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Pizza dough topped with ranch, extra saucy buffalo chicken, four kinds of cheese, and garlicky herbs. The key to this pizza is to bake it in a cast iron skillet at a high temp until the crust and cheese around the edges get crispy. As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with additional buffalo sauce and fresh scallions. Then slice, eat, and ENJOY! It’s a delicious pizza that you can easily make at home. This cheesy, saucy pizza is perfect for the fall and winter nights to come.
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Every September/October, I share at least a few new buffalo chicken recipes. Last week, I made saucy buffalo chicken meatballs, and this week, I’m making the best buffalo chicken pizza.
This pizza is special. Unlike most pizza recipes that call for a baking sheet, this recipe calls for a cast iron skillet. Typically, I make pizza in our pizza oven. As you would expect, it results in some of the best homemade pizza. Of course, not many people have access to a pizza oven unless you have a countertop pizza oven (which I also love!) or a backyard pizza oven.
With our home and studio renovations underway, I’m now in the “no pizza oven access” category. I’ve been bummed about it for weeks. But then, I fell backward and turned to a pizza-making method I used in my earlier cooking days, before I was lucky enough to install a pizza oven!
Years ago, I used to make my pizzas in a cast iron skillet because they hold heat so well, similar to a pizza stone.
Using a cast iron skillet and baking the pizza in a crazy hot oven will create a crispy crust with a soft, chewy center. This is more of a thick crust, but it’s so yummy!
Sidenote, I just noticed that Crate and Barrel is having a sale on their Staub cast iron skillets, 20% off with the code KITCHEN (this is not a sponsored post).
These are the details
Step 1: prepare the dough
I like to use my homemade pizza dough recipe from the cookbook. There is a great dough recipe in both Super Simple and Every Day *I also see that all three books are almost 50% off today. I have no control over when they go on sale. I just happened to notice when collecting links. Must be a sale day!
Homemade dough is the easiest to make and truly delicious. If you can think a few hours ahead of time, I’d recommend making your own dough. If not, store-bought pizza dough works great too. I always enjoy the Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s dough options.
Before you begin topping the dough. First, preheat your oven to between 450° and 500°. I prefer 500° if your oven can get that hot.
Then press the dough out in a cast iron skillet until it almost reaches the edges. Cover the skillet and allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes. The dough should expand to the edge of the skillet.
Step 2: assemble the pizza
Layer the pizza dough with cheese, then ranch dressing and buffalo sauce. Next, add cubed or shredded chicken, some crumbles of blue cheese, and more buffalo sauce.
Mix together your favorite herbs. I love cilantro with buffalo sauce, along with grated garlic and chili flakes. Then, sprinkle the garlicky herbs over the chicken.
Lastly, add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Step 3: bake the pizza
Bake the pizza in the upper position of the oven. Because this is a thicker-crust pizza, you’ll need to bake it for a slightly longer time to get a crispy crust with a soft, chewy center.
When you pull the pizza out of the oven, it will be bubbling and look and smell delicious.
Step 4: serving
Let the pizza sit in the skillet a few minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust. The crust should now easily slide out of the skillet.
Top with sliced scallions and additional buffalo sauce (always more sauce), slice, and eat. This one is meant to be eaten hot and you really just need buffalo sauce and ranch to enjoy along with each slice.
It’s not fancy at all, but that’s what makes this pizza good. It’s just that cheesy pizza we’re all really craving most!
Looking for more game day recipes? Here are a few to try:
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Fried Buffalo Goat Cheese Balls
Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Lastly, if you make this Skillet Crispy Cheese 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!
Skillet Crispy Cheese Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce , (homemade sauce in notes)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, basil, or parsley, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- chili flakes
- 1/3 cup ranch dressing , (homemade sauce in notes)
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese , (optional)
- 1 cup shredded whole milk provolone
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
Instructions
- 1. Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 portion of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500° F. for at least 30 minutes before baking, preferably 1-2 hours ahead. 2. Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled 10-12 inch cast iron skillet. Gently press the dough until it covers most of the skillet. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. 3. In a bowl, combine the fresh herbs, grated garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes.4. To assemble. Grab the dough and top with provolone and blue cheese. Drizzle with the ranch and then some of the buffalo sauce. Layer on the chicken and more buffalo sauce. Sprinkle the garlicky herbs over the chicken, then add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese. 5. Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes; rotate the pan, and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted and is crispy. Top the pizza with scallions additional buffalo sauce and/or ranch. ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi Teagan, do you have a chicken recipe that you would recommend for the shredded chicken? I always like to make everything from scratch in lieu of picking up like a rotisserie chicken thanks so much. Looking forward to making this.
