This mouthwatering grilled BBQ chicken pizza is destined to become your go-to homemade pizza recipe! This recipe is proudly sponsored by Cabot Cheese, and all opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Mastering the Art of Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza: A Summer Essential
Hello, fellow food enthusiasts! Today, we’re taking a delightful detour from our usual baking adventures to dive into something incredibly savory and utterly satisfying: the Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza. This isn’t just another pizza recipe; it’s a game-changer that combines the smoky allure of summer grilling with the beloved flavors of BBQ chicken, all nestled on a perfectly charred crust.
For many, Friday night isn’t just the end of the week; it’s synonymous with pizza night. In our home, this tradition is sacred, a weekly ritual that even our six-year-old faithfully enforces with cheerful reminders every Friday morning. Over the years, BBQ chicken pizza has emerged as a consistent family favorite, making it quite astonishing that I haven’t shared this culinary gem on the blog before now. My archives currently boast only my summer Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizza and this Breakfast Pizza, but that changes today! Prepare to welcome this incredible grilled BBQ chicken pizza into your regular rotation; its irresistible flavors and unique preparation method are sure to make it a new family staple.
Why Grilled Pizza is a Summer Revelation
You might be asking, “Why grill pizza?” The answer is simple: summer! When the weather is warm and the grill is already fired up for daily use, it’s the perfect opportunity to infuse your pizza with a distinctive smoky char that an indoor oven simply cannot replicate. Grilling pizza offers a unique textural experience, creating a crust that is both crispy and light, with pockets of delicious smoky flavor that elevate every bite. Beyond the taste, grilling pizza is remarkably quick, cooking much faster than traditional oven methods, making it ideal for impromptu gatherings or busy weeknights. It transforms pizza making into an outdoor event, a fun and interactive experience for everyone involved.
The Essential Elements of a Perfect BBQ Chicken Pizza
What makes this grilled BBQ chicken pizza stand out as one of our most cherished recipes? It all comes down to a few key highlights:
The Irresistible Crust: Charred to Perfection
As mentioned, the grill lends an incomparable quality to the pizza crust. Direct contact with the hot grates creates beautiful char marks, imparting a subtle smokiness and a delightful crispness on the exterior, while keeping the interior wonderfully soft and chewy. It’s a crust that truly celebrates the flavors of outdoor cooking, far surpassing anything you can achieve in a conventional oven. The speed of grilling also means your toppings cook quickly, retaining their freshness and vibrant flavors.
The Cheese Factor: A Creamy, Melty Dream
No pizza, especially a BBQ chicken pizza, is complete without a generous blanket of melted, gooey cheese. Cheese isn’t just a topping; it’s the soul of the pizza, providing that comforting, savory base that ties all the flavors together. For this recipe, I exclusively turn to my trusted favorite, Cabot Cheese. Their dedication to quality and flavor ensures a rich, creamy melt that enhances every bite of this savory creation.
My Undying Love for Cabot Cheese
For those new to my culinary corner, let me reiterate my profound appreciation for Cabot Cheese. Our relationship goes way back, long before I even started blogging. It’s been a constant staple in my kitchen, a testament to its consistent quality and deliciousness. If you’re curious to explore more Cabot-inspired recipes, I highly recommend checking out my chili oil cheddar pull-apart bread or my savory cheddar bread, both showcasing the incredible versatility of their products. What truly makes Cabot exceptional, in my humble opinion, is their unique structure as a co-operative of dairy farm families. They are also a certified B Corp, committed to ethical and sustainable practices while producing award-winning cheese and dairy products. Next time you’re at the grocery store, do yourself a favor and grab a Cabot product. You’ll understand my enthusiasm!
Crafting Your Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza: Options and Tips
This recipe is designed to yield eight personal-sized pizzas, a method I’ve found incredibly convenient and effective. Personal pizzas eliminate any squabbles over toppings or preferred doneness, as everyone can customize their own. Plus, they cook even faster on the grill! However, if you prefer the classic appeal of one large pizza, feel free to adjust. The recipe works beautifully regardless of size.
The Perfect Pizza Dough: Timing is Everything
The foundation of any great pizza is its dough, and ours offers flexibility. The amount of yeast used depends on your timing: if you’re making and grilling the pizza the same day, use two teaspoons of active dry or instant yeast. This ensures a quick rise, resulting in a wonderfully fluffy and pliable dough. If you opt for an overnight rise in the refrigerator, one teaspoon of yeast is sufficient. A slow, cold fermentation develops deeper flavors and a fantastic texture. Regardless of the method, the yeast is paramount; it’s what gives your dough the necessary structure and spring to hold up to all the delicious toppings we’re about to add.
