16" Bbq Chicken Pizza Recipe

Prepare oven and dough

Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it on the lowest rack and preheat with the oven. Lightly dust a pizza peel or work surface with 1–2 tablespoons of flour. Stretch or roll the 16-inch pizza dough into a 16-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. Transfer the stretched dough to a piece of parchment paper for easier transfer (or onto the floured peel).

If your chicken is not yet cooked: preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season raw chicken breasts or thighs with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Cook 4–6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove from skillet and let rest 5 minutes. If using pre-cooked chicken, skip the cooking step and proceed to shredding.

Shred or thinly slice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup of the prepared BBQ sauce (from the Sauce section) until evenly coated. Reserve remaining BBQ sauce for base and finishing drizzle.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp hot sauce (if using). Stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or tang as desired. Reserve about 1/4 cup for drizzling after baking.

Spread about 3/4 to 1 cup of the BBQ sauce mixture evenly over the stretched pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch border for the crust.

Evenly sprinkle about 10 oz shredded mozzarella across the sauced dough, leaving the crust area clear.

Distribute the BBQ-coated shredded chicken evenly over the cheese layer.

Scatter 4 oz shredded smoked cheddar over the chicken for a smoky sharpness.

Evenly distribute the thinly sliced red onion and optional pickled jalapeño slices across the pizza.

Brush the exposed crust lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil to promote browning.

Using the parchment paper, transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or a baking sheet and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Rotate halfway through baking for even color.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup BBQ sauce in a zigzag pattern over the top. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro across the pizza.

Slice into 8–10 slices and serve immediately.