Buffalo Chicken & Blue Pizza

Fiery buffalo-sauced chicken on a crisp-chewy crust, melted mozzarella, pockets of tangy blue cheese, a cool ranch or blue-cheese drizzle, and a shower of fresh green onions. This is game-day comfort food made easy at home.

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (one 12-inch pizza)
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 32 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough (enough for one 12-inch pizza)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for pan
• 1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 1/3–1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled blue cheese
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded
• 3 Tbsp ranch or blue-cheese dressing, thinned with 1–2 tsp milk
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Cornmeal or flour for dusting

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or upside-down sheet pan inside.
• 2. Stir together hot sauce, melted butter, and garlic powder; toss with chopped cooked chicken.
• 3. Stretch dough on a floured or cornmeal-dusted peel or pan; brush edges with olive oil.
• 4. Top with most of the mozzarella, then buffalo chicken, then remaining mozzarella and blue cheese.
• 5. Bake 10–12 minutes until crust is deeply golden and cheese is bubbling with browned spots.
• 6. Drizzle with thinned ranch/blue-cheese dressing, scatter green onions on top, slice, and serve hot.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the flavors of classic buffalo wings in pizza form: spicy, tangy, creamy, and cheesy.
• Uses store-bought dough and cooked chicken, so it feels special without being fussy.
• Customizable heat level: make it mild or fiery by adjusting the hot sauce.
• Perfect for game day, casual dinners, or anytime you want a crowd-pleasing twist on pizza night.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 green onions (scallions).
• Dairy: Shredded low-moisture mozzarella, crumbled blue cheese, unsalted butter, ranch or blue-cheese dressing, milk (or cream) if you need to thin the dressing.
• Pantry: Pizza dough (fresh or refrigerated), hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot), olive oil, garlic powder, cornmeal or all-purpose flour, salt and black pepper (optional).

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough

• 1 lb pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), at room temperature for 30–45 minutes
• Cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for dusting the peel or pan

For the Buffalo Chicken

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded (about 8 oz; rotisserie works great)
• 1/3 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Original
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional, taste your hot sauce first)

For Assembling the Pizza

• 1 Tbsp olive oil (for brushing the crust)
• 1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 1/3–1/2 cup (about 2 oz) crumbled blue cheese

For Finishing & Garnish

• 3 Tbsp ranch or blue-cheese dressing
• 1–2 tsp milk or water (to thin the dressing for drizzling, as needed)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Your Equipment

Place a pizza stone or an upside-down, heavy-duty baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. This high, sustained heat helps you get a crisp, well-browned crust.

If you are using a pizza peel, dust it lightly with cornmeal or flour so the dough can slide off easily. If you are baking directly on a baking sheet, lightly oil it with 1–2 tsp olive oil or line it with parchment (safe up to your parchment’s max temperature, usually 450–475°F; if using parchment, you can bake at 475°F instead of 500°F).

Step 2: Make the Buffalo Sauce and Toss the Chicken

In a medium bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, and garlic powder until smooth and slightly thickened. Taste a small dab; if your hot sauce is very salty, you may not need additional salt. Otherwise, add up to 1/4 tsp kosher salt.

Add the chopped or shredded cooked chicken to the bowl and toss until every piece is thoroughly coated in the buffalo sauce. Set aside while you shape the dough. The chicken will drink up some of the sauce, which helps it stay juicy and flavorful in the hot oven.

Step 3: Stretch the Pizza Dough

Make sure your pizza dough has rested at room temperature for at least 30 minutes; cold dough is harder to stretch and more likely to spring back. Lightly flour your work surface and your hands.

Place the dough on the floured surface and gently press it into a disc with your fingertips, working from the center out and leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Lift the dough and use the backs of your hands and knuckles to stretch it into a rough 12-inch circle, letting gravity help. Avoid tearing; if the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.

Transfer the stretched dough to your prepared cornmeal-dusted peel or baking sheet. Gently reshape into an even circle if needed. Brush the outer 1 inch of the crust with the 1 Tbsp olive oil to encourage a golden, flavorful edge.

Step 4: Add the Cheeses and Buffalo Chicken

Sprinkle about 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the dough, leaving the oiled border uncovered. This base layer of cheese helps catch the buffalo sauce and keeps the crust from getting soggy.

Distribute the buffalo chicken evenly over the mozzarella, making sure you get a good mix of sauce and chicken in every bite. Drizzle any extra sauce left in the bowl over the top.

Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella, then scatter the crumbled blue cheese in small pockets across the pizza. You want distinct pools of blue cheese rather than a solid layer, so it melts into flavorful little bursts.

Step 5: Bake Until Blistered and Bubbling

Slide the pizza carefully onto the preheated stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until:

• The crust is deeply golden with some charred spots on the edges.
• The cheese is fully melted, bubbling, and developing golden-brown spots.
• You can see a little sizzling of sauce and cheese around the toppings.

If the top is done but the bottom is pale, you can set the pizza directly on the oven rack or stone for the final 1–2 minutes. If using parchment, slide the pizza off the parchment for the last minute if safe and manageable.

When done, use the peel or a large spatula to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Let it rest for 2–3 minutes so the cheese sets slightly before slicing.

Step 6: Drizzle, Garnish, and Serve

While the pizza rests, stir the ranch or blue-cheese dressing with 1–2 tsp milk or water to reach a smooth, pourable consistency for drizzling. It should be thick enough to cling, but loose enough to stream off a spoon.

Using a spoon or a small squeeze bottle, lightly drizzle the dressing over the hot pizza in thin zigzags or circles. Scatter the sliced green onions evenly over the top for freshness and color. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper, if you like.

Slice into 6–8 wedges and serve immediately while the crust is crisp, the buffalo chicken is hot, and the cheese is gooey.

Pro Tips

• Room-temperature dough is key. Letting the dough warm up makes it much easier to stretch without tearing and helps it rise nicely in the oven.
• Do not overload with sauce. The chicken should be generously coated, but avoid puddles of sauce directly on the dough to prevent sogginess.
• Use low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella can release too much liquid here; low-moisture shreds give the best melt and browning.
• Adjust heat to taste. For a milder pizza, use 1/4 cup hot sauce and 2 Tbsp butter; for extra heat, add a splash more hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
• Slice the green onions thinly. Paper-thin slices give a delicate bite and look beautiful sprinkled over the top.

Variations

• Extra-cheesy version: Add 1/4 cup shredded cheddar along with the mozzarella for more richness and a touch of sharpness.
• Veggie-loaded: Add a thin layer of sliced red onion or finely chopped celery under the buffalo chicken for extra crunch and flavor.
• Grilled pizza: Grill the stretched dough over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes per side, then top with cheese and buffalo chicken and finish on the grill with the lid closed until the cheese melts.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make-ahead components: The buffalo chicken mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dough can usually be refrigerated for up to 2 days (or longer, depending on your recipe) before stretching and baking.

Leftover pizza: Store cooled slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, reheat on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 7–10 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium heat until the crust is crisp and the cheese is hot. Avoid microwaving if you can; it tends to make the crust chewy.

You can also freeze individual slices, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 12–15 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 4 servings (based on one 12-inch pizza): about 620 calories, 32 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 1,850 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar. Actual values will vary depending on the brands of dough, cheese, and dressing you use and the exact portion size.