 ways you can put your BBQ sauce to good use:

How to incorporate BBQ sauce into a pizza

1. Base – Use the sauce as a base for the pizza before adding your cheese ‘n’ toppings.
2. Chicken – Coat your chicken in BBQ sauce then add on top.
3. Drizzle – Drizzle a little BBQ sauce over the pizza before it goes in the oven. This way it goes gorgeously sticky after it’s cooked.
4. Dip – Simply use the BBQ sauce as a dip for any pizza!

Tips for the best BBQ Chicken Pizza

• Room Temp – For best results you want your pizza dough at room temp, I usually take it out the fridge around 1 hour beforehand.
• Roasting Hot – You want the oven roasting hot before you add the pizza. General rule of thumb is the hotter the better for pizza!
• Distribute the toppings – Make sure you evenly space out the toppings and hide any particularly thin/small bits of chicken underneath cheese so it doesn’t char too much and go chewy.

BBQ Chicken Pizza FAQ

Can I make BBQ Chicken Pizza ahead of time?

Sure can! You can prep until needing to go in the oven, tightly cover and store in the fridge (2-3 days, longer at your discretion), then bring to room temp and cook in the oven.

Can I reheat leftovers?

If there’s anything left just allow it to cool, then wrap and store in the fridge (2-3days, longer at your discretion) then heat in the oven at a lower temp.

Can I use Rotisserie/Cooked Chicken?

You definitely can! I still recommend combining with the seasoning though. Also, if it’s a little dry just coat it in a little BBQ sauce.

What to serve with BBQ Chicken Pizza?

• Garlic Bread (or Cheesy Garlic Bread!)
• Baked Potato Wedges
• Popcorn Chicken
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Sour Cream and Chive Dip
• Garlic and Herb Dip

If you like the sound of this pizza make sure you check out my Pepperoni Pizza Parcels and Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms! If you’re looking for more BBQ recipes then definitely check out my BBQ Meatballs, BBQ Chicken Wraps, BBQ Chicken Pasta and BBQ Chicken Nachos. Okay, let’s head to the full BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe!

How to make a Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza (Full Recipe)

Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza

This Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza is the ultimate quick and easy pizza which is BURSTING with flavour!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner / Main Course

Cuisine: Fakeaway

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 23 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings (click & slide): 2

Calories: 618kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £5 / $6.50

Equipment:

• Pizza Tray & Pizza Cutter
• Frying Pan & Tongs
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients (check list):

• 10oz / 280g Pizza Dough at room temp (+ dusting of flour as needed)
• 1/3 cup / 80g BBQ Sauce (here I use Jack Daniel’s® Full Flavour Smoky) Plus extra to drizzle (optional)

Chicken

• 1 small Chicken Breast
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt, Black Pepper & Olive Oil

Toppings

• 1 cup / 100g Applewood Smoked Cheddar (or other smoky cheese) or to measured preference
• 3.5oz / 100g Low-moisture Mozzarella, sliced into rounds (or to measured preference)
• 1/4 small Red Pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small Yellow Pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
• Pickled Jalapeno Slices, to preference

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 230C/450F (oven must be roasting hot!)
• Slice your chicken breast as if you were going to butterfly it, creating two equal sized breasts. Coat in your seasoning and fry over high heat in a little olive oil, flipping once when it begins to char. Place to one side and allow to rest. Slice just before needed.
• Roll out your pizza dough to around 10-12", using flour to prevent sticking.
• Spread over BBQ sauce on each pizza base, leaving a small gap around the edge. Add smoked cheddar, then evenly spread out the rest of your ingredients. Top with oregano.
• Place in the oven for 15mins or until a deep golden colour. Drizzle extra BBQ sauce if desired!

Notes:

a) Pizza Dough - Dough needs to be room temp for best results, I generally take it out the fridge around an hour beforehand.

b) Cooked Chicken - You don't need to cook your chicken all the way through, if there's still a tinge of pink after frying don't panic. You can let it rest to finish off cooking, it'll also completely finish cooking in the oven. 

c) Can I use rotisserie chicken? - You can definitely use pre cooked chicken! I still recommend combining with the seasoning though. I tend to fry it off in a little oil for no longer than 1-2mins, just to lock in the flavour. Feel free to add a dash of bbq sauce too if it's a little dry. A roughly packed cup per pizza of shredded chicken should suffice.

d) Oven Temp - Be sure to get your oven right up to temperature before adding the pizza. The general rule of thumb with cooking pizzas is the hotter the oven the better! Just keep an eye on things so it doesn't burn.

e) Low-Moisture Mozzarella - Stay away from the mozzarella in brine, it'll add too much water to the pizza. Try and get the vacuum packed stuff. Failing that just get a bag of ready-shredded mozzarella. Just as long as it's dry. 

f) Can I make BBQ Chicken Pizza ahead of time? Yes - just prep until they need to go in the oven, tightly cover and store in the fridge (2-3 days, longer at your discretion), then bring to room temp and cook in the oven. Important to bring back to room temp as pizza dough isn't cooked yet.

g) Calories - Based on sharing between two people with no sides.

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 618 Calories from Fat 187

% Daily Value*

Fat 20.82g32%

Saturated Fat 6.919g35%

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.465g

Monounsaturated Fat 7.073g

Cholesterol 93mg31%

Sodium 1176mg49%

Potassium 677mg19%

Carbohydrates 64.31g21%

Fiber 4.7g19%

Sugar 22.01g24%

Protein 42.29g85%

Vitamin A 3150IU63%

Vitamin C 77.6mg94%

Calcium 290mg29%

Iron 4.9mg27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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