Barbecue Chicken Pizza

I never thought that pizza would be something that I made from scratch. I always thought it was something that you ordered on a night where you didn't feel like cooking! 

Ever since Mike and I started dating, BBQ chicken pizza was something that I knew he loved to eat. When we got married and I had to start feeding him, I had to find a recipe for one of his favorite foods! 

This is a really great recipe to quickly throw together, and you can add or remove any ingredient to make it fit your taste buds. The only thing that would really make this recipe perfect is a great crust recipe. The one below is okay and definitely does the job...but if you have a foolproof crust recipe, share it below!       I would love to try it!

Total Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time (crust): 15 minutes
Prep Time (assembly): 10 minutes

Yield: 8 slices 

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 packet active dry yeast--fast rise
• 1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Crust Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand about 5 minutes. Add olive oil.
2. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, salt, flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and onion powder.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well. Knead in the bowl, adding extra flour if necessary until the dough is slightly tacky and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Press evenly on a pizza stone or large inverted baking pan.

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Topping Ingredients:

• 1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded (You can also use about 2-3 shredded, cooked chicken breasts--more or less for your liking!)
• 1/2 small red onion, rings sliced in half
• 1/2 cup cooked corn
• 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
• 4 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 2-3 oz. shredded smoked Gouda cheese

(Note--Please remember that this does not need to be an exact science! My amounts are approximate, because I always sprinkle ingredients on top of my pizzas until I am satisfied!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, add the shredded chicken and pour about 1/4 cup BBQ sauce over top. Mix so that all of the chicken is covered in sauce. Add more if necessary. Set aside
3. Using your prepared pizza crust, spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce on the bottom, going about 1/2 inch from the edges. 
4. (My favorite pizza shop puts the meat ingredients below the cheese, so the cheese gets nice and bubbly and wraps in the flavors! I did the same with this pizza, but feel free to put the cheese on first!) Spread the chicken around the crust. Top with an even layer of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle on the gouda. The smokiness of the Gouda goes a long way, so don't overdo it! :)
5. Top with the onion and corn, and any other ingredients that you want to add.
6. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is nice and bubbly!