CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

Making restaurant quality pizza at home is not only possible, but easier than you think! After you try this delicious copycat CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe, takeout will be a thing of the past!

Next time be sure and try this quick and easy recipe for French Bread Pizza!

This post has been sponsored by Ooni Pizza Oven. All opinions are my own. #ad

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe   

I hope I had you at restaurant quality pizza! This pizza is every bit as delicious (better?) than the fabulous California Pizza Kitchen pie!

✔️ Homemade pizza is a Friday night favorite!

✔️ The fresh, chewy crust is delicious!

✔️ It's a fun meal to plan together with the family. Everyone can pitch in and make their own pie!

🗒️ Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• make your own pizza dough - this is my favorite homemade pizza dough recipe.
• tender cooked white meat chicken breast shredded or cubed. This is my favorite bbq chicken recipe.
• tangy homemade bbq sauce <- one of my favorite smokey bbq sauces! Use your favorite bbq sauce - spicy or sweet barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade sauce, use a good quality sauce.
• red onions - you can substitute a sweet yellow onion or white onion. I prefer the mild taste of the red onion.
• pepperoncini rings - though this ingredient is optional, I really encourage you to use it! They aren't spicy and give each slice a great tang. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes will add some heat an zing if you like spice.
• cilantro - just a few sprigs to dot the top of the pizza.
• fresh mozzarella cheese - use full fat real cheese! get a ball of fresh cheese, then tear rather than shred it and dot it on the top of the pizza. Smoked gouda cheeses would be a great choice as well.

⏲️  Instructions 

This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete, easy steps just scroll down to the bottom!

1. For best results be sure to preheat your Ooni Pizza Oven. You'll want your oven temperature to be about 575 degrees.
2. Sprinkle the pizza peel liberally with cornmeal. Place the pizza crust on top.
3. Spread ½ cup of bbq sauce on the crust.
4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining bbq sauce and diced chicken. Mix together well. Spread on top of the pizza.
5. Top with thinly sliced onions and pepperoncinis. 
6. Tear the fresh mozzarella cheese and place on pizza stone in the bottom of oven. 
7. Cook in the pizza oven for 2-3 minutes turning ever 30 seconds or so.

Bake in oven

1. For best results, be sure to preheat the oven with the pizza stone inside. You'll want your oven temperature to be about 400 degrees.
2. Build the pizza on a pizza peel or if you don't have one, a pizza stone. Start by sprinkling the peel or parchment paper liberally with cornmeal. Place the pizza crust on top.
3. Add your favorite barbecue sauce. Spread ½ cup of bbq sauce on the crust.In a small bowl, combine the remaining bbq sauce and diced chicken. Mix together well. Spread on top of the pizza.
4. Top with thinly sliced onions and pepperoncinis. 
5. Tear the fresh mozzarella cheese and place on hot pizza stone in the bottom of oven. 
6. Bake in hot oven for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the center of the pizza is browned as well.

🔪 Equipment

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• Ooni Pizza Oven - I have the 12" gas powered pizza oven, but there are several to choose from! Wood pellet ovens, multi-fuel pizza ovens and different sizes as well. Check it out and definitely choose the size and heat source that works best for you.
• Pizza Peel - I love my bamboo pizza peel, however you can choose from a variety of sizes and finishes - metal, wood, etc. It features a moisture-resistant, smooth bamboo surface to prevent pizza dough from sticking. It's pretty enough to go from pizza oven to the table for serving and slicing pizzas!
• The Ooni Infrared Thermometer is a great piece of equipment because with the click of a button you can easily gauge the internal temperature of the oven. The laser pointer accurately measures the surface temperature of your Ooni pizza oven instantly!

🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

👍 Tips

• Roll the crust thinly if you prefer crispy thin crust pizza.
• Don't overload your pizza with toppings. Less is more when it comes to the ingredients.
• For the best flavor, avoid using pre-shredded cheese. Though you can use low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, my choice for homemade pizza is the full-fat version. It just has so much flavor!
• Tear the cheese into chunks (rather than shred) and place on the crust.
• Allow your oven or the pizza oven to preheat. Ideally I've found a temperature of 550-575 degrees Fahrenheit ideal for baking the pizza.
• If the oven is not preheated, the crust will stick to the stone on the bottom. This makes it difficult to pick up and rotate for even baking.
• For best results use a pizza stone rather than a cookie sheet.

Why buy a gas powered pizza oven

The gas powered Ooni Pizza Oven is so easy to use. It's easy to operate - all you do is turn it on like you would your gas grill and allow it to preheat! It makes pizza night a quick meal!

Tasty pizza cooked in minute(s) - one to two minutes tops! It's amazing how quickly it cooks. The crust is perfect browned and crispy.

Because pizza cooks in minutes, if you're having a party or gathering, you can make several different types of pizza and it's really no big deal!

No pizza pan needed, the homemade pizza cooked right in the pizza oven!

🤔What I've learned

Similar to using a pressure cooker or other piece of kitchen equipment, it took a bit of "learning" to get things figured out. I tried several store bought crusts, but they were too thin and I wasn't pleased with the final result.

This pizza crust recipe far and above is the best. It takes minutes to make (and though this recipe calls for different types of flour, I just use all-purpose flour). It makes enough for 3 crusts and I freeze the extra dough for next time.

This CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe is super simple to make and is just as good as restaurant quality pizza!

Storage

Refrigerator - Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, refrigerate up to three days.

Reheat - pizza is best reheated in the oven on a baking sheet or in the air fryer until hot and bubbly.

Serving suggestions

This recipe for copycat Lou Malnati's Malnati Salad is the perfect combination of flavors to serve with your CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe!

This Blue Cheese Wedge Salad is a terrific side with pizza as well!

Related recipes

What is not to love about pizza! Here are a few more pizza recipes that you will enjoy!

• This easy pizza recipe uses frozen bread dough for an easy shortcut!
• Love pizza but want to skip the carbs from the crust? Try this recipe for Supreme Pizza Soup, it's so hearty and delicious!
• Vegetarian Pizza Bombs are the perfect snack for movie night!

Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products! 🛍️

If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! 

💭 Recipe backstory

Pizza cooked in the Ooni Pizza Oven takes about a minute to make, and delivers delicious hot fresh pizza every time! With tender white-meat chicken, a tangy bbq sauce this fresh homemade pizza is so much better than the frozen pizza version! It's amazing and I'm excited to share this recipe!

Making a pizza in your own pizza oven? Now that takes it to the next level! I'm excited today to share my experiences with the Ooni Pizza Oven!

I've been making some wonderful pies the last few weeks and the first recipe I wanted to share with you is one of our favorites! A copycat recipe for California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza.