Chef Tom's Barbecue Chicken Grilled Pizza is a delicious meal you can make with ease, right at home! Enjoy his step-by-step recipe using scratch ingredients cooked in a wood fired oven - an unforgettable experience of real pizza flavor and aroma!!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Scratch "00" dough: A hand-mixed dough of Caputo "00" flour, warm water, yeast, and salt gives a stretchy, crisp-edged crust without special equipment.
- Par-cooked crust: Browning each side of the stretched dough briefly on the grates before adding toppings keeps the sauce and cheese from soaking into raw dough.
- Rubbed chicken and pepper bacon: Yardbird-seasoned thighs roasted until tender and crisp pepper bacon add savory, smoky toppings.
- Two cheeses plus a fresh finish: Mozzarella and sharp cheddar melt together, and a drizzle of barbecue sauce and grated Parmigiano Reggiano goes on after baking.
Barbecue Chicken Grilled Pizza
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
12
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
913
Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for this scratch made Barbecue Chicken Grilled Pizza. Wood fired, start to finish!
Ingredients
- Pizza Dough (recipe below)
- 4 large bone-in chicken thighs
-
Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub
-
1 (29 oz) can Ciao DOP Certified San Marzano Tomatoes
-
2 tbsp Code 3 Spices Grunt Rub
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Flaked Finishing Salt, to taste
- 8 slices pepper bacon
- 1 lb mozzarella, grated
- 8 oz sharp cheddar, grated
- Red onion, sliced thin (optional)
- Fresno chiles, sliced (optional)
-
Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce
- 4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
- 650g warm water (110ºF)
-
10g dry active yeast
-
1 kilo Antimo Caputo “00” Pizza Flour
-
20g Kosher salt
For the pizza dough:
Directions
- To make the pizza dough, pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add the flour, then the salt. With the mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix on medium-low until flour is incorporated (1-2 minutes). Once all ingredients are incorporated and a ball is formed mix 8 minutes.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and divide into 4 equal sized portions. Roll each third into a ball, place in an oiled container. Cover. Refrigerate at least half an hour before use.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 425ºF, set up for indirect grilling.
Season the chicken thighs with the Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub. Place on the second shelf of the grill and roast until the internal temperature reaches 170ºF. Remove from the grill and rest. Remove the second shelf from the grill.
- At the same time, cook the sliced bacon to desired doneness.
- Stretch one ball of pizza dough, by hand or with a rolling pin until very thin and approximately 12”-14” in diameter.
Spray the cooking grates directly over the firebox with Spray Duck Fat. Place the dough directly on the grates. Cook until lightly browned and firm. Flip and toast briefly. The dough should still be soft and pliable.
To make the pizza sauce, combine the Ciao DOP Certified San Marzano Tomatoes and Code 3 Spices Grunt Rub in a bowl and smash by hand. Season with Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Flaked Finishing Salt, to taste.
- Spread a layer of the tomato sauce on the par-cooked pizza dough. Top with shredded chicken, torn pieces of bacon, thin sliced onions, peppers, shredded mozzarella and cheddar.
- Return the pizza to the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the dough is crispy. Remove from the grill.
Drizzle the Grilled Chicken Grilled Pizza with Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce and fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano to finish. Slice to serve.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why sprinkle the yeast over warm water before adding the flour?
Hydrating the yeast in 110°F water first gets it started before the flour goes in. The water shouldn't be hotter than that, since very hot water can kill the yeast.
Why mix the dough for a full 8 minutes?
Extended mixing on medium-low builds gluten, which gives the dough the stretch and chew needed to hold up under toppings and high heat.
Why divide the dough into balls and refrigerate it before shaping?
Resting the balls in the refrigerator for at least half an hour relaxes the gluten, which makes the dough much easier to stretch thin without springing back or tearing.
Why cook the stretched dough on the grates before adding toppings?
A quick pass on both sides sets the crust so it's firm and lightly browned but still pliable. Once topped, it only needs enough time on the grill to melt the cheese and crisp the bottom.
What internal temperature should the chicken thighs reach?
This recipe roasts them to 170°F, above the USDA minimum of 165°F for poultry. Dark meat is more tender at that slightly higher temperature.
Why make the pizza sauce by hand-smashing uncooked tomatoes with rub?
Leaving the San Marzano tomatoes uncooked keeps their bright, fresh flavor, since the pizza itself cooks the sauce in the final stage on the grill.
Why use both mozzarella and sharp cheddar?
Mozzarella gives a stretchy melt, and sharp cheddar adds a stronger, tangier flavor that stands up to the smoky chicken and barbecue sauce.
Why add the barbecue sauce and Parmigiano after cooking?
Drizzling the Firebug sauce at the end keeps its sweet-tangy flavor from burning, and fresh-grated Parmigiano adds a salty, nutty finish.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5. A home oven with a pizza stone at its highest setting can bake the par-cooked crust and finish the pizza, and the chicken roasts in a 425°F oven. You'd lose the wood smoke.
Recipe Highlights
Hand-mixed "00" dough: Makes a stretchy, crisp-edged crust.
Par-cooked base: Keeps toppings from soaking in.
Rubbed chicken and bacon: Add savory, smoky toppings.
Post-bake sauce and Parmigiano: Add a fresh, tangy finish.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 14.66 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 913
- Carbs
- 159 grams
- Protein
- 33 grams
- Fat
- 12 grams
- Sodium
- 1950 milligrams
