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Weeknight-style Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza. Fresh pizza dough topped with rich caramelized onions, homemade ranch, extra saucy BBQ chicken, three kinds of cheese, and a simple herb topping. The key to this pizza? Bake it on a sheet pan at a high temp until the crust becomes just a little crisp and the cheese is melty. As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with more sauce, slice, eat, and ENJOY. Trust me, every last bite of this pizza is delicious and will leave you wanting more. It’s the cheesy, saucy pizza that’s perfect for game day.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

It’s officially football season! Look, to be honest, I get way more excited that it’s apple season. But in September and October, I embrace football, or at least the idea of it. To me, it signals the start of fall. There’s something kind of fall-ish about Sunday nights with football on in the background. And getting to experience Creighton’s love for his hometown team, aka the Cleveland Browns, is the best.

I just googled to double check, the Browns did indeed win their home opener (first time in 18 years!). I saw some messages flying in our family’s group chat, but I’m sure Creigh is very happy this week.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

And with the start of football come game-day recipes!

For me, the fun thing about cooking is creating recipes based on the season, the event, and the vibes/mood that I want everyone to be feeling while enjoying one of my recipes.

BBQ chicken pizza isn’t something I would say I’m overly proud of. However, it sure is a fun recipe that my whole family can enjoy.

And for those reasons, I love it. I love mixing high/low fashion and I love mixing non-fancy recipes with fancy recipes.

No reason the two worlds can’t collide. That’s me with my family, I’m fancy, they’re anything but.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

Here are the details

As with most of my pizzas, I use my pizza dough recipe from the HBH Every Day cookbook. It’s easy to throw together and I think it has a great crust! Store-bought pizza dough works too though (Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s both have great options). I know weeknight dinners can be rough. Sometimes simply grabbing store-bought dough from the fridge is best.

For those of you who prefer a thicker crust pizza, I recommend using closer to three-quarters or even one pound of pizza dough. We like our crust thin, so I only use a half-pound of dough.

On to the onions, which my mom, who proofs these posts, will roll her eyes about. But in my opinion, the onions make this pizza. They’re my touch of fanciness.

I caramelize my onions with apple cider. You can also use water or white wine, but the sweetness in the cider helps the onions break down quicker while also adding additional flavor. Basically, the liquid makes caramelizing onions easier.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

When you have the onions ready, the rest is easy. It’s basically just assembly.

Use leftover chicken from another night and toss it with your favorite BBQ sauce. I make my own BBQ sauce so I can control what goes in it. But I do love Primal Kitchen’s BBQ sauce as a store-bought option. I honestly use it all the time, works great in a pinch!

Toss the chicken with sauce and fresh herbs. For anyone looking for a vegetarian option, roast up a small head of cauliflower and toss the cauliflower with BBQ sauce.

Grab that pizza dough and start layering on the ranch (homemade recipe is in the notes). Then add the onions, chicken, and all the cheeses!

If you’re looking to add some vegetables, corn would be yummy. Finely chopped broccoli would be great too. For fruit, pineapple would give some nice Hawaiian vibes.

Bake the pizza until the cheese is all bubbly and melty.

When the pizza comes out, add some fresh herbs, then slice it up and serve with extra BBQ and ranch on the side for dipping. It’s very much a game-day pizza, so embrace the messiness!

That’s what makes this pizza fun and delicious. It’s the cheesy pizza we can all get excited about.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for more game-day recipes? Here are a few to try:

Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Ranch

Sheet Pan Hot Honey Mustard Chicken and Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Queso Fundido Taquitos

Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 361 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 portion of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500° F.
    2. Place the pizza dough on a lightly oiled quarter sheet pan. Gently press the dough until it covers most of the sheet pan. Cover and let sit while you prep the pizza.
    3. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat combine the olive oil, onions, and a pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add half the apple cider and continue cooking another 5 minutes, until the cider has mostly evaporated. Add the remaining cider and cook another 5 minutes or until the onions are golden and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
    4. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, chives, and cilantro/parsley.
    5. To assemble. Grab the dough and spread on the ranch, you may not need it all. Add a drizzle of BBQ sauce if you'd like, then layer on the onions, chicken, and cheeses. Sprinkle with cilantro. Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pizza, and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Top the pizza with fresh herbs, additional BBQ sauce, and/or ranch. ENJOY! 

Notes

Ranch: Mix 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper in a glass jar or measuring cup.
Recipe for Homemade Barbecue Sauce
 
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Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Tried it today for my pizza challenge with my husband and guess who won☺️ also tried the homemade ranch dressing and it’s so delicious

    1. Hi Chris,
      Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you!🍒🥭

  2. 5 stars
    This was Sooo good! I didn’t have apple cider so I used a little balsamic with the onions. Made extra since they are so yummy to have on hand 😍
    I decided to try my pizza stone and it worked well. Cooked completely in 10 minutes. More browned on top so not quite as picture worthy …
    We are #TeamTieghan in this house! Always impressed at what you pull together! Thank you for all you do 🤗

    1. Hi Cher,
      Happy Friday!! I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it and your comment! Thanks so much for your kind message!😎🍑 xx

  3. This was delish! I always hate how frozen BBQ chicken pizzas barely contain any toppings. Haha. I didn’t have apple cider or juice, so I just did the onions with a splash of chicken broth and some honey! 10/10 will make again 🙂

    1. Hey Emma,
      Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx