Are you bored with buffalo wings? Then it’s time to take your game day meal to the next level with a buffalo chicken pizza layered with creamy ranch dressing and three types of melty cheese.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly and has better stretch because it doesn’t contain anti-caking powders.
- Tossing the chicken in buffalo sauce before adding it to the pizza helps the spicy coating stick better before baking.
- Baking the pizza at 500°F rapidly evaporates surface moisture, helping the crust develop a crisp texture and browned edges.
Why It Works
This recipe mashes up two of life’s most game-worthy foods, buffalo chicken wings and pizza. Instead of picking through tiny bones for meat, I use shredded chicken breast or thigh tossed in a fiery sauce. The crispy crust keeps your fingers a little cleaner, so you can quickly pick up a beverage and cheer your friends when your team scores a touchdown.
You can make this meal from scratch using pizza dough, chicken, and red-hot sauce. Or, it’s easy to swap ingredients with store-bought items for more convenience. I’m a big fan of using leftover roasted chicken; it’s a great way to repurpose food for your next pizza night.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pizza Dough: If you want to take this full gourmet, my homemade pizza dough recipe is just 5 ingredients: bread flour, yeast, salt, water, and olive oil. But plan on it taking at least 2 hours before baking, or make it the night before. My dough recipe makes enough for two pies, which comes in handy when feeding a crowd.
- Chicken: Use any leftover cooked chicken breast, thigh, or a mixture of both as a quick topping. During the week, I often have roasted or grilled chicken on hand. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. You’ll need 2 cups. You can also slice or chop it into cubes if you prefer.
- Sauce: A red hot, tangy sauce adds a lingering spicy kick and a ton of flavor to the pizza. I have a buffalo sauce you can make from scratch in just 10 minutes. It combines Frank’s RedHot sauce, red wine vinegar for spice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and butter to emulsify it into a thickened consistency. If you prefer to reduce the butter, try my cornstarch version from my baked buffalo wings recipe.
- Dressing: To complement the fiery buffalo sauce, I first spoon ranch dressing onto the pizza dough. Just like dipping wings into the creamy sauce to tame the capsaicin, adding it as a layer to the pizza is the perfect pairing. My version uses buttermilk for tanginess, bold spices, and freshly chopped herbs like chives, parsley, and dill.
- Cheese: To add variety in flavors and textures, I use different types of cheese. Mozzarella cheese is high in moisture, which gives it a nice melt. Cheddar cheese gives a nuttier, savvier flavor. You can use mild or sharp cheddar. Provolone or smoked Gouda is a good substitute for cheddar. Blue cheese adds a deep, salty, and slightly spicy taste. It doesn’t melt like the others because it’s lower in fat, but the crumbles add a pleasant zing to each bite. I use the same trifecta of cheeses in my buffalo chicken dip.
- Onions: Red onions and green onions add a delightful crunch to each slice.
- Oil: Olive oil is brushed on the edges of the pizza crust for flavor and browning. A thin layer also helps to prevent sticking to the pan.
- Cornmeal: Adds a nice crunch to the bottom of the pizza crust and makes it easier to lift the pie off the pan.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dough Swaps: If time is not on your side, use store-bought pizza dough. Purchase a pound of pizza dough from the grocery store. I see them available at major retailers and Trader Joe’s in the refrigerated aisle. A pre-made pizza crust that is par-baked, flatbread, focaccia, or naan bread also works well.
- Dressing: For convenience, grab your favorite bottle of ranch. Otherwise, try my blue cheese dressing for a spicier, cheesier taste. Whichever you choose, I like to make sure there’s enough extra to serve on the side as a dip or drizzle on top.
- Chicken: You can quickly cook chicken on the stove, or make baked chicken breast, or shred rotisserie chicken. Cooked ground chicken or sausage is a great option.
- Sauce: For convenience, you can use store-bought buffalo wing sauce. Just make sure not to confuse it with regular hot sauce that doesn’t have any thickening agents. Otherwise, it won’t cling to the meat.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheating the oven to 500°F (260°C) with the rack in the lowest position delivers intense bottom heat that quickly crisps and browns the crust while helping the dough puff as steam expands rapidly. The high heat also quickly evaporates excess moisture, preventing the buffalo sauce and toppings from making the pizza soggy.
Step 2: Warm the Dough
If not made fresh that day, I let the chilled pizza dough sit out for 30 minutes, so it’s easier to work with.
Step 3: Coat the Chicken
Toss the shredded chicken with the buffalo sauce.
Step 4: Oil the Pan
On a baking sheet or round pan, lightly brush with olive oil and dust with cornmeal. The cornmeal gives a nice crisp crust with an interesting texture on the bottom. If you have a pizza stone, you can preheat it, then build the pizza on top.
Step 5: Shape the Dough
Stretch the homemade dough into a 12-inch circle, or shape it into a rectangle. Brush the edges with olive oil for more browning and crunch.
Step 6: Add the Toppings
The ranch dressing is spread evenly on the dough first. The sauced chicken is layered on top, followed by the mozzarella, cheddar, and blue cheese crumbles. Add thin slices of red onion on top for extra crunch.
Step 7: Bake
Bake at a scorching 500ºF (260ºC) until the cheese is bubbling, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 8: Serve
Right before serving, sprinkle green onions on top. If desired, you can drizzle more buffalo sauce and blue cheese over it, then slice it up and enjoy. My kids think this is the ultimate Friday night pizza, especially when we’re gathered around watching a football or soccer game. Honestly, I agree!
Frequently Asked Questions
Shredded chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, cheese like mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, and blue cheese. Extra toppings, such as red and green onions. Tomato sauce is not used. It’s either no sauce or something creamy like ranch or blue cheese dressing.
You can use a prepared, par-baked pizza crust to make this pizza. Follow the packaging directions for baking temperature. The pizza is ready when the cheese is hot and bubbling.
Grab a block of cheddar and mozzarella cheese and hand-shred it if you have time. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents like cellulose, cornstarch, or potato starch to prevent sticking. You want a nice cheese pull, and those ingredients can prevent the shreds from melting together.
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Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- olive oil, for brushing
- 2 teaspoons cornmeal, optional
- ⅓ cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, mild or sharp
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ¼ cup sliced red onion, ¼" thick
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the lowest position and set the temperature to 500ºF (260ºC).
- Warm the Dough – Allow the prepared pizza dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Coat the Chicken – In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken and buffalo sauce. Set aside.
- Oil the Pan – Lightly brush a large baking sheet or pizza pan with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle cornmeal on the pan, if desired.
- Shape the Dough – On a lightly floured surface, stretch and shape the dough into a 10-inch circle, then transfer it to the baking sheet. Use fingers to press into a 12-inch circle. Leave the edges slightly thicker, about ½-inch tall and wide.Brush some olive oil on the edges to make the crust crispier when baked.
- Add the Toppings – Spread the ranch dressing first, followed by the sauced chicken, mozzarella, cheddar, blue cheese, and onions.
- Bake – Cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Serve – Garnish with extra crumbled blue cheese, green onions, and buffalo sauce. Slice and serve immediately while still hot.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Using my Pizza Dough Recipe: It makes enough for two pizzas. Double the topping ingredients, or use 1 crust and save the other for later.
- Storing: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place on a sheet pan and broil on the lowest rack until cheese is hot and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, microwave in 15 to 30-second intervals until the cheese melts.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
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