If I were asked to pick my favorite type of pizza, choosing just one would be a dilemma. On one hand, NY style cheese pizza with the thin crust is crispy and classic, and a white pizza with garlicky oil is flavorful and fragrant. But a buffalo chicken pizza, especially mine, is spicy and meaty and would make the top 5 of my favorite pizzas.
I like anything buffalo chicken: dips, salads, subs. You name it and I will devour it, and it is no different with this pizza. My buffalo chicken pizza is packed with flavor, but has a relatively short list of ingredients. It’s pretty simple, but is pure pizza perfection.
I love a crispy crust, and I achieve that in this recipe with a pizza stone. It is always important to remember to put the pizza stone in the oven prior to preheating it, and place on a rack in the oven as low as possible. DO NOT put a cold pizza stone in a hot oven, or you will have an unfortunate situation in the form of a cracked pizza stone. I also own a bamboo pizza peel, which I would suggest if you are as serious about making pizza as my husband and I are!
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Makes 2 Medium (12 inch round) Pizzas
Time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup Franks Red Hot (or your favorite hot sauce)
1 cup Franks Red Hot
1/3 cup blue cheese dressing
1 pound premade pizza dough, brought to room temperature
3 cups mozzarella cheese, separated in 2 equal parts
2 cups cheddar cheese, separated into 2 equal parts
¼ cup scallions, chopped and separated into 2 equal parts
Yellow corn meal
1.Place pizza stone on rack in lowest level in oven. Preheat oven to 525° |
2.Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces, about ½ inch cubes. |
3.In a small skillet, melt butter and olive oil together on medium high heat. |
4.Add cubed chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. |
5.Sauté spices and chicken until the chicken is fully cooked, about 5 minutes. |
6.In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup red hot and 1/3 cup blue cheese and set aside. Add ¼ cup of red hot to the chicken and cook for another minute. |
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8.Flour a clean counter or cutting board, and cut dough into 2 separate balls. |
You will make one pizza at a time. The next few steps will be repeated to make the second pizza. All ingredients besides the sauce should be separated into equal parts already so it should be simple! |
9.Roll out or stretch one ball of dough into a 12” round. |
10.Dust pizza peel generously with corn meal. Dusting with corn meal will keep the dough from sticking on the peel, which allows an easy transfer into the oven.
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11.Place dough round on pizza peel, and make sure the dough moves freely by sliding the peel forward and backward slightly. |
12.Once it is confirmed that the dough is not sticking to the peel, top pizza with half of the sauce, and then sprinkle the mozzarella. |
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14.Place pizza on stone in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how well done you like your pizza. For easy transfer, use a quick forward and backward motion. Thrust your pizza forward aiming for the mid-back of your stone, and then pull the peel forward quickly. The weight of the pizza will keep it moving forward and slide off the peel. If you added enough cornmeal to the peel, this should be quick and easy.
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16.Sprinkle with scallions, cut, and enjoy the spicy, saucy goodness!
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