Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Difficulty

Essential Tools

Kitchen brush
Instant-read thermometer
Cutting board
Large skillet
Plate
Rimmed baking pan or rimless cookie sheet
Rolling pin
Measuring cups
Pizza wheel

Ingredients

2 tsp vegetable oil
1 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tsp American Twist’d Q™ Sweet Mesquite Chicken Rub (Currently in stores as American Royal Chicken Rub)
3 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 (8- to 10-ounce) frozen pizza dough ball, thawed
Yellow cornmeal for sprinkling
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce
3/4 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
5 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Grill the Chicken

  1. Prepare the grill for direct grilling and heat to 350°F. Using a kitchen brush, apply the oil to both sides of the chicken breast and sprinkle with Sweet Mesquite Rub.
  2. Use tongs to place the chicken on the hot grill grate. Close the grill and grill the chicken for 10 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the chicken reaches 160°F (internal temperature will rise 5° to 10°F upon standing), turning once halfway through.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, let cool and chop.

Cook the Bacon

  1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for 8 minutes or until almost crisp, stirring occasionally.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chopped bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Grill the Pizza

  1. Prepare the grill for indirect grilling and heat to 400°F. Sprinkle the bottom of a rimmed baking pan with cornmeal.
  2. Lightly flour work surface; place dough on prepared surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough to 12- to 14-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough round onto pan over cornmeal.
  3. With a fork, poke dough several times to vent. Slide the dough round onto the center of hot grill grate, close the grill and cook for 8 minutes or until the bottom the of crust is browned, rotating once halfway through cooking.
  4. Use tongs to transfer the crust onto the bottom of the rimmed baking pan.
  5. Leaving a 1-inch border, with the back of a spoon, spread ½ cup of the BBQ sauce over the crust; top with smoked Gouda cheese, then the mozzarella cheese, chicken, bacon and onion.
  6. Drizzle the pizza with 3 tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce.
  7. Slide pizza onto the center of the hot grill grate. Close the grill and cook 8 minutes or until cheese is melted and the edges of the pizza are golden brown, using tongs to move the pizza if necessary to prevent the crust from burning.
  8. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle the pizza with cilantro and cut into 8 slices to serve.

Tips

  • To prepare a gas grill for indirect grilling, preheat grill with all burners on. Turn off one of the burners for a two-burner grill, or the center burner for a three-burner grill.
  • Freeze the bacon 20 minutes before chopping, it will be easier to handle.

Notes

  • To grill the pizza on a charcoal grill: Remove the top grate from the charcoal grill. Place coals in a chimney starter. Spark the coals and let the coals burn until they are covered with a thick layer of gray ash. Spread the coals onto one side of the bottom grate. If the grill does not have a built-in thermometer, attach an oven thermometer to the top grill grate, replace the top grate and close the grill. Once the temperature of the grilling chamber reaches 350°F, place the chicken on the hot grill grate directly above the coals and continue grilling as directed for a gas grill.
  • Once chicken is cooked, carefully add additional coals through the opening at one side of the top grill grate or in between rungs of the top grill grate to increase the temperature of the grill to 400°F. Continue grilling the pizza as directed for a gas grill.