Copycat Blaze BBQ Chicken Pizza with Cilantro

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast-fired feel at home: thin-stretched dough, blistered edges, melty cheese.
• Balanced flavors: smoky-sweet BBQ, tangy banana peppers, fresh cilantro pop.
• Weeknight-friendly: quick dough option and skillet-cooked chicken.
• Customizable: dial the heat, swap cheeses, or use rotisserie chicken.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 small red onion, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 lime (optional)
• Dairy: 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella (part-skim)
• Pantry: BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil, flour (bread or 00), semolina/cornmeal (optional), instant yeast, sugar, salt, banana pepper rings
• Protein: 1 small chicken breast (about 8 oz) or 8 oz rotisserie chicken

Full Ingredients

Fast-Bake Thin Crust Dough (about 1 hour; yields 2 pizzas)

• 2 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled (250 g), plus extra for dusting
• 3/4 cup warm water, 95–105°F (180 g)
• 1 tsp instant yeast (3 g)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (6 g)
• 1 tsp sugar or honey (4 g)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (15 ml)
• 1–2 tbsp semolina or fine cornmeal for the peel (optional)

Tangy BBQ Sauce (for 2 pizzas)

• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (about 150 g), smoky-sweet style
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
• 1 tsp honey (7 g)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1–2 tsp hot sauce (optional, to taste)

Chicken and Toppings

• 8 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 cups loosely packed)
• 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup banana pepper rings, drained (about 55 g)
• 2 tbsp BBQ sauce for finishing drizzle (optional)
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil (for cooking chicken, if needed)
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to season chicken

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat for a fast bake

Place a pizza stone or steel on the top-middle rack (about 6–8 inches from the broiler). Preheat the oven to 550°F or as hot as it goes for 45–60 minutes so the baking surface is thoroughly heated. Prepare a pizza peel dusted with semolina or line the back of a sheet pan with parchment for easy launching.

Step 2: Make the 1-hour dough (or temper store-bought)

In a bowl, whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 2 minutes to dissolve. Add flour and salt; mix until a shaggy dough forms. Add olive oil and knead 3–4 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest 10 minutes. Divide into two equal pieces and form tight balls. Place on a lightly oiled tray, cover, and proof 30–40 minutes at warm room temperature until slightly puffy. If using store-bought dough (1 lb), divide in half and let rest at room temperature 45–60 minutes so it stretches easily.

Step 3: Cook or prep the chicken

If not using rotisserie chicken, season a small chicken breast (about 8 oz) with 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook 4–5 minutes per side until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes, then dice or shred. Toss with 1–2 tbsp BBQ sauce to keep it juicy.

Step 4: Stir the tangy BBQ sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, and smoked paprika (plus hot sauce if you like). The vinegar brightens the sauce so it stays lively after the high-heat bake.

Step 5: Stretch the dough thin

On a lightly floured surface, press each dough ball from the center outward, leaving a 1/2-inch rim. Lift onto your knuckles and gently rotate to 10–11 inches. Avoid using a rolling pin (it presses out the air you need for a bubbly edge). Transfer to a floured peel or a parchment-lined inverted sheet pan.

Step 6: Top like the pros

For each pizza, brush about 1/4 cup tangy BBQ sauce over the base. Sprinkle evenly with 4 oz shredded mozzarella. Distribute about 4 oz chicken, a small handful of onion slivers, and 2–3 tbsp banana pepper rings. Do not overload; thin pizzas bake best with restraint.

Step 7: Fast-bake and finish

Launch the pizza onto the preheated stone/steel. Bake 6–8 minutes until the crust is browned underneath and the cheese is bubbling. For Blaze-style char, switch to broil for 45–90 seconds, watching closely. Remove to a cooling rack for 1 minute to keep the bottom crisp. Drizzle with a little extra BBQ sauce if desired and shower with cilantro (about 2 tbsp per pizza). Slice and serve.

Pro Tips

• Preheat thoroughly: a hot stone/steel is the key to leopard spotting and a crisp base.
• Pat toppings dry: drain banana peppers and blot chicken to prevent soggy spots.
• Use low-moisture mozzarella for best melt and minimal weeping at high heat.
• Stretch, do not roll: pressing and hand-stretching preserves air for a light rim.
• Parchment helper: build on parchment, bake 2–3 minutes, then slide the parchment out for a crisper bottom.

Variations

• Spicy BBQ: add sliced jalapeños and a chipotle-in-adobo teaspoon to the BBQ sauce.
• Smoky Deluxe: swap 2 oz of the mozzarella for smoked gouda and add crisp bacon crumbles.
• Vegetarian Swap: replace chicken with roasted mushrooms (8 oz), tossed in a spoonful of BBQ sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Dough can cold-ferment 24–72 hours: place the dough balls in lightly oiled containers, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temp 60–90 minutes before stretching. Leftover baked pizza keeps 3 days in the refrigerator; reheat on a preheated sheet pan at 450°F for 6–8 minutes or in an air fryer at 375°F for 4–5 minutes. To freeze, par-bake crusts 3 minutes, cool, add sauce and cheese (not fresh herbs), wrap tightly, and freeze up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 500°F for 8–10 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per serving (1/2 of one 10–11-inch pizza): 570 calories, 32 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 2 g fiber, 1,200 mg sodium. Values vary with brand of BBQ sauce, cheese, and dough thickness.