Buffalo Chicken Recipe

Preheat and prepare dough

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating. Lightly oil a baking sheet or pizza peel. Stretch or roll the pizza dough to a 12-inch round (or desired size) on a floured surface, leaving a slight rim for the crust. Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel or baking sheet and brush the surface and rim lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Make buffalo sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 1 cup hot sauce, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the sauce becomes smooth and slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust heat or salt as needed. Remove from heat and reserve 2 tablespoons of the finished sauce for finishing the pizza; keep the remainder warm or at room temperature to toss with the cooked chicken.

Season and grill chicken

Pound each chicken breast to even thickness (about 3/4 inch) or slice in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets. Rub each breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken 4–6 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and nice grill marks form. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.

Shred and toss in sauce

Thinly slice or shred the rested chicken. Place shredded chicken in a bowl and pour the remaining buffalo sauce (about 3/4 cup after reserving 2 tablespoons) over it. Toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust balance — add a teaspoon of honey if it's too spicy for your preference. Set aside.

Assemble pizza

Evenly scatter 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella across the oiled pizza dough, leaving the rim exposed. Distribute the buffalo-coated shredded chicken in an even layer over the mozzarella. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella on top of the chicken for extra melt. Lightly scatter 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese evenly over the pizza (reserve a small amount if you prefer less).

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Oven times vary; begin checking at 8 minutes.

Finish and serve

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Drizzle the reserved 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce over the hot pizza and, if desired, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper for extra heat. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped scallions. Let rest 2 minutes, then slice into 6–8 pieces. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.