Sweet and tangy flavors make this the perfect pizza!
Barbecue chicken pizza has become an all-time favorite over the past several years. Originally made famous by a California-based restaurant chain, it featured lean chicken, a zippy-sweet barbecue sauce, cheese, onions, and cilantro, all on a crispy-thin pizza crust. Our version takes what’s great about the traditional ‘za and makes it better! I mean, who wouldn’t love this clean-eating bbq chicken pizza? It’s got the sweet and tangy sauce, roasted chicken, melty mozzarella, but then we add fresh veggies to increase the nutritional value (and make it more colorful!) Health experts agree that we should be “eating the rainbow” on the regular to make sure we’re getting a wide range of nutrients! This pizza is a great and tasty way to do so. And of course, we’ve got the crispy crust, down, too! That all sounds ah-mazing! But what makes it so easy?
An Easier Version of the Classic
We’re so glad you asked…there are several things:
- What really makes our pizza stand out is our version of the crispy crust. The crust is made of tortillas! No sticky, sweaty dough pounding and rising necessary. We use whole-wheat tortillas in place of white flour tortillas for extra fiber and nutritional value.
- The chicken can be purchased already cooked. Virtually every store has its version of a “grab and go” roast chicken, right?
- A few sliced fresh peppers and squash will provide extra vitamins and flavor, without adding fat or carbs. They’ll add some filling “bulk” to the pizza, as well.
- A “nearly-homemade” barbecue sauce allows you to control what’s in it, instead of relying on packaged brands which frequently contain excessive sugar and preservatives. That said, feel free to use your favorite storebought brand if you’re in a pinch.
Putting it All Together
First, you’ll make the barbecue sauce as directed, sautéing the garlic in olive oil until softened, but not browned, then adding the tomato ingredients, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper off-heat.
Briefly sauté your bell pepper and squash slices to give them a bit of a pre-cook before they go on the pizza. Top each of the tortilla “crusts” with some BBQ sauce, the chicken, veggies, and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melty and the tortillas are crisp. Top with thinly sliced green onions (or, you are welcome to substitute cilantro if you want to keep to the original flavor profile!)
Carbs are cut and oven time is minimal, which means dinner comes together quickly with more time to enjoy the end product. Not only is this pizza faster than take-out, but healthier, too!
The Perfect Side Dishes
While these tortilla pizzas are wonderfully filling on their own, sometimes you just want a little more variety in your meal! And while people usually pair pizza with salad or breadsticks, we like to change things up! So, what’s the best side for this BBQ chicken pizza? Well, we think anything that would normally go with barbecue chicken or pulled pork pairs great with this pizza, too! Consider making any of these recipes alongside our barbecue chicken pizzas, as they will all complement each other beautifully!
How are you going to serve this clean eating bbq chicken pizza? On it’s own or with some sides? Let us know in the comment section, below!
Clean Eating BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
Barbecue Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce, canned
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pizzas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper large, thinly sliced
- 2 yellow squash medium, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 whole-wheat tortillas 8 inch
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken shredded or leftover cooked chicken
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese part-skim, shredded
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or until tender.
- Remove from heat, and stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, molasses, honey, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add bell pepper and squash, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
- Place tortillas on a lightly greased baking sheet. (Note: unless you can use multiple baking sheets at once, you will probably only be able to cook two pizzas at a time.)
- Spread 2 tablespoons Barbecue Sauce over each tortilla; top evenly with chicken, vegetable mixture, and cheese.
- Bake 15 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas are crisp.
- Sprinkle with green onion just before serving.
Nutrition Information
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Want more nutritious and delicious pizza recipes? We’ve got you covered! Try these next!
- Easy Grilled Pizza with Honey Wheat Crust
- Spring Asparagus and Turkey Bacon Pizza
- Super Easy Skillet Pizza
- Thin Crust Spinach and Egg Breakfast Pizza
Want a new spin on pizza? Give our Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake a try! It’s a delicious casserole full of you favorite pizza ingredients and flavors!
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What temperature for baking?
375 degrees F, Cori