Sourdough BBQ Chicken Pizza

This sourdough BBQ chicken pizza features a soft yet chewy sourdough pizza crust, a layer of BBQ sauce, chicken, Turkey bacon and vegetables like jalapeños and red onion. Made on a cast iron skillet and finished in the oven, this pizza will become an easy family staple.

One of my favorite memories is enjoying a lazy dinner on a Sunday evening with my family. Whether it be pancakes and eggs or something a little bit more complex like homemade pizza. Our family regularly chooses to save money and make sourdough pizza at home in our cast iron skillet.

As someone who grew up gluten free because of health ailments being able to have a long fermented sourdough pizza crust has absolutely game changer. And if we are being honest – most gluten free pizza crusts are steps away from tasting like cardboard.

I am so happy to be able to enjoy our Sunday night tradition of pizza. Especially one where we all eat the same crust! Most Sunday nights, you can find us enjoying sourdough BBQ chicken pizza before heading out on a family walk.

We love all pizza toppings. We do enjoy the flavorful combination of smoked chicken from the Traeger, spicy jalapeños from our garden, the sweetness of BBQ sauce and gooey melted cheese. Place this on a delightfully chewy, yet somehow fluffy, crust created from sourdough starter and you have a match made in heaven. 

Reasons why you’ll love this pizza

• Mix the dough together by hand – no additional kneading is necessary.
• The cooking time is variable to your schedule!
  • Once it sits on the countertop, and doubles in size it goes into the fridge for a long bulk fermentation.
  • If you decide that you want your sourdough pizzas sooner or later than , specifically this recipe outlines you may cook it that way. We find the balance and the best pizza dough is after a bulk ferment of 24 to 48 hours in the fridge.
• The cooking location is variable: cook it in a cast iron skillet, pizza stone or skillet.

Ingredients

To make a sourdough BBQ chicken pizza, there are a few ingredients you will need:

• Sourdough Pizza Crust – The star of the show is this sourdough pizza crust. This crust is equal parts chewy and fluffy. Depending on how long you ferment the dough for, it can be a sourdough New York style pizza crust or sourdough Chicago style crust.
• Jalapeños – This spicy, peppery punch is one item you will not want to miss. Fresh or frozen jalapeños work great!
• Red Onion – Due to the short cooking time, these onions are more raw than cooked. They are a delicious crunch on top of the pizza. 
• (Cooked) Chicken – It is no secret our family is a fan of smoked meats (and rendered beef tallow). This juicy, smoky chicken recipe seals the deal on this BBQ chicken pizza.
  • Use any kind of chicken you have on hand- smoked chicken, grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken.
  • Due to the short cooking time under the broiler, the chicken should be prepared in advance.
• Cheese – There are variety of cheeses, which go well on this pizza. Our favorite flavors include shredded Mozzarella, cheddar, Colby Jack, or Italian cheese. 
• Barbecue (BBQ) Sauce – BBQ sauce is the sauce for the sourdough pizza crust. This is also drizzled on top or placed on a plate for dunking.
  • Use your favorite flavor of BBQ sauce (honey BBQ, BBQ, etc.)
• Turkey Bacon – To add the salty crunch we all need in our life.
  • Feel free to substitute with regular bacon or tempeh.
• Dipping Sauces – Take your pick on your favorite pizza dipping sauces. Ours include more BBQ sauce, ranch or hot sauce.

Kitchen Tools

There are a few tools which will make preparing this pizza dough in a flash.

• Large Mixing Bowl
  • We like this one because it has a lid which does not have to be firmly tight when stored
• Rolling Pin
• Dough Scraper
  • A dough scraper helps to cut the pizza dough into fourths.
• Cast Iron Skillet
  • The 15″ cast iron skillet is our favorite because you can make a personal sized sourdough pizza within it while also having room to scotch a spatula underneath the crust to pull it out
• Metal Spatula
• Olive Oil Dispenser
  • Makes dispensing and spreading olive oil a breeze
• Pizza Cutter
  • Sometimes we use scissors to cut the pizza (especially if we have a kiddo eating baby led weaning style), but this pizza cutter is the best! It has sharp blades and is easy to clean.

Baker’s Timeline: How to make 

This bakers timeline is based on a longer fermentation period. For personal health reasons (IE my prior gluten sensitivity), I allow the dough to ferment for at least 24 hours prior to making the pizzas.

We have shortened and extended the fermentation period as short as 12 hours and as long as 48 hours after the sourdough starter is mixed with the additional ingredients.

8:00 AM – (Day prior to bake) – Feed sourdough starter. *Adjust timeline if starter is kept within the fridge as opposed to the countertop.

