Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza with Gouda and Red Onion

Name: Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza with Gouda and Red Onion
Prep time: 2 h 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: One 12-inch pizza
Ingredients: 1 lb pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, thawed if frozen; 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, divided; 1 Tablespoon (8 g) cornmeal; 1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons (130 g) barbecue sauce of your choice; 1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken (about one 8-ounce breast); 2/3 cup (70 g) shredded mozzarella cheese; 2/3 cup (70 g) shredded smoked gouda cheese; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, for topping (or basil)

Barbecue sauce in place of tomato, topped with saucy shredded chicken, mozzarella, smoked gouda, red onion and cilantro.

By Fresh & Fusion Kitchen · October 17, 2026

Total2 h 25 minDifficultyEasyServingsOne 12-inch pizza

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Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza with Gouda and Red Onion

Tangy barbecue sauce replaces tomato sauce on this pizza-night favorite. It is topped with saucy shredded chicken, melty mozzarella, smoked gouda and thin slices of red onion, then finished with fresh cilantro. A very hot oven gives you a golden, chewy crust in about 15 minutes.

Recipe card

Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza with Gouda and Red Onion

Barbecue sauce in place of tomato, topped with saucy shredded chicken, mozzarella, smoked gouda, red onion and cilantro.

Prep: 2 h 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 2 h 25 min
Makes: One 12-inch pizza
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

1 lb pizza dough, homemade or store-bought, thawed if frozen
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, divided
1 Tablespoon (8 g) cornmeal
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons (130 g) barbecue sauce of your choice
1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken (about one 8-ounce breast)
2/3 cup (70 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup (70 g) shredded smoked gouda cheese
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, for topping (or basil)

Instructions

1
Prepare the pizza dough up to the end of its first rise. If using frozen store-bought dough, thaw it first.
2
Heat the oven to 475°F (246°C) and let it preheat for at least 15–20 minutes (heat the pizza stone with it, if using). Grease a large baking sheet or pizza pan with 1/2 Tablespoon of the olive oil and dust it lightly with cornmeal.
3
Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, flatten it into a disc, then stretch it into a 12-inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. If it keeps springing back, cover it and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before trying again. Pinch the edges up to form a rim. (For a pizza stone, shape the dough on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel.) Cover and let it rest while you prepare the toppings.
4
Press dimples into the dough with your fingertips to keep it from bubbling up, then brush it with the remaining olive oil. Spread 1/3 cup (about 95 g) of the barbecue sauce evenly over the dough. Toss the chicken in the remaining sauce and scatter it over the top. Finish with both cheeses and the red onion.
5
Bake for 14–15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using.
6
Slice and serve right away. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 5 days.

Tips & tricks

Pan: large baking sheet or pizza pan, or a pizza stone.
Freezing: Wrap the cooled baked pizza or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Reheating: Microwave slices, or cover and bake on a lined sheet at 350°F. Slices take about 10 minutes and a whole pizza 15–20 minutes.
Equipment: pizza pan, pastry brush, pizza cutter.
Whole wheat pizza dough also works.
Swap the smoked gouda for more mozzarella if you like. The onion and cilantro are optional.

Fresh & Fusion · https://freshandfusion.com/recipes/smoky-bbq-chicken-pizza-with-gouda-and-red-onion

Fresh & Fusion Kitchen

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