Make Chicken Pizza
Chicken may not be the first topping that comes to mind when you're having pizza, but it can actually be very tasty with the right combination of sauce and cheese. You can put chicken on top of any kind of pizza that you like, but there are certain pizzas that work especially well with chicken. If you're not sure what to make for dinner tonight, try a sweet and smoky barbecue chicken pizza, a spicy Buffalo chicken pizza, or a simple, tangy chicken ranch pizza with these easy recipes.
Contents
Ingredients
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- ½ pound (240 g) prepared pizza dough
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 ml plus 44 ml) barbecue sauce
- 1 8-ounce (240 g) skinless, boneless chicken breast
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ⅔ cup (67 g) smoked gouda cheese, grated
- ⅔ cup (67 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro for topping
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- 1 tube (13.8 ounces or 390 g) refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 cup (250 ml) prepared Buffalo wing sauce, divided
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 pounds (960 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) chili powder
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) dried oregano
- Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing for garnish
Chicken Ranch Pizza
- 2 cups (300 g) cooked chicken, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) ranch dressing, divided
- 1 prepared pizza crust, rolled out to 12-inches onto a lightly greased baking sheet
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- ¼ cup (40 g) green onion, sliced
- 2 cups (200 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (100 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
Steps
Making Barbecue Chicken Pizza
- Preheat the oven and place a pizza stone on the top rack. Set your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) and allow it to preheat for at least half an hour. Make sure the oven racks are positioned in the upper third and middle of the oven, and set a pizza stone on the top rack.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, use an inverted, round baking sheet instead and place it on the top rack.
- Roll the dough into a circle. Take your prepared pizza dough, and place it on a piece of parchment paper that’s been brushed with olive oil. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 10-inch (25-cm) round, using your hands to stretch if necessary, and set aside.
- Once you’ve shaped the dough, you may want to brush the top of it with olive oil to add some flavor to it.
- Mix some of the barbecue sauce with some olive oil, and brush the chicken. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons (44 ml) of barbecue sauce with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil. Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture onto 1 8-ounce (240 g) skinless, boneless chicken breast and place in a baking dish.
- Before applying the barbecue sauce, season the chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste.
- If you’re short on time, you can use an already-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.Shred or chop the chicken and toss it with the barbecue sauce mixture instead.
- Bake the chicken and cut into cubes when cool. Place the chicken in the oven on the middle rack. Allow it to bake until cooked through, which should take approximately 20 minutes. Let the chicken cool for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s comfortable enough to handle, and then cut into ½-inch (1.27 cm) cubes.
- Don’t turn the oven off after the chicken is done baking. You want to make sure that the pizza stone remains heated when it’s time to put the pizza on it.
- Spread the rest of the barbecue sauce on the dough, and add the chicken, cheeses, and red onion. Cover the pizza dough with the remaining ⅓ cup (80 ml) of barbecue sauce, making sure to leave a ¾-inch (1.9 cm) border around the edges. Layer the cooked chicken, ⅔ cup (67 g) of grated smoked gouda cheese, ⅔ cup (67 g) of grated mozzarella cheese, and ½ of a small red onion that’s been thinly sliced over the sauce.
- Feel free to add whatever other toppings you might like to your pizza. Consider chopped red peppers or caramelized onions.
- Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone and bake until the cheese melts. When you’re finished preparing the pizza, use a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet to carefully slide it onto to pizza stone. Allow the pizza to bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.
- The pizza stone will be extremely hot when you slide the pizza onto it, so take care not to burn yourself.
- When the pizza is finished baking and still hot, sprinkle some fresh cilantro over the top for garnish.
Preparing Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Unroll the pizza dough onto a baking sheet and bake briefly. Take the pizza dough out of the tube, and unroll it onto a 15x10x1-inch (38x25x2.5-cm) baking pan that’s been lightly greased with olive oil or cooking spray. Place it in the oven and allow it to bake for 7 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
- When you roll the dough onto the baking sheet, use your fingers to flatten it out and build up the edges slightly to form a crust.
