Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe

Preheat & prepare crust

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured pizza peel. Brush the top lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil mixed with minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt — this creates a subtle flavored base.

Coat the chicken

Pat the diced chicken dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in the mixture until evenly coated.

Pan-crisp the chicken

Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the coated chicken in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and cook without moving for 2–3 minutes to crisp, then stir and continue cooking until golden and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes total. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Toss with Buffalo sauce

Lower heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, then stir in 4 tablespoons hot sauce until combined and slightly simmering. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Taste and add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Top the prepared dough: sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the oiled dough (reserve remaining cheese). Arrange the buffalo chicken pieces evenly across the pizza. Scatter banana pepper slices and thin red onion slices over the chicken. Finish with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella, distributing so cheese covers toppings and edges slightly.

Bake the pizza: slide the parchment with the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once halfway, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Finish and garnish: remove pizza from oven and let rest 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped fresh chives over the top. If using, dot with blue cheese crumbles and drizzle ranch or blue cheese dressing lightly. Slice into 6–8 slices and serve immediately.