Hi Brandi,
I just season with salt, pepper, and olive oil…nothing fancy:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
My dough was raw in the middle. What did I do wrong?
Hi Hanna,
So sorry to hear this. What kind of dough did you use? Did you do all of the pre-heating directions, etc? Let me know:) xx
This was amazing!!! So easy and turned out great. 10/10
Hey Tieg,
Yay!! Love to hear this pizza turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! Have a great day! xx
I can’t find the words to describe how absolutely delicious this is!! It ended up with a soggy bottom (will have to try and solve that in the future.) This will definitely be a repeat in our house.
Thanks so much, Olivia!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Have a great Tuesday! xx
We are a big pizza making household and normally do more of a flat crust on our pizza stone but this is our new favorite. I’ve made it at least once a week since seeing the recipe.
Hey Sarah,
Happy November!! Thank you so much for making this pizza so often and sharing your feedback! Glad to hear it is always enjoyed! 🍂
What an incredible recipe! The combination of crispy cheese and buffalo chicken on this pizza is absolutely mouthwatering. The flavors are perfectly balanced, and the step-by-step instructions make it easy to recreate at home. Definitely adding this to my must-try list—thank you for sharing such a delicious creation!
Hey there,
Fantastic! So glad to hear this turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! Happy Friday:) xT
This was so easy and fun to make and turned out soooo yummy. I’d never made a pizza in a cast iron before but now I want to make it every day! I definitely cheated a bit with this and used pre-made chicken and pizza dough from Trader Joe’s, and store bought buffalo sauce and ranch, but that just made it a super easy weeknight recipe! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Natasha,
Awesome! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Xx
This one was a bit of a miss, even my boys barely ate their share
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know! xT
Question: For Step 2
“2. Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled 10-12 inch cast iron skillet. Gently press the dough until it covers most of the skillet. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.”
Do you put the dough & skillet in the oven covered for 30, or not in the oven.
Thanks!
Hi Steph,
Not in the oven:) You can just leave it on the counter. I hope you love this recipe! xT
Favorite pizza dough recipe???
Hey Emily,
My favorite is in the HBH Super Simple cookbook, but I also have one located here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/essentials/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
You continue to be one of my FAVES but PLEASE stop telling everyone to eat buffalo chicken with ranch! A blue cheese (homemade is best) dressing is the only way to go!
Polly I have to agree with Teighan here – I’m team ranch all the way 😉
Why can’t you add the recipe for pizza dough even if it’s in one of your cook books? Just seems odd to have many pizza recipes on line but not the link to the dough.
Hey Kathy,
I have another pizza dough recipe located here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/essentials/
I think the recipes in my cookbooks are so special because you can only find them there, they are my absolute favorite, and recipes that I worked extremely hard on:) I hope you can understand this. Have a great Friday! x
Thank you for the link.
All your recipes are special including the online ones:)
The first time I ever had buffalo chicken pizza, it had chopped celery on the top. To me, this made it authentic to the original buffalo wigs, which were served with celery sticks. I live it!
Thanks for the suggestion, Joan! You could totally add chopped celery here! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Hi Tieghan
Another great recipe Thank you
Question- would it be possible to state if the recipe is in one of your books I have most of them and would love to be able to bookmark as I try them
Best, Donna
Thanks so much, Donna!! All of the recipes that are in the cookbooks are exclusive to the books:) Have a great Thursday! xT
Your cookbooks are also buy one get one 50% off on Amazon!! Just picked up a couple!
Ohhh that’s awesome! Thanks so much for letting me know, Christy:) Thanks for ordering them as well! xT