spicy bbq chicken pizza

We’ve got a few things to celebrate today.

spicy bbq chicken pizza

1. It’s vacation time – finally!! We’ve been waiting all summer for this week, and after today, I’m pretty much going to be unplugged. There’s no wifi, no computers. Just beach time with the family, lots of eating, and lots of napping.

2. Fall is coming! I’m not completely ready for cold weather and this horrible winter everyone is talking about, but I am ready for some cooler weather, changing leaves, and sweaters.

3. It’s FOOTBALL SEASON. I’ve been watching as much college football as humanly possible, and that’s the one thing I’ll miss this week on vacation….is that weird? I love it. I can’t help it!

spicy bbq chicken pizza

To help celebrate both fall AND football season, we’re talking about this spicy bbq chicken pizza today.

Okay, so a few years ago, I was convinced that I had the perfect pizza dough recipe. And it’s good – really good. And you don’t really have to let it rise, which makes it nice for weeknights. But….there’s a new dough in the rotation, and I really think this is the best pizza dough ever.

It makes a thinner crust, but cooking it on a hot stone in a super hot oven keeps it soft in the center and crispy on the outside. This dough makes the perfect pizza for two, so if you are feeding more people (or just want to have extras or leftovers), I’d at least double it. It freezes beautifully, so no worries if you make way more than you actually need.

spicy bbq chicken pizza

Basically, it’s everything you want in a pizza dough.

And instead of the usual pepperoni, we sauced this one up with our favorite bbq sauce and a little extra kick and topped it with diced chicken, cheddar, mozzarella, and some green onions.

Even if you don’t watch football, this is a perfect Saturday meal – or snack, depending on how your day is going. For full football days, we pretty much eat all day long. So, dinner? appetizer? This can be whatever you want!

spicy bbq chicken pizza

And it’s definitely always an option for breakfast.

spicy bbq chicken pizza

Always searching for the perfect homemade pizza dough? Well, search no more! This is by far our favorite out of every other mix I've tried. Not too thick, not too thin, crispy and tender - it's the best base for your favorite toppings.

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm water
  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Pizza toppings:

  • 1/4 cup bbq sauce
  • 2 Tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3/4 cup cooked, diced chicken
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Directions:

  1. Mix the water and yeast in a medium bowl and stir to start dissolving the yeast. Add the flour and salt and mix together, making a shaggy dough. If it still feels really wet or sticky, add a tablespoon or two more flour and mix in. Knead the dough for a few minutes until all the flour is mixed in and the dough is moist and smooth.
  2. Drizzle the oil into the bowl and toss the dough around in the oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled, about 45 minutes - 1 hour.
  3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it comes up to temperature.
  4. When you're ready to make the pizza, place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and roll out into an even round, about 1/4 of an inch thick.
  5. Mix the bbq sauce, tomato sauce, and cayenne together. Spread the sauce over the pizza, leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch around the edge of the dough.
  6. Sprinkle the cheese on the sauce, then top with the chicken and green onions.
  7. Pick up the parchment with your pizza and place it on a pizza peel or on the back of a baking sheet. Open the oven and gently slide the pizza and parchment paper onto the hot pizza stone.
  8. Bake for about 6 minutes, then turn the pizza about halfway and pull the parchment out from underneath the pizza.
  9. Bake for another 6-8 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned and the dough is golden around the edges.

 

2 comments

  1. Yea, I pretty much want this right now. I love the parchment trick. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve not mastered homemade pizza and that seems to be the secret I’m missing!

  2. Love that this recipe makes a pizza for two! Perfect for when we want to quick whip up a pizza during the week!

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