The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza by Ooni

Sometimes something is so simple and delicious, it’s often surprising that it took someone so long to put the recipe together and make it popular. BBQ Chicken Pizza is just that sort of thing, and Chef Ed LaDou created the dish after being approached by some investors to create a unique pizza menu for the soon-to-open California Pizza Kitchen in 1985. Needless to say, it was a huge hit for the chef and the franchise. Now you can make it in your own backyard with these simple ingredients and instructions, courtesy of our friends at Ooni Pizza Ovens. Let’s get rolling!

Every BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe starts with an Ooni Pizza Oven that really takes your backyard entertaining area to the next level.

Equipment List for BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Pizza

For the Pizza Dough

1.5 cups lukewarm water
3.5 grams of active dry yeast (or 2.7 grams instant dry yeast)
5.25 cups of “00” flour
3 tsp sea salt

For the Pickled Red Onions:

2 red onions, julienned
1 jalapeno, sliced in half
3 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic
1 ½ cup white vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP kosher salt

Topping List (this will make four 12″ pizzas):

200 g Cooked Chicken Breast, Shredded
100 g fresh mozzarella
80 g shredded cheddar cheese
30 g cilantro

Prep For the BBQ Chicken Pizza Dough:

Prepare your pizza dough at least 3 hours ahead of time. Ideally you should prep it the night before, but it’s not necessary. Jump over to Ooni’s Recipe section to see their guide to making the perfect Classic Pizza Dough. It should cover everything you need to know.

Prep For the Pickled Red Onions:

Julienne red onions, and place in mason jar. Add jalapeno, bay leaves, garlic cloves, vinegar, water, sugar, and kosher salt into sauce pan, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Pour over red onions, and let sit overnight.

Prepping and Cooking BBQ Chicken Pizza:

Fire up your Ooni pizza oven. Use an infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature. Preheat your Ooni oven to between 750F – 850F degrees (or 400C – 455C).

Stretch your dough, on a lightly floured surface. Push the air from the center out toward the crust, then use your knuckles to stretch out the base to 12 inches.

Begin the topping phase by adding a layer of your favorite barbecue sauce, then top it with the mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Add your chicken and pickled red onions, then move the pizza to your Ooni oven.

Slide the pizza off the peel and into your oven. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the peel every 20 or so seconds to ensure the pizza is evenly cooked. If you didn’t launch the pizza into the oven quite right, here’s a quick video where Ooni chefs show you how they do it.