Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Pizza

This Air Fryer BBQ chicken pizza has diced chicken, onions and tangy barbecue sauce covered in a bubbly cheese goodness! It’s like the pizza you would find at your favorite pizza hangout – only better! 

Our family loves pizza!  In fact, we have a pizza night almost every week.  If you are like us, you’ve taken the time to go and sit in a restaurant, waiting for the pizza to come to your table, or ordered to have it delivered at home, only to have to wait on a late delivery and a not-so-warm pizza when it finally arrives.

Those times can be a bit frustrating, so imagine how happy I am that this recipe which fits perfectly for our family. No more waiting for a pizza to be delivered, and, best of all, we know exactly what is going into the pizza. And this Air Fryer Chicken BBQ pizza is perfect for dinner!

What is in a BBQ chicken Pizza?

This barbecue chicken pizza has diced chicken, onions and tangy barbecue sauce covered in a bubbly cheese goodness! It’s like the pizza you would find at your favorite pizza hangout – only better! Homemade is so much better, and you can build your pizza the way you want.  

Homemade pizza is best!

Making pizza at home is a family event for us!  My daughter helps make the pizza dough, and then sprinkles on her own ingredients to customize her personal pan pizza while we like extra cheese and an extra-crispy crust on ours. My husband loves to add heat to his pizza so he will add red chili peppers!

How much does the dough make?

The dough makes enough for 4-8″ pizzas to make in the air fryer, or 2-16″ pizzas to make in the conventional oven.

Can I double this recipe? Can I cut this recipe in half?

The dough recipe can be doubled for a larger family or when company comes to visit.  If there is only one or two people eating pizza, the recipe can be cut in half.  

Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes! Place it in the fridge for up to 3 days covered. If any air touches it, it will start to dry out. Once you’re ready to use the dough, remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature.

Can I make extra dough, and freeze?

The dough can be frozen for later use!  The best way to do this is to wrap the dough in Saran Wrap, then place it in a gallon-size freezer bag.  It’s best to freeze the dough in the portions you plan to use in the future.

This is a great way to use leftover chicken from another meal, or, if you buy a rotisserie chicken, simply shred the chicken before adding it to the pizza.

Air fryer pizza is crispy, perfectly cooked and tastes so delicious.  Once you make pizza in the air fryer,  you’ll want to prepare it this way as often as you can.

This recipe is perfect for leftovers!

To store leftover pizza is to stack and wrap the leftover slices in plastic wrap.  The pizza will stay fresh 3-4 days in the refrigerator, and up to 2 months in the freezer.

Reheat your pizza in your air fryer or in the conventional oven @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  To reheat in the microwave, heat in 30 second intervals until the slice(s) are warmed through.

Can I make this in the conventional oven instead of the air fryer?

Absolutely! Preheat your conventional oven to 350°F. Prepare your pizza dough according to the recipe. Roll your dough using a rolling pin until it is 8 inches in diameter for 4 personal pizzas. Transfer your pizza dough to your pizza pan. With your oven preheated to 350°F, cook your dough for 4 minutes. Remove, and then top your dough with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup cheese spread evenly, 1/4 cup of chicken, 1/8 cup onions. Then add 1/4 more cup of cheese on top. Cook for another 6 minutes. Repeat until all pizzas are cooked. Serve and enjoy!

If you want to make 2 – 16″ pizzas (which are large pizzas), top your dough with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 1/2 cup cheese spread evenly, 1/2 cup of chicken, 1/4 cup onions. Then add 1/2 more cup of cheese on top.

Fun fact!

Pizza originated in Italy and the word ‘pizza’ first appeared in a Lation text from the town of Gaeta, back in 997 AD.

The ‘Ottavia’ pizza is the largest pizza created in Rome, Italy, on December 2012.  The surface area covered 13,580.28 feet!    It was created by 5 chefs, working 48 continuous hours to complete this pizza.  The name ‘Ottavia’ is the Roman origin for ‘eighth son’, as an honor to the first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, who brought the Empire into a period of economic and cultural stability.  

Ingredients:

• Warm water – It’s best to have your water at 110 degrees F. This helps your yeast to bubble and start to activate.
• Sugar – granulated sugar is best. The warm water will help to melt the sugar down for a perfect incorporation into the dough.
• Dry yeast – I like to use this brand and type of yeast! It takes 5 minutes to activate, so make sure you follow the recipe instructions when it says to do so. Yeast expires in 6 months and should be stored in the refrigerator. I like to take a sharpie marker, and mark on the lid of the jar when I opened it. Or, you might write when it will expire. Once yeast expires, it no longer is active, so it should be thrown out. All the more reason to make pizza often as to not waste your active yeast! Ha!
• All-purpose flour
• Olive oil – if you only have vegetable oil, that would be ok, but the flavor of olive oil is the best; especially for pizza! This is our favorite brand!
• Salt

Pizza Assembly:

• BBQ sauce – for the best storebought BBQ sauce, use this!
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Purple onions diced
• Cooked chicken breast – This is a great way to use leftover chicken from another meal, or, if you buy a rotisserie chicken, simply shred the chicken before adding it to the pizza.

Add to a large bowl your warm water, and yeast. Stir and mix. Allow your yeast to proof for about five minutes. After the five minutes, add in your sugar, flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.

Knead with the dough hook for about five minutes on medium speed if using a stand mixer. If using your hands, transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes.

Transfer your dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Once your dough has doubled in size, remove your dough ball to a lightly floured surface. Divide your ball into two sections.

Roll your dough using a rolling pin until it is 8 inches in diameter. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, grease your pie pan. Transfer your pizza dough to your pan. Press to flatten down on the bottom of the pan.

With your air fryer preheated to 380°F, cook your dough for 4 minutes.

Remove, and then top your dough with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup cheese spread evenly, 1/4 cup of chicken, 1/8 cup onions.

Then add 1/4 more cup of cheese on top. Cook for another 6 minutes.

Repeat steps 2 to 5. Serve and enjoy!

Here are the grocery items you need for this recipe!

I use this type of yeast. It takes 5 minutes to activate, so make sure you follow the recipe instructions when it says to do so. Yeast expires in 6 months and should be stored in the refrigerator. I like to take a sharpie marker, and mark on the lid of the jar when I opened it. Or, you might write when it will expire. Once yeast expires, it no longer is active, so it should be thrown out.

This is our favorite brand of extra virgin olive oil.

We used this BBQ sauce for our pizza:

What Air Fryer did I use?

This is the Air Fryer I used!

There is a pan needed in this recipe. Where can I get it?

This 9 inch pie pan fits perfect in our Air Fryer.

They make other size pie pans that will fit your Air Fryer that might be smaller or larger than mine! See this link for various sizes here!

If you use the conventional oven, here is a great pizza pan!

If you like this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Pizza, try out this recipe!

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