• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

House of Nash Eats

a food blog about the simple and delicious recipes we love

  • Home
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosures
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Holidays
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Easter
      • 4th of July
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
    • Main Dish
    • Salad
    • Side Dish
    • Soup
  • Travel
  • Contact Me

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

June 13, 2017 by Amy 9 Comments

Pin103
Share4
Tweet1
Flip
Share
+1
108 Shares
Print Recipe Jump to Recipe

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese.

The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when this Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is prepared on a grill.  This post is both a recipe and a how-to for grilling pizza outside, which is perfect for summer!

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

It’s been too long since I last posted a pizza recipe!  I actually had this Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe ready to go last year when I first started this blog and then never posted it because the pictures I took were so terrible!  But I recently decided to attempt photographing this pizza again and the pictures turned out much better.  

We are big fans of homemade pizza at our house and make it on a regular basis (often on Fridays – it’s such a great way to kick off the weekend!).  It’s cheaper, fresher, and fun to make it yourself instead of picking it up at the local pizza place.  Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza, Four Cheese Pizza with Tomato Basil Arugula Salad, and Chicago Deep Dish Pizza are some of our favorites that I have posted on here before.

But now that summer is here and grilling season is underway, I wanted to share with you my favorite method of cooking pizza on the grill instead of in the oven!

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

This grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is a fantastic summertime meal because it tastes amazing and it doesn’t heat up your kitchen.  And provided you are already outside earlier in the week grilling chicken for a a summery dinner of BBQ chicken with corn on the cob, you might as well make a couple of extra pieces of chicken to save as leftovers for a second meal like this pizza or a BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad.  Hooray for cooking once and eating twice, right?

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

Grilled pizza is one of my favorite things ever because the crust gets all crispy and chewy with just a little bit of char on some of the edges, a lot like pizza that is cooked in a brick oven.  And while it might seem a little intimidating at first, it’s really not as hard as it seems and your family will go crazy over how amazing the grilled pizza turns out.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

Heat & Prep the Grill in Advance

All pizzas do best when cooked at high temperatures.  It’s how they get their crispy edges while also achieving a chewy crust.  You will want to preheat your grill to medium-high heat with the lid closed about 10 minutes before you plan to start grilling.  If your grill has a temperature gauge, 500 degrees is great for pizza.

Also make sure that the grill grates are clean before you put the pizza dough on it.  Brush it well with a grill brush, then use a tong to grab a wad of paper towels dipped in a little oil and rub that over the clean grates.  As long as your grates are cleaned and lightly oiled, the pizza won’t stick at all.

 

Tools You Will Need

Because you are going to be doing the cooking outside where you don’t have all your kitchen drawers and utensils close at hand, it’s helpful to have all your supplies ready to go next to the grill.  I’ve learned from experience that running back into the house to grab a spatula to flip the pizza isn’t the best idea unless 1) your grill is basically right beside your kitchen, 2) you love the taste of extra crispy charred crust, or 3) you don’t mind feeling frantic when you cook.

  • A grill, obviously.  We have a gas grill, but charcoal would totally work too.  You just have to start your coals earlier to get the grill temp up.
  • Large grill spatula.  The smaller kitchen spatulas usually aren’t wide enough or long enough for grilling, in my opinion.
  • Tongs
  • Paper Towels
  • Oil, for lightly greasing the grill grates
  • 2-3 large trays or baking sheets for carrying pizza dough and toppings to the grill and for placing the finished pizzas on.
  • Basting brush for both brushing olive oil on the crust and spreading the sauce on the grilled pizza

Have All Pizza Toppings Prepped Before You Start Grilling

Because grilled pizza cooks quickly, this isn’t the kind of process where you will have time to shred cheese or chop onions while the pizza crust starts cooking.  It’s always a good practice to chop and prep everything that goes into a dish before you start actually cooking it, but especially so with grilled pizza.  You have to move quickly and will be grilling more than one pizza at once, so the prep is key here.

Just grab a large tray or spare baking sheet and load it up with everything you need, including olive oil for brushing on the pizza crust while it’s on the grill.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

A Few Notes About the Dough

I love making homemade pizza dough, but I know not everybody likes working with yeast.  Many grocery stores sell fresh or frozen pizza dough, if you want to use that.  But if you are looking for a good traditional pizza dough recipe, I always make the one included in this Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza recipe (which is another pizza that tastes amazing when cooked on the grill and uses up leftovers).

Shape

Try to throw out any preconceived notions about pizza shape when grilling pizza on the grill.  The stretchy, flimsy dough is going to flop around and you sort of just throw it down on the hot grill and won’t be able to move it without tearing it until the underside has cooked for a few minutes, so if your grilled BBQ chicken pizza ends up with an irregular shape, just embrace it’s charm and go with it.

Size & Thickness

I find that making smaller pizzas is easier than making large ones, when it comes to grilling.  I usually divide my dough into 3 or 4 balls and roll them out about 1/4-inch thick, since I prefer a thinner crust on a grilled pizza.  Much thinner than that though and you might have difficulty transferring the dough onto the grill grates and it will cook a lot faster and create a problem getting the cheese to melt on top of the pizza before the crust is done.  If that happens, just move the pizza to the top rack of the grill farther away from the flame, or take it inside and finish melting the cheese under the broiler of your oven.

If your pizza dough is on the thicker side, closer to 1/2-inch thickness, it might take a bit longer to cook through, so take note of that when checking for doneness on your grilled BBQ chicken pizza.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

If you haven’t already followed House of Nash Eats on Facebook, head on over there now and click Like!  I’m branching out and starting to do Facebook Live, sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks that I use all the time.  Maybe I’ll do a Facebook Live soon where I grill a pizza!

Now who’s ready to fire up that grill?

5 from 4 votes
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!
Print
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese.

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 445 kcal
Author: Amy Nash, House of Nash Eats
Ingredients
  • 1 recipe pizza dough
  • 3/4-1 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1-2 cups Leftover BBQ chicken
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
  • Pineapple (optional)
  • Bacon (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat your grill to medium-high heat with the lid closed for at least 10 minutes so it gets nice and hot. Make sure the grates are clean.
  2. Divide the pizza dough into 4-6 balls and roll each ball out on a floured surface until about 1/4-inch thick. Lightly brush with oil. Get all other topping ingredients prepped and ready on a tray so that they are handy when you start grilling the pizzas.
  3. Lightly grease the hot grill grates by using tongs to dip a small wad of paper towels in oil and brushing them over the grates. Lay each circle of pizza dough on the grill, oiled side down and close the lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom with grill marks, then brush the top with a little additional oil and flip using a large grill spatula.
  4. Immediately brush the top of each pizza with barbecue sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, shredded barbecue chicken, and red onion over each pizza. Close the lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the crust is cooked through and the cheese is melted. Be sure to watch the bottom of the pizza so it doesn't burn - turn down the heat or even off, if necessary. As long as you keep the lid closed, there should be enough heat in the grill to finish melting the cheese.
  5. Sprinkle the cilantro over the pizza, then remove from the grill and slice. If you have difficulty getting the cheese to melt all the way before the crust is cooked through, you can put the pizzas into the oven under the broiler for a minute or two to finish them off before serving.
Recipe Notes

Many grocery stores sell fresh or frozen pizza dough or you could always make the easy homemade pizza dough from this Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
Amount Per Serving
Calories 445 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 61mg 20%
Sodium 1207mg 50%
Potassium 188mg 5%
Total Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 16g
Protein 23g 46%
Vitamin A 10.5%
Vitamin C 1.3%
Calcium 29.9%
Iron 14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza is loaded with flavor from grilled barbecue chicken, red onions, chopped cilantro and melted mozzarella cheese. The crispy, chewy crust is extra delicious when pizza is prepared on a grill and this post is both a recipe and a how-to tutorial for grilling pizza outside. Perfect for summer!

Like what you see here? Be sure to sign up to join my mailing list so you don't miss out on more recipes like this one!

More from my site

  • Chicken Tikka Masala PizzaChicken Tikka Masala Pizza
  • BBQ Chicken Cobb SaladBBQ Chicken Cobb Salad
  • Chicago Deep Dish PizzaChicago Deep Dish Pizza
Pin103
Share4
Tweet1
Flip
Share
+1
108 Shares

Filed Under: American, BBQ, Chicken, Dinner, Pizza, Recipes

« Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake
Raspberry Peach Italian Cream Sodas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marlee Brady says

    June 17, 2017 at 2:37 pm

    This is probably the best looking BBQ chicken pizza I’ve ever seen!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      June 17, 2017 at 6:53 pm

      Thanks, Marlee!! I saw you posted a pizza as well! It’s definitely the thing to do this week, I guess! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says

    June 19, 2017 at 5:00 am

    Ah, one of my favorite pizza combos! Your version looks amazing!!

    Reply
  3. Michelle | The Last Food Blog says

    June 20, 2017 at 1:56 am

    This looks amazing!! I agree with Marlee it’s definitely one of the best looking bbq chicken pizzas I have seen. It’s looks and sounds delicious x

    Reply
  4. Claudia Lamascolo says

    March 25, 2018 at 6:38 am

    wow a loaded delicious pizza I will take a slice 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jessica Robinson says

    March 25, 2018 at 7:13 am


    My mom made homemade pizza nearly every week while we were growing up! She had a small commercial pizza oven with stones in it! I love the idea of a grilled pizza. I made one similar a few years back. Definitely going to try your recipe with my homemade pizza dough! Have you ever tried pizza in cast iron?

    Reply
  6. Monica | Nourish & Fete says

    March 25, 2018 at 7:15 am


    You know, I intended all last summer to learn to grill pizza, and just never got around to it! So sad! But THIS is some major motivation to fix that this summer. In fact, the sun just came out this weekend, so I’m thinking we’ll make an early start of it, because I need this pizza in my life ASAP!

    Reply
  7. Danielle says

    March 25, 2018 at 8:40 am


    That is one delicious looking pizza. BBQ chicken adds so much flavour to a pizza.

    Reply
  8. Teri Stephens says

    March 25, 2018 at 9:41 am


    Terrific post! I bought a pizza grilling stone last year with the intent of grilling a pizza and never did it. This is a very in depth explanation of how to do it right, and I adore the flavor combinations.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I'm Amy. I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking. Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe by email

Looking for Inspiration?

Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork

Tender, Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork is full of garlic and citrus flavors.  It's a simple dump-and-go recipe that marinates in a Cuban mojo sauce in the crock pot.  And the leftovers make the best Cuban sandwiches ever!

What to do in Big Sur, California

Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Archives

Copyright

If you’d like to use a photo of mine, you are welcome to use one photo, as long as you link it back to the original post. Please let me know if you use a photo and definitely feel free to pin on Pinterest!

Please do not republish (verbatim) one of my recipes, unless you contact me in advance for permission. If you use one of my recipes as a source of inspiration for your own, please let me know – I’d love to see it!

You can get in touch with me at amy@houseofnasheats.com.

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Amy Nash is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com,

Footer

I'm Amy: former lawyer, now SAHM in the CA Bay Area. I love food, photography, books, travel, exercise, adoption and pie. Definitely pie. Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
A traditional Irish soda bread recipe has only four ingredients - flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt.  My favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe is a slightly updated version of the classic, with a little sugar, butter, an egg, and currants or raisins added to it for improved texture and flavor.  It's absolutely delicious served warm with fresh Irish butter slathered on each slice. 
You will want to make this crowd-pleasing Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie all Spring and Summer long!  It's a delicious frozen dessert made with a strawberry cream cheese filling inside a salty-sweet pretzel crust.  Then the fluffy pink pie is topped with clouds of freshly whipped cream for a simple but tasty dessert that is perfect for Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day or basically any time the weather gets warm!
Celebrate any special occasion with a decorated Giant Cookie!  Perfect for birthdays, graduations, and holidays, a giant chocolate chip cookie is always sure to put a smile on that special somebody's face!
The best Key Lime Pie recipe is made from scratch with a buttery graham cracker crust, real key lime juice and zest, and a smooth and creamy filling that is the perfect balance of tart and sweet.  

Copyright © 2019 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress