By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 5
631 cal · 420 min
BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill
Recipe GLPR1df9f8f0b52c86
Tender slow-cooked BBQ chicken topped with smoked gouda, fresh mozzarella, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro on a homemade grilled pizza crust. The chicken is seasoned and shredded until perfectly tender, while the dough is prepared fresh and grilled until crispy and charred.
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Ingredients
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup BBQ sauce, divided
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Oil for brushing the grill
Directions
Place chicken breasts into a slow cooker with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and 1/2 cup water. Cook on low heat for 6 hours until chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
Remove cooked chicken from slow cooker and shred it using two forks until completely pulled apart. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, and cook on low heat for an additional 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
While chicken cooks, prepare the pizza dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup warm water, sugar, salt, and vegetable shortening. Mix on low speed until ingredients are combined.
Add yeast to the dough mixture and continue mixing on low speed for about 1 minute until evenly distributed. Gradually add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, while mixing on low speed, until the dough forms a ball that clings to the dough hook and has a slightly sticky texture (approximately 2 1/2 cups flour total).
Increase mixer speed to medium and knead dough for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel slightly tacky to the touch.
Remove dough from mixer and let rise in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes while preparing remaining ingredients.
While dough rises, prepare toppings: shred both cheeses together in a bowl, seed and slice the jalapeño, thinly slice the red onion, and finely chop the fresh cilantro. Set all toppings aside.
Preheat grill to medium heat (about 375-400°F). Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, gently stretch and shape into a round about 10-12 inches in diameter.
Lightly brush one side of the first dough round with oil. Carefully place oiled-side down onto the preheated grill.
Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving until the bottom is firm and golden with light char marks, then carefully flip the dough using a metal spatula.
Immediately spread a thin, even layer of BBQ sauce over the cooked side of the pizza. Top with half of the shredded cheese mixture, half of the BBQ chicken, half of the sliced jalapeño, half of the sliced red onion, and half of the chopped cilantro.
Close the grill lid and cook for 3-4 minutes until the crust bottom is crispy and charred and all toppings are heated through (cheese should be melted). Remove pizza with metal spatula to a cutting board.
Repeat steps 10-13 with remaining dough round and remaining toppings. Slice pizzas and serve hot.
Comments
The 420-minute stated time glosses over the reality: you are making pizza dough from scratch with yeast, which needs two rises totaling at least three to four hours before you even grill. Add 30 minutes of active prep and grilling, and plan for a seven-hour project from start to eat. Smoked gouda and fresh mozzarella are both available at Harris Teeter and Kroger but cost notably more than standard mozzarella—budget $6 to $8 for the cheese alone on a five-serving pizza. Jalapeños, cilantro, and red onion are standard produce finds at any Charlotte chain. Chicken breast is cheap and available everywhere. This is not a weeknight dinner; it's a weekend gathering dish that works well for a crowd and holds together on the grill, but the time commitment and ingredient expense demand you plan several hours ahead and accept that this is more labor than the clock suggests.
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