12:00 PM – (Day prior to bake) – In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter, wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, olive oil, and water. Mix by hand until just barely together.

It is important not to knead the dough at this point because the gluten will build and it will be hard to roll out. Additionally, if the dough is kneaded, it will spring back to it’s original size when rolled out.

Cover with a rung out tea towel and allow to ferment on the countertop until the dough has doubled in size. This can take 4-12 hours depending on the time of year / temperature of your home.

Once the dough has doubled in size, place a loose lid over the top of the container. Place within the fridge to allow a bulk fermentation.

4:00 PM – (Day of bake) – At this time there will be multiple tasks occurring at one time. It is easiest to allow the dough to warm up while preparing the pizza toppings.

1. Firstly, pull the sourdough starter from fridge and place on countertop. Cut dough into fourths and allow to warm up to room temperature while preparing additional pizza toppings.

2. Second, begin cooking turkey bacon on stovetop (or oven). Flip halfway when cooked.

3. Next, heat cast iron skillet on low – medium heat. Throughly coat the cast iron skillet with olive oil or avocado oil to prevent the pizza crust from sticking. Start the oven broiler at this time, too.

4. Roll out one sourdough pizza crust to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Place one sourdough pizza crust into the cast iron skillet.

• Note, the pizza dough will rise once it hits the skillet.

5. Spread BBQ sauce on top of the pizza. We like to use a pastry brush for this step.

6. Top the sourdough pizza crust with toppings (cheese, chopped chicken, jalapeño and red onion).

7. Check periodically with a metal spatula. Allow the sourdough crust to cook until it easily pulls from the cast iron skillet.

• The bottom will be golden brown. It may even have cheetah print like spots on the bottom.

8. Finally, use kitchen mitts to move the sourdough pizza in the cast iron skillet from the stove and into the oven. Place the sourdough BBQ chicken pizza under the broiler for a few minutes.

This will allow the crust to cook completely, the other toppings to warm and the cheese to become melty.

• The cheese may bubble and will become golden brown in color.
• Keep an eye on your pizza during this time because it can burn on the top quickly.

While the pizza is cooking under the broiler, chop the turkey bacon.

9. Lastly, remove the sourdough BBQ chicken pizza from the oven. Place on a sheet pan to cool and top with turkey bacon and a drizzle of BBQ sauce (and ranch if preferred). Slice into pieces with a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors and enjoy!

• Repeat the process from steps 1 – 9 all over again until each personal pizza is complete. Remember to re-oil your cast iron skillet in between sourdough pizzas to prevent it from sticking.

It is important to know there is some slight finesse with the cast iron skillet to heat up the pizza dough enough that it will not stick to the pan but also not burn the crust.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How to store sourdough pizza

This pizza is best fresh. Though it can be stored within the refrigerator for up to 3 days after cooking. If storing within the freezer, place within an airtight container or a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

What toppings are good on pizza?

There is no limit to good pizza toppings! We like traditional pizza sauce, mozzarella and turkey pepperoni. Green olives, black olives, pineapple, green pepper, basil, peppers, and fresh garlic are all great pizza toppings (though perhaps not all together!).

Can the crust be frozen before cooking?

This sourdough pizza crust can be frozen prior to cooking. After the initial fermentation period on the counter, place the crust into the freezer.

For best results, wrap in wax paper before sticking in a plastic bag for storage. Use within 3 months of placing within the freezer.

When you are ready to make pizzas, pull out the dough and allow to unthaw within the fridge. Start the steps above for cooking the sourdough BBQ chicken pizza when you are ready to eat.

Can this sourdough pizza crust be frozen after cooking?

Yes, this sourdough pizza crust can be frozen after cooking. To reheat, allow to unthaw and top with your favorite toppings. Place under the broiler to heat through.

Do this sourdough pizza crust have to be cooked on a cast iron skillet?

You could make this pizza crust in the oven on a pizza stone. Simply roll out the dough, top with BBQ sauce and pizza toppings and place in the oven to cook for 5-10 minutes. Remember to place turkey bacon on after the pizza is removed from the oven or it will burn.

This sourdough pizza crust could also be made on a Green egg, Traeger Grill or on the stovetop in a skillet though cooking times will differ.

Can you put raw chicken on pizza dough?

Raw chicken can go on pizza dough. However, this specific recipe requires cooked chicken because the cooking time on the crust within the cast iron skillet and time under the broiler is not long enough to adequately cook chicken to a safe temperature.

Have you ever tried a sourdough pizza in a cast iron skillet? We use our cast iron skillet every time we cook pizza. If so, share your experience below!