BBQ Chicken Pizza Cilantro (Print)
Smoky BBQ chicken and tangy red onion come together on a golden crust with fresh cilantro.
# What You Need:
→ Dough & Base
01 - 1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Sauce & Toppings
03 - ½ cup BBQ sauce, plus more for drizzling
04 - 1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
05 - 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - ½ cup shredded smoked gouda or cheddar cheese
07 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Finishing Touches
08 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 475°F. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven as it preheats.
02 - Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza peel.
03 - Brush dough with olive oil. Spread BBQ sauce evenly over the surface, leaving a ½-inch border.
04 - Scatter shredded chicken evenly over the sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and smoked gouda or cheddar cheese over the chicken. Top with thinly sliced red onions.
05 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
06 - Remove from oven. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce if desired. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That smoky sweet sauce bubbling through melted cheese creates something magic that regular pizza just cant touch
- It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all day thinking about flavor combinations
02 -
- Dont overload your toppings or youll end up with a soggy middle, especially with BBQ sauce which has more liquid than tomato sauce
- Letting the dough come to room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling makes it so much easier to work with
03 -
- If your dough keeps shrinking back as you roll it, walk away for 5 minutes and let the gluten relax
- A pizza peel makes transferring to the oven so much easier, but the back of a baking sheet works in a pinch