This BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza Recipe has a homemade pizza crust, tangy and creamy BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, and cheese! Great family dinner!
THIS is the recipe that will blow your socks off! I’m talking, one bite, socks off and blown clear across the room! This is my BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza Recipe! It has a homemade soft and pillowy pizza dough that gets perfectly crisp on the bottom. It’s topped with a tangy and creamy sauce BBQ sauce and then hearty shredded BBQ chicken. Then cheddar cheese melts over top for a nutty and chewy texture. The final blow-your-socks-off topping? Wait for it… COLESLAW ON TOP (yup, scroll down)!
I have to admit that I’m not a huge BBQ fan. I like it, but I don’t crave it. That is…until I had it on THIS BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe! There’s just something about putting it on a homemade pizza crust and then topping it with cheese that makes it irresistible!
Use Leftover Chicken! Make Once, Eat Twice
This is a great recipe to use leftover BBQ chicken for! Make a big pot of BBQ Chicken for sandwiches and then save some to go on this pizza! For more leftover protein ideas, check out this FREE Printable Download: 30 Leftover Protein Dinner Ideas!
Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.
Simple Equipment and Tools
Nothing special for this one! Just pizza pan or a large sheet pan (I use a 17×11) and a small-medium pot for the chicken.
Oh, I also like to cut my raw chicken with kitchen shears, but you can also just cut with a knife.
Prep-ahead Steps for BBQ Chicken Pizza
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance. (See the full recipe below)
For this recipe, you can
- Cook and shred the BBQ chicken up to 4 days in advance.
- Make the coleslaw 2-3 days in advance
- Make the dough 30 min before baking or in the morning and let rise during the day.
- Then roll the dough out, top, and bake it that night!
Prep your Pizza Dough first – it needs 30 min to rise
Mix the active dry yeast and sugar in a large bowl and add the warm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Mix in the rest of the pizza ingredients to make dough.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Then transfer to a large bowl coated with olive oil to rise.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and then cut it in half.
TIP: If you split the dough in half, you will get 2 large pizzas with a relatively thick crust. Not deep dish, but not super thin. If you prefer really thin, split the dough into thirds.
If you are not yet ready to move on to rolling the dough and assembling your pizza, you can store it in the fridge covered.
Prep BBQ Chicken
Bring a pot of water (about 3 cups) to a boil with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. While water is warming, cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces so equal in size. They will be shredded, so don’t worry, this just helps it to cook faster. Add the chicken gently to the boiling water and then cook for 10 minutes or until cooked through (internal temp is 165F).
Remove the chicken to a plate to cool enough to handle and shred. Save ½ cup of the cooking broth. When cool enough, shred the chicken with your fingers.
Add the shredded chicken back to the pot with ½ cup of the reserved cooking broth and ½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce. I love KC Masterpiece Original for this recipe because of the deep flavor from the molasses and spices. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix the coleslaw mix with the mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Store in the fridge until ready to serve, it gets better if it sits for an hour or overnight!
Cook the BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.
When you are ready to make the pizza, roll out the dough to the size and shape of your pan. You can stretch the dough out slowly in the air by turning it around with your fist and fingers. Or you can roll it out on a floured surface. Place the dough into your pan and then press it out to fill the pan.
For a crispier crust, par-bake it for 10 minutes.
Mix together the BBQ sauce and the sour cream. I love the addition of the sour cream as it makes the sauce thick and creamy, but also mellows it out a bit so you can add lots without it overwhelming the pizza.
Spoon the sauce onto the crust and spread it around. Add the Chicken on top of the sauce. Then sprinkle a layer of cheese. Finally, sprinkle cilantro leaves (optional).
Bake the pizza in the oven for 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted.
Slice the pizza, top each slice with a spoonful of coleslaw, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and enjoy! 😍 Carrie
BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza Recipe FAQs
Can I use pre-made pizza dough?
Of course! Life is busy and if you don’t have time to make dough, I totally get it! Your local grocery store will carry a couple varieties, including the kind that comes in a roll and perhaps a more fresh dough brand. You can also check the frozen section. I would steer clear of the pre-cooked pizza crusts, as I just don’t think it will taste as fresh or tasty. The last tip is to check with your favorite pizza place to see if they sell their dough!
