Firebug Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza RecipeYes

Firebug BBQ Chicken Pizza with Bacon

Name: Firebug Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza with Crispy Bacon Bits
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ball of pizza dough (store-bought or click for our easy to make pizza dough recipe); 1/2 cup Firebug Mild BBQ Sauce; 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded; 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled; 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional); All-purpose flour (for dusting); Olive oil

Aug 17, 2024 • Tom Jackson

Firebug Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is a simple yet crowd-pleasing recipe that brings bold barbecue flavor to your backyard pizza night. Whether you’re using a pellet smoker, gas grill, or pizza oven, this recipe delivers on smoky, cheesy satisfaction every time.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Grilled for real char and smoke: Cooking the pizza directly on a hot grill or pizza stone adds a layer of smoky char that a standard kitchen oven simply can't replicate — this is what separates a grilled BBQ chicken pizza from an oven-baked one.
Firebug Sauce brings genuine sweet-heat balance: This award-winning sauce is built specifically for grilling, and its sweet-and-spicy profile is what makes classic BBQ chicken pizza work — it's a meaningfully different base than a standard tomato pizza sauce.
Ready in under an hour, mostly hands-off: Once the dough is prepped and the chicken is cooked, assembly takes minutes and the pizza itself cooks in 7–10 minutes — this is a genuinely fast weeknight option once you have the components ready.
Fully customizable toppings and sauce: Swap in Firebug Hot BBQ Sauce for more heat, or build your own blend — the base technique here works with whatever BBQ sauce and toppings you already have on hand.

Firebug Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza with Crispy Bacon Bits

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

8

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

5 minutes

Calories

295

Make this bold and smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza with bacon using Firebug Mild BBQ Sauce, grilled chicken, and crispy bacon bits. Perfect for pellet grills or pizza ovens.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 ball of pizza dough (store-bought or click for our easy to make pizza dough recipe)
1/2 cup Firebug Mild BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
All-purpose flour (for dusting)
Olive oil

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Directions

Preheat your Grill:

Heat your grill to 500°F, ideally using a pizza stone or steel.
Allow it to preheat for at least 30 minutes to ensure an evenly hot surface.

Prepare the Dough:

Dust your work surface with flour and stretch the pizza dough into a 12” circle.
Brush the dough lightly with olive oil on both sides.

Assemble the Pizza:

Spread Firebug Mild BBQ Sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
Layer with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
Top with chopped grilled chicken, crumbled bacon bits, and red onion slices.

Grill the Pizza:

Carefully transfer the pizza to the hot grill or pizza stone.
Cook with the lid closed for 7–10 minutes, or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Finish and Serve:

Remove the pizza from the grill and sprinkle with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Slice and serve immediately.

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Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

What's the best way to cook the chicken for this recipe?
Grilled or smoked chicken breast is the best match for this recipe's flavor profile — it adds another layer of char and smoke that complements the Firebug sauce. Season simply with salt and pepper or a light all-purpose rub, grill to 165°F internal, then chop or shred. Rotisserie or leftover baked chicken both work in a pinch if you're short on time.

Why is cilantro listed as a garnish for a BBQ chicken pizza?
Cilantro adds a fresh, herbal brightness that cuts through the richness of the cheese and BBQ sauce — it's an unconventional choice for this flavor profile but works well if you enjoy cilantro's flavor. If you're not a fan, thinly sliced scallions or fresh parsley are more traditional alternatives that still add a fresh finishing touch.

Can I use a different BBQ sauce?
Yes — Firebug Hot BBQ Sauce is a direct swap if you want more heat, and any sweet, tangy BBQ sauce you already have on hand will work in this recipe. The technique — spread evenly, leave a 1-inch border, layer toppings — stays the same regardless of which sauce you choose.

How do I get the crust crispy without burning the toppings?
Preheating your pizza stone or steel for a full 30 minutes at 500°F before the pizza goes on is essential — a properly preheated surface cooks the bottom crust quickly while the top finishes with the lid closed. If the cheese is browning faster than the crust is crisping, your stone likely needs more preheat time next round.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A 500°F oven with a pizza stone or steel, preheated for at least 30 minutes, produces very similar results to the grill version. You'll lose the live-fire char and smoke character that a true grilled pizza picks up, but the crust texture and overall flavor translate well indoors.

Recipe Highlights

Use a pizza peel for clean transfers: Moving a topped pizza onto a hot grill or stone is the trickiest part of this recipe. A pizza peel dusted with flour or cornmeal makes the transfer dramatically easier and reduces the risk of toppings sliding off mid-transfer.
Brush the dough with oil before adding sauce: Lightly oiling both sides of the stretched dough before saucing helps it crisp evenly on the hot stone and prevents the bottom from sticking. Skipping this step risks a soggier crust where the sauce meets the dough.
Leave the 1-inch border — don't sauce edge to edge: The recipe specifically calls for a 1-inch unsauced border around the dough. This gives the crust room to puff and crisp without sauce burning at the very edge, and it creates a proper hand-hold for eating slices.
A Yoder Smokers pellet grill with a Wood Fired Oven accessory maintains the most even heat: If you're cooking pizza regularly, a dedicated wood-fired oven attachment delivers more consistent crust texture than a standard grill setup, since it's purpose-built to hold steady high heat across the entire cooking surface.