Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

I have been on a real pizza kick lately.  Today I wanted to use some chicken breasts that I had in the refrigerator, but I didn’t want to just grill them.  I also didn’t want to use the oven as it is still hovering around 95 degrees in DC.  So I decided to make a grilled bbq chicken pizza.  Grilling pizza is simple and it makes the crust taste awesome.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

Instead of just mozzarella I also used a smoked fontina cheese to add to the bbq flavor.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

  • 1 pizza dough – (Basic Pizza Dough Recipe)
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup favorite bbq sauce
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup smoked fontina cheese

The first step is to make the pizza dough and let it rise till it doubles.  Here is a simple and easy pizza dough. If you are running short on time, almost all grocery stores have pre-made pizza dough in the deli section and/or freezer section, or you can always stop by a local pizzaria and purchase the pre-made dough.

To get started salt and pepper your chicken breasts and place them on a medium/high grill.  Cook for roughly 4 minutes and flip.

Look at those grill lines
Look at those grill lines

After flipping the chicken coat the cooked side with barbecue sauce.

Slather with sauce
Slather with sauce

After another 3-4 minutes flip the chicken and coat the other side with sauce.  Baste and flip two more times to firmly secure the sauce to the chicken.

Coating, flipping and grilling will secure the sauce to the chicken
Coating, flipping and grilling will secure the sauce to the chicken

Remove from the grill, let cool slightly and then cube the chicken.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

All cubed up
All cubed up

Grate the smoke fontina with the largest grater that you have.  Place the cheese in a bowl and set aside.

Grate the smoked fontina, you could also used smoked gouda or smoked mozzarella.
Grate the smoked fontina, you could also used smoked gouda or smoked mozzarella.

Slice the onion into thin strips, and set aside.

Thinly slice the onions so that they can cook quickly
Thinly slice the onions so that they can cook quickly

Now that you have all of the ingredients for the pizza ready, place on a tray or sheet pan so that you can take it out to the grill easily.  Assembly of the pizza needs to be done near the grill.

Set up your mis
Set up your mis

Next form the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round circle.  Form the dough on a piece of parchment or on a pizza peel.  The parchment will allow you to easily flip the dough onto the grill.

Form the pizza - I broke my peel so I am using the parchment/pizza pan method.
Form the pizza – I broke my peel so I am using the parchment/pizza pan method.

Heat the grill to medium/low and make sure that the grates are clean.  We don’t want the crust to stick.  Using the parchment flip the dough onto the grates.  Then remove the parchment from the dough.  If using a pizza peel, gently slide the dough onto the grates.

Flip the dough right out onto the grill
Flip the dough right out onto the grill

Grill for 2-4 minutes until the bottom of the crust is golden and has nice grill marks.

Flip when the bottom is dry and golden
Flip when the bottom is dry and golden

Flip the pizza using tongs and a pizza pan, or by using the pizza peel.  Grill the other side for 30-60 seconds.  You just want the dough to start to harden.  When the dough is not sticky anymore, remove it from the grill and place on a pizza pan.   Cover the cooked side with your favorite bbq sauce.  I didn’t have time to make my own so I opted for Cattlemans.  It is a great bbq sauce.

It doesn't take that much sauce to coat the crust, roughly a 1/4 cup.
It doesn’t take that much sauce to coat the crust, roughly a 1/4 cup.

Next cover the pizza with both types of cheese.  Leave a little bit to cover the chicken and onions slightly.

Cover with both types of cheese
Cover with both types of cheese

Next layer on the onions.

I love onions, so I layered them up heavy
I love onions, so I layered them up heavy

Finally spread the chicken out over the pizza.  Next cover the chicken with a few drizzles of the barbecue sauce.

Add the chicken and drizzle a little more sauce on top
Add the chicken and drizzle a little more sauce on top

Finally cover with the remaining cheese and then slide the pizza back onto the grill.

Slide the pizza back onto the grill.  Make sure your heat is set to low.
Slide the pizza back onto the grill. Make sure your heat is set to low.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Make sure to check the crust to make sure that it doesn’t burn.  When the cheese is melted and the crust is starting to turn brown, the pizza is done.  Remove using tongs and a pizza pan, or using a pizza peel.

Look at the melted goodness that is bbq chicken pizza
Look at the melted goodness that is bbq chicken pizza

Allow the pizza to cool for a couple of minutes and then cut it into wedges.

The crust comes out crunchy and delicious
The crust comes out crunchy and delicious

The tangy barbecue sauce with the grilled chicken and smoked fontina cheese is delightful.  Probably the best bbq chicken pizza that I have ever had.

Grilling pizza is quick and simple.  Try it next time you grill out.

Rex

Rex is an avid griller, barbecuer and bacon enthusiast. He is the Pitmaster for the Rex BBQ competition team. Rex was also featured on the TV show American Grilled. If you have any questions or wish to have Rex decode your favorite dish, click on the ASK REX link in the menu above.

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7 thoughts on “Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

  1. Man that looks like a great pizza! But three times as I read the post, "smoked fontina" kept going through my head. I smoked several pounds of cheese around Christmas and one of my two favorites was the fontina.

    The downside to smoking your own is that you can't really go back to buying store bought, it's a totally different taste.

    Do you have a pizza peel? If so, wood or metal and how do you like it?

    1. Chris, I busted my wooden pizza peel a couple months back. I didn't have a tortilla press and used the peel instead. Unfortunately, it was not rated for the pressure that I exerted on it. I need to go and get another one. I like wooden peels as they don't conduct the heat as much. Then you can use it as a cutting board and serving vessel. I have never smoked cheese. Do you have any tips on smoking cheese?

  2. I've used flatbread for the crust, too. Just keep the grill temp very low. Really yummy with some mushrooms and crumbled bacon, too! I can't believe you didn't add the bacon!:)

    1. I know I should have added some bacon. Hopefully I didn't shame the family too much with my error. Great tip on using flat bread. That would be a quick and easy alternative to a standard pizza crust.

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