The first few times I had Barbecue Chicken Pizza it was without the chicken as I was vegetarian at the time. Kinda weird, right? The pizza was still delicious with the combined smoky and cheesy flavors so I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. I had never thought to omit the meat in a meat-focused dish so was grateful that Daniela had introduced me to it. She also introduced me to the McDonald’s cheeseburger minus the meat which may sound a bit funny but when on a road trip and you have limited options that bun with ketchup, pickles, and onions is pretty damn good.
I had leftover barbecue sauce from some pulled pork I had made so what better excuse to whip up a barbecue chicken pizza. This recipe was great, just as good as I’ve had from any take out restaurant (and you can control your own cheese so you don’t feel guilty for days!). You could also cut down the time considerably by buying store bought crust, barbecue sauce, and even cooked chicken from the prepared food section of your grocery store. But what fun would that be?
This pizza was also great for lunch the next day. And day after.
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
Adapted from Cooking during Stolen Moments
For the crust:
2 t. yeast
2 t. sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. salt
4 – 4 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1. Let yeast and sugar dissolve in warm water in a large mixing bowl for about 5 minutes. Add olive oil, salt and optional Italian seasoning. Slowly add the flour until completely combined and dough is no longer sticky. (I used just over 4 cups of flour to get to that point.) Knead for 5 minutes, place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
*Depending on how thin you like your crust, this makes enough for 2 large pizzas plus 2 small pizzas. The extra dough can be frozen.
For the barbecue sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. each – allspice, crushed red pepper flakes, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder
Add everything to a small bowl and stir until combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to blend.
For the toppings:
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
1/2 lb. bacon, diced and crisped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
2 c. shredded pizza blend cheese
To assemble the pizzas:
1. Roll out dough into desired sizes on thickness. Place on a baking sheet or stone dusted with cornmeal.
2. Spread barbecue sauce on top of the crust, leaving about 1/2 inch crust all the way around.
3. Top with chicken, any other desired toppings and cheese. Bake at 500 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
Five Spoons 