Homemade Barbecue Chicken Pizza: Give Dinner a Tangy Zip

Although this zesty pie is found on infinite menus across America today, when it dropped over three decades ago, it was considered an outlandish combo of bizarre toppings.

In the ‘80s, celebrated chef Ed LaDou became notorious for his untraditional pizza creations at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant Spago.

Right around the time Marty McFly was being zipped into the past, LaDou connected with Larry Flax, co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen. Before long, his barbecue chicken masterpiece showed its face on CPK’s very first menu.

The rest is history. Very, very delicious history.

If you’ve ever sampled this delectable delight made fresh at its signature spot, you can probably close your eyes and taste it. Tangy barbecue sauce, chicken, melty cheese, crunchy onions, and fragrant cilantro.

I’m not drooling, you’re drooling.

You can find hundreds of replicas. But the novel ingredients work so well together, there’s a reason most restaurants don’t stray too far from the OG. If it ain’t broke, don’t forget the red onions.

Or something like that.

I’ve always been a sucker for this pizza. Actually, I’m a sucker for most pizzas (just had a steak and potato version the other week!), but any dish that has taught me how to balance flavors and textures is something that’s stuck with me.

I’d be lying if I said I remembered my first BCP at CPK. What I can recall is that when I began tinkering around more seriously in the kitchen in my teenage years, I couldn’t wait to whip it up at home.

Growing up, homemade pizza night was a staple in our house. I remember presenting my dad with the idea that we throw our leftover barbecue chicken, which he had lovingly prepared on our charcoal grill the night before, into the mix.

He was no stranger to intertwining surprising ingredients, and had probably also tasted barbecue chicken pizza many times before. He complied. I gave it my Fanny flair by adding a few sweet pops of roasted corn, and he tossed on a fistful of smoked mozzarella followed by a tangle of shallots.

It wasn’t an “aha” moment, but the rich cheeses blended with the tangy chicken and sweet, crunchy veggies was pure pizza bliss.

When I’m craving a classic slice, it’s hard to pass up hearty pepperoni and red sauce, or a basil-strewn margherita. But in those moments when pungent, smoky, sweet, and juicy flavors are on my brain, barbecue chicken pizza is the only answer.

In this recipe, I keep it mostly old-school as an homage to ’85. Since the sauce and dough are store-bought shortcuts, I put extra love into the chicken by braising boneless dark meat in a beer-and-barbecue medley, and then shredding it in its cooking liquid.

Nom.

CPK’s version calls for nutty fontina, but I take a tip from my dad and keep the smoke flavor going strong with buttery gouda. Add the sweetness from slivered red onions and the floral, fresh notes of cilantro, and you’ve got yourself one glorious pie.

I think Doc Brown could get down that with that. Don’t you?

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Preheat Oven and Prep Protein

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Season the chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper, and paprika.

In a large heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until a golden brown crust forms, about 2 minutes per side.

Step 2 – Deglaze the Pan

Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate. Deglaze the pan with the beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. This is known as the fond, and it’s super flavorful and really contributes a lot to a pan sauce.

Step 3 –Bake

Return the chicken to the pan and bake in the oven until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

The internal temperature of the meat should reach 165-170°F, as indicated on a meat thermometer.

Step 4 – Shred and Add Barbecue Sauce

Using two forks, shred the chicken, tossing it with the juices in the pan as you shred.

Add 4 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce to the shredded chicken, and toss to coat is completely in the sauce.

Now is the time to season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Already have some leftover chicken the fridge? Maybe some leftover Crock-Pot Chicken? Easily use that instead! Just shred and mix with barbecue sauce.

Step 5 – Return to the Oven

Return the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes, to heat the barbecue sauce through and incorporate all of the flavors.

Step 6 – Turn up the Oven and Prepare the Pizza Dough

Turn the oven up to 500°F.

Dust 4 separate pieces of parchment paper with flour, and then place the dough balls on each one. Use your hands to stretch the dough into 4 rough circles, sprinkling with flour if the dough is sticky, to about 8 inches in diameter.

The thinner you make the dough, the more surface area you’ll have to cover your creations with toppings.

Slide each piece of parchment paper onto a baking tray, and assemble the pizzas on there.

If you want something even easier (lazier?) than using raw dough, consider using pre-made naan flatbread instead. It’s what I like to use for my Grilled Caprese Naan recipe.

Step 7 – Assemble and Bake

Spread each dough round with even amounts of the remaining barbecue sauce.

Top with the Jack, Gouda, shredded chicken, and red onion.

Sprinkle with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and the olive oil.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the red onions are lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes. Garnish the pizzas with a pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and the cilantro.