Selecting Your Signature BBQ Sauce
One of the most exciting aspects of this pizza is the BBQ sauce. After you’ve expertly grilled the dough, you’ll generously slather it with your favorite tangy BBQ sauce. While a sweet BBQ sauce is my personal preference – offering a delightful contrast to the savory chicken and sharp cheese – this is where you can truly let your culinary creativity shine. I’ve experimented with smokey and spicy sauces, and the results were equally delicious and unique. Don’t be afraid to try different brands or even homemade versions. Do I collect BBQ sauces from my travels? Maybe! Is it just me? Perhaps, but it means I always have an exciting variety to choose from!
Prepping the Chicken: Convenience Meets Flavor
For the chicken topping, efficiency is key. You’ll want to have your shredded cooked chicken ready before assembling the pizzas. If you’re short on time, pre-cooked shredded chicken from the grocery store is a fantastic shortcut. Alternatively, grill some chicken breasts or thighs ahead of time for an extra layer of smoky flavor. For ultimate ease, you can even slow cook a couple of chicken breasts until they’re tender enough to shred effortlessly. These options ensure you can enjoy this gourmet pizza even on your busiest days!
The Grand Finale: A Mountain of Cheese
Finally, we crown our masterpiece with an abundance of cheese. My preferred combination for this pizza is a blend of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar with their shredded mozzarella. The sharp cheddar adds a robust, distinctive flavor, while the mozzarella ensures that classic, stretchy, melty quality we all adore in pizza. The choice of cheese blend is entirely up to you, but whatever you decide, remember this golden rule: be generous with your cheese topping! It’s the finishing touch that brings everything together into a cohesive, delectable whole.
Get Ready to Grill: An Unforgettable Experience
This Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is not only incredibly easy to make, but it’s also guaranteed to win over even your toughest critics. The combination of smoky grilled crust, tangy BBQ sauce, tender chicken, and generous layers of premium Cabot cheese creates a flavor profile that’s simply irresistible. It’s the perfect dish for summer entertaining, a fun family dinner, or simply treating yourself to something truly special.
I love seeing your culinary creations! Once you’ve whipped up this fantastic pizza, let me know in the comment section below what unique ingredients or twists you added to make yours truly one-of-a-kind. As always, if you share your beautiful creation across social media, please make sure to tag #aclassictwist so I can admire your work. Have a wonderful day filled with delicious food!
For even more inspiring recipes featuring the exceptional quality of Cabot Cheese, be sure to visit their website and follow their delicious journey on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Print Recipe
Grilled Barbecue Chicken Pizza
30 minutes
15 minutes
45 minutes
Ingredients
- FOR PIZZA DOUGH:
- 1 2/3 cups water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast (see directions)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- FOR TOPPINGS:
- 1 cup spicy barbecue sauce (or your favorite), warmed up
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or any Cabot shredded cheese or block)
Instructions
TO MAKE PIZZA DOUGH:
- Note: If making pizza the same day, use 2 teaspoons of yeast. If letting the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator, use 1 teaspoon yeast.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and yeast together. Let sit for 2-3 minutes until yeast dissolves. Stir the olive oil into the yeast mixture, then add the flour and salt. Using a spatula, mix until the dough starts to form.
- Knead the dough on low speed with the dough hook for 5-7 minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured counter for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Place the dough balls onto a lightly greased baking pan and turn them over so they are lightly coated with oil. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel.
- For same-day use, let the dough rise for about an hour to an hour and a half, or until doubled in size, in a warm place.
- To use the dough the next day, place the baking pan directly in the refrigerator and let it rise slowly overnight or up to 24 hours. Before making the pizza, remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour to warm up.
TO GRILL PIZZA:
- Preheat your gas grill with all burners on high for 15 minutes. Once heated, adjust the burners to create an area of indirect heat (lower half) and direct heat (higher half).
- While the grill heats up, prepare all your toppings, ensuring they are ready for quick assembly.
- Working with one dough ball at a time, gently pull and stretch it into a thin round. Use your hands or fists, or alternatively, roll out the dough on a lightly greased surface.
- Carefully place the shaped dough onto the grill over the direct heat area. Cover the grill and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom is lightly cooked and shows some char marks.
- Flip the pizza over and immediately transfer it to the indirect heat section of the grill.
- Spread the pre-warmed barbecue sauce evenly over the grilled dough. Top with the cooked chicken, chopped red onion, and fresh cilantro. Finish with a healthy sprinkle of your chosen Cabot cheese blend.
- Close the grill lid and continue to cook until the toppings are warmed through and the cheese has melted and is bubbling, typically another 2-3 minutes, depending on your grill’s temperature.
- Carefully remove the finished pizza from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut it into slices.
- Repeat this process with the remaining balls of dough to make 8 delicious small pizzas.
- Enjoy your freshly grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza!
Notes
Pizza dough adapted from The Kitchn
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