Buffalo Chicken Pizza with a Thin, Crispy Crust

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Cooked shredded chicken tossed with Buffalo sauce gives this thin, rectangular pizza its tangy topping without relying on a short pizza bake to cook raw chicken. A light layer of ranch sits beneath the mozzarella, chicken, red onion, and blue cheese; parsley goes on after baking. Spread the toppings moderately so the center can bake through, then cut the pizza into squares or rectangles.

Makes 4 main-dish servings or 6 appetizer servings. Allow about 15 minutes to prepare, 14–18 minutes to bake, and a short rest before slicing.

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Pizza

• 1 pound prepared pizza dough (450g)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken, about 8 ounces (225g), such as rotisserie or leftover chicken
• 1/3 cup Buffalo-style sauce (80g), plus up to 1 tablespoon more for finishing, if desired
• 1/3 cup ranch dressing (80g), or just enough for a thin layer, plus up to 2 tablespoons more for finishing, if desired
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (170g)
• 1/4 small red onion (30g), thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles (15g)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• All-purpose flour or oil, as needed, for handling the dough and preparing the pan

How to Bake Buffalo Chicken Pizza

1. Preheat the oven: Heat to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. If the dough package calls for a substantially different setting, follow its directions.
2. Shape the dough: Let the dough warm until workable if needed. Stretch or roll it into an even, thin rectangle on the prepared pan, leaving a modest raised edge. Lightly flour your hands or work surface if the dough sticks.
3. Sauce the chicken: Toss the cooked shredded chicken with the 1/3 cup Buffalo sauce until evenly coated, without leaving excess sauce pooling in the bowl.
4. Add the toppings: Spread a thin layer of ranch over the dough, leaving the edge exposed. Distribute the mozzarella, Buffalo chicken, red onion, and blue cheese evenly. Avoid piling up the toppings, which can leave the center soft.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered, checking around 12 minutes. The pizza will take about 14–18 minutes total, but use the crust and cheese as your guide: the edge should be golden brown, the cheese melted and bubbling, and the center crust baked through rather than pale or doughy. Rotate the pan once if it browns unevenly.
6. Rest and slice: Scatter the parsley over the hot pizza. Add a light drizzle of extra Buffalo sauce or ranch, if desired. Rest for 3–5 minutes so the cheese settles, then cut into squares or rectangles.

How to Keep the Crust Crisp

Keep the ranch layer thin and the chicken coated rather than dripping with Buffalo sauce. Moist cooked chicken works well here, but an overloaded or overly wet topping layer can soften the center. If the cheese looks ready while the center crust is still pale, continue baking and watch the edge closely; dough thickness, the pan, and the oven can all change the timing.

Crust and Cheese Variations

• Prepared crust or flatbread: A prepared pizza crust can replace raw dough. Flatbread, naan, or pita makes a smaller version. Follow the product’s baking directions and check early; these bases may bake much faster than raw pizza dough.
• Cheddar-mozzarella blend: Replace up to 1/2 cup of the mozzarella with shredded cheddar rather than adding more cheese on top.
• Without blue cheese: Omit the crumbles if preferred. Keep them for the version described above.

How to Store and Reheat Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for about 3–4 days. Reheat pieces in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot and the cheese has melted. A microwave is quicker, but it will leave the crust softer.

Cooked portions can be frozen airtight for up to about 3 months, though the crust and toppings may soften after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven. For the best texture, assemble the pizza shortly before baking rather than holding it assembled for a long period.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1/4 of the pizza: 595 calories, 37g protein, 24g fat, and 63g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 225 calories, 14g protein, 9g fat, and 24g carbohydrates. Values vary with the dough, dressing, sauce, and cheese used.