Southwest Bbq Chicken Recipe

preheat and prepare dough

Preheat oven (or pizza stone) to 475°F (245°C). If using a pizza stone, preheat for at least 30 minutes. Lightly oil a baking sheet or dust a pizza peel with semolina flour. Stretch or roll the prepared pizza dough to a 12-inch round (about 1/4-inch thick). Brush the top of the stretched dough lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sogginess and encourage browning.

Evenly spread 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce over the oiled dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border for the crust. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the sauce into an even layer.

season and distribute chicken

If your chicken is cooked but plain, toss the shredded chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to infuse flavor. Distribute the seasoned chicken evenly over the BBQ sauce layer.

add cheeses

Sprinkle the shredded smoked cheddar evenly over the chicken, then follow with shredded mozzarella to create a balanced cheesy top. Ensure cheese is spread to just inside the crust edge.

add vegetables

Scatter the drained black bean-corn salsa across the pizza in small spoonfuls so it heats through without making the crust soggy. Distribute the thinly sliced roasted red peppers and the very thin red onion slices evenly.

bake the pizza

Transfer the assembled pizza to the preheated oven or stone. Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10–14 minutes, or until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Rotate halfway through baking for even color.

finish and garnish

Remove pizza from oven. Immediately sprinkle chopped cilantro over the hot pizza and, if desired, a pinch (up to 1/4 tsp) of red pepper flakes for heat. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over individual slices for brightness.