BEST Copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

This copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe pairs sweet and tangy BBQ sauce with chicken, gooey mozzarella, smoky Gouda, zippy red onion, and fresh cilantro. It’s a unique and absolutely delicious combination of flavors! And bonus, using store-bought dough from your pizzeria or grocery store means it’s quick and easy to whip up for pizza night at home.

When I was in law school, I liked to meal prep when I had time. My rotation consisted of things I could dump and forget in the slow cooker (like beef stew), prepare large batches of at one time (such as meatballs), or cook with minimal hands-on effort (like roast chicken).

But I also liked to keep a few store-bought favorites stashed in my freezer, including a couple frozen California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza. I fell in love with that unique pizza flavor combo!

Chewy crust is a delicious base for sweet, tangy BBQ sauce, tender chicken, a blend of gooey mozzarella and smoky Gouda cheeses, the peppery bite of red onion, and the fresh flavor of verdant cilantro.

Give this pizza a try and it might become a new family favorite!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• We use cooked chopped chicken, so technically this is a leftovers meal! Feel free to use grilled chicken, baked chicken, or roast chicken (and rotisserie chicken also works well). Or even leftover turkey after Thanksgiving would be delicious!
• You will save a ton of time by using store-bought pizza dough from your local pizzeria or grocery store.
• The cheeses here are very forgiving. I like the blend of mozzarella cheese (for the gooey factor!) and smoked Gouda cheese (for a touch of smoky flavor). However, feel free to use any cheese combination you like! Cheddar, provolone, and fontina are all great choices.
• The blend of flavors is a real winner! Don’t skip the cilantro, it really brightens it up.

The Best BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Pizza dough
• BBQ sauce
• Mozzarella
• Smoked Gouda
• Red onion
• Cooked chopped chicken
• Fresh cilantro

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Drizzle the oil inside a large bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl and turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F. Gently deflate the dough, but don’t push out all the air. Spread it out onto a 12-inch pizza stone or similar sized baking sheet, pressing it out with your fingers. Use the tines of a fork to prick several holes in the dough (this is called “docking” it).
3. Spread the BBQ sauce evenly on top, leaving a border of about 1/2-inch all around.
4. Evenly sprinkle on the mozzarella and smoked Gouda cheeses.
5. Then add the onion and chicken.
6. Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

Storage

Store leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can reheat pizza in a 375F oven until warm, about 10 minutes. Check out the Notes in the recipe card below for more methods to reheat pizza.

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza FAQs

Who Invented BBQ Chicken Pizza?

American pizza chef Edward LaDou developed this pizza for California Pizza Kitchen.

He had been working for Wolfgang Puck at his restaurant Spago in Los Angeles, and he had developed a name for himself with his unusual pizza combinations. (Think along the lines of toppings like pâté, smoked salmon, and duck sausage.)

In 1985, Larry Flax (co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen) asked LaDou to develop the menu for CPK. LaDou accepted and developed the restaurant’s first menu, which included the BBQ Chicken Pizza!

You can find out more about the history of this pizza on Wikipedia and Hungry Howie’s.

What’s on California Pizza Kitchen’s BBQ Chicken Pizza?

LaDou’s original pizza included cooked chicken, BBQ sauce, onion, fontina cheese, and cilantro.

What’s on Domino’s Memphis BBQ Chicken Pizza?

According to Domino’s, their pizza contains grilled chicken, fresh onion, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and a tangy tomato-based Memphis-style BBQ sauce with white vinegar and sweet molasses.

What’s on Pizza Hut’s Backyard BBQ Chicken Pizza?

According to Pizza Hut, their pizza has grilled chicken, bacon, and onion. It also has cheese, but their website doesn’t specify what kind.

Side Dishes That Pair Well with BBQ Chicken Pizza

• Creamy Poppy Seed Kale Slaw with Red Pear, Toasted Pepitas, and Golden Raisins
• Spicy Blue Cheese Celery Slaw
• Creamy Cauliflower Potato Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts

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Copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

5 from 1 vote

By: Faith Gorsky

Prep TimePrep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Other TimeTime for the Dough to Rise 1 hour hour

Yields: 8 servings

This copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe pairs sweet and tangy BBQ sauce with chicken, gooey mozzarella, smoky Gouda, zippy red onion, and fresh cilantro. It’s a unique and absolutely delicious combination of flavors! And bonus, using store-bought dough from your pizzeria or grocery store means it’s quick and easy to whip up for pizza night at home.

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound pizza dough ball thawed if frozen (look for it at your local grocery store or pizzeria)
• ▢ 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• ▢ 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• ▢ 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
• ▢ 1 small red onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 cup cooked chopped chicken
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves chopped (for garnish)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

 

• Drizzle the oil inside a large bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl and turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Gently deflate the dough, but don’t push out all the air. Spread it out onto a 12-inch pizza stone or similar sized baking sheet, pressing it out with your fingers. Use the tines of a fork to prick several holes in the dough (this is called “docking” it).
• Spread the BBQ sauce evenly on top, leaving a border of about 1/2-inch all around. Evenly sprinkle on the mozzarella and smoked Gouda cheeses, and then the onion and chicken.
• Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
• Top with the fresh cilantro and serve hot.

Notes

• Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 1 (12-inch) pizza. Cut it into 8 slices, and each slice is 1 serving.
• To Freeze and Heat Uncooked Pizza: You can make the pizza up to the point of baking it and then freeze it for up to 2 months. When you want to cook it, thaw it to room temperature (I leave it overnight on the counter), and then bake it as directed.
• To Freeze Cooked Pizza: Another option is to bake the pizza and then freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. Let the pizza cool to room temperature, and then freeze the slices layered between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container.
• To Reheat Pizza in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the pizza slices (thawed if frozen) onto a foil-lined baking tray. Bake until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 10 minutes.
• To Reheat Pizza on the Stovetop: Place the pizza slices in a cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook until the cheese is melted and the pizza is warm, about 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1160mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 501IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 431mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ Chicken Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe, California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza

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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on September 21, 2010. I updated it with more information on September 22, 2022.

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

Meet Faith