Can I use precooked chicken?
Yep! You can buy a rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken from the deli. Rather than boil it, just shred the cooked chicken and then follow the recipe from there. You can use ½ cup of water or broth instead of the cooking liquid.
Do I have to add coleslaw?
Nope, but it TASTES AMAZING!!!! It gives this pizza a creamy, bright, cool, and crunchy component that is needed with the deep savory and tangy BBQ sauce. Just my opinion:)
What to serve with this BBQ Pizza?
You can make this a full-on finger food dinner with my Crispy Parmesan Green Fries or Parmesan Zucchini Chips on the side! Or how about Roasted Carrots with Avocado Crema?
BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza Recipe
This BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza Recipe will blow your socks off! It has a homemade soft and pillowy pizza dough that gets perfectly crisp on the bottom. It's topped with a tangy and creamy sauce BBQ sauce and then hearty shredded BBQ chicken. Then cheddar cheese melts over top for a nutty and chewy texture. The final topping? Wait for it… COLESLAW on top! #BBQchickenpizza #chickenpizza #homemadepizza #familydinnerideas #bbqchicken
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 2 ½ cups Warm Water
- 6 cups Flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil (plus a little to coat the bowl)
BBQ Chicken
- 1 lb Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
- 2 teaspoon Salt (for water to cook chicken)
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper (for water to cook chicken)
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
Sauce and Toppings
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Fresh Cilantro leaves
Coleslaw (optional)
- 10 oz Coleslaw Mix (1 package)
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Prep Ahead – Make the Pizza Dough
-
Mix the active dry yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm water and stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Add 2 tablespoon Olive Oil, the flour, and salt and mix to combine and form a ball. (see blog post for images)
-
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Then transfer to a large bowl coated with olive oil. Let sit for 30 minutes until doubled in size. (see blog post for images)
-
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air bubbles. For a thicker crust, cut the dough in half. For a thin crust, split the dough into thirds for 3 large pizzas.
Prep Ahead – Cook Chicken
-
Bring a pot of water (about 3 cups) to a boil with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. While water is warming, cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces so equal in size. They will be shredded, so don't worry, this just helps it to cook faster. Add the chicken gently to the boiling water and then cook for 10 minutes or until cooked through (internal temp is 165F).
-
Remove the chicken to a plate to cool enough to handle and shred. Save ½ cup of the cooking broth. When cool enough, shred the chicken with your fingers.
-
Add the shredded chicken back to the pot with ½ cup of the reserved cooking broth and ½ cup of the BBQ sauce. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Prep Ahead – Sauce and Coleslaw
-
Make the sauce for the pizza by mixing 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce with ½ cup of sour cream. Store in the fridge for adding to the pizza crust.
-
Mix the coleslaw mix with the mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Store in the fridge until ready to serve, it gets better if it sits for an hour or overnight!
Assemble and Cook Your Pizza
-
Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.
-
When you are ready to make the pizza, roll out the dough to the size and shape of your pan. You can stretch the dough out slowly in the air by turning it around with your fist and fingers. Or you can roll it out on a floured surface.
-
For a crispier crust, par-bake it for 10 minutes.
-
Spoon the sauce onto the crust and spread it around. Add the Chicken on top of the sauce. Then sprinkle a layer of cheese. Finally, sprinkle cilantro leaves (optional).
-
Bake the pizza in the oven for 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted.
Recipe Notes
Note, if you split the dough in half, you will get 2 large pizzas with a relatively thick crust. Not deep dish, but not super thin. If you prefer really thin, split the dough into thirds.
Linger says
Now you have my mouth watering for BBQ chicken pizza. This recipe looks fantastic. And there’s nothing like homemade pizza dough. Yum!! Thanks for sharing Carrie!
Chef Mimi says
Okay, wonderful! But make it again and use smoked mozzarella!!! I had this pizza at a pizza restaurant years ago – we were all sharing. Like you, I wouldn’t have ordered a chicken bbq pizza, but I’m so glad I had it. I’ve been ordering smoked mozzarella ever since!!! Love your pizza recipe!