- Apply some of the Buffalo wing sauce and the cheeses over the crust. When the dough is out of the oven, spread 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the Buffalo wing sauce over it. Combine 1 ½ cups (150 g) of shredded cheddar cheese and 1 ½ cups (150 g) of shredded mozzarella cheese in a medium size bowl, and sprinkle ⅓ of the mixture over the crust. Set aside.
- Cook the chicken, garlic salt, pepper, and chili powder in a skillet. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter over medium high heat. Add 2 pounds (960 g) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that’s been cut into cubes, ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) garlic salt, ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) pepper, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) chili powder. Allow the chicken to cook until it is no longer pink, which should take approximately 8 minutes.
- You can add any seasonings that you like and think will complement the wing sauce to the chicken. Cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes are some options to consider.
- Add the wing sauce to the skillet and cook for several minutes. When the chicken is cooked, mix the remaining Buffalo wing sauce into the skillet. Lower the heat to medium, and allow the chicken and sauce to cook for another 5 minutes.
- Make sure to stir the chicken and sauce to ensure that the mixture cooks evenly.
- Top the pizza with the chicken mixture, oregano, and remaining cheese. After the chicken and sauce have cooked, spread the chicken mixture over the previous cheese layer. Next, sprinkle the rest of the cheese and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of dried oregano over the top.
- Bake the pizza until the cheese melts and the crust browns. Place the baking sheet with the pizza on it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for approximately 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust becomes a golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
- To mimic the way Buffalo chicken wings are served, add a side of blue cheese dressing and some celery sticks to the pizza when you bring it to the table.
Baking Chicken Ranch Pizza
- Preheat the oven. To ensure that the oven is hot enough when the pizza is ready, it’s important to preheat the oven. Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius), and allow it to fully heat.
- Make sure that you know how your oven indicates that it’s preheated. It may beep or flash an indicator light to alert you.
- Spread ⅓ cup (80 ml) of the dressing over the pizza crust. Take ⅓ cup (80 ml) of the ranch dressing, and spread it over the pizza crust. Make sure not to spread it all the way to the edge of the crust, though. Leave a ¾-inch (1.9 cm) border around the edges.
- You can use store bought ranch dressing or make your own if you prefer.
- Mix the chicken and the rest of the ranch dressing. In a medium size bowl, combine 2 cups (300 g) of cooked chicken that’s been torn or cut into bite-sized pieces with the remaining ⅓ cup (80 ml) of ranch dressing. Stir well to ensure that the chicken is well coated with the dressing
- You can grill or saute chicken breasts specifically for the pizza, use leftover chicken, or purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
- Spread the chicken mixture over the crust, and top with bacon, onion, and cheese. When the chicken and ranch dressing are well mixed, spread it over the prepared pizza crust. Next, sprinkle 2 cups (200 g) of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup (100 g) of shredded cheddar cheese, and ¼ cup (40 g) of sliced green onion over the pizza.
- You can omit the onion or add extra toppings, such as diced tomatoes, if you prefer.
- Bake the pizza until the crust browns and the cheese melts. Place the baking sheet with the pizza on it in the preheated oven. Allow it to bake for approximately 14 minutes or until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown.
Tips
- These are just a few basic recipes for chicken pizza. You can create any kind of pizza that you like with chicken as a topping. For example, you might create a traditional pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and top it with cooked, chopped chicken instead of pepperoni or sausage. You can also create a white chicken pizza with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, chopped white onions, and grilled chicken. Be creative.
Things You Need
Barbecue Chicken Pizza
- A pizza stone or baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- A pastry brush
- A rolling pin
- A small bowl
- A baking dish
- A knife
- A pizza peel
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- 15x10x1-inch (38x25x2.5-cm) baking pan
- A wooden spoon
- A medium bowl
- A large skillet
Chicken Ranch Pizza
- A baking sheet
- A medium bowl
- A wooden spoon
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