Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Pizza night is always special at our house and a favorite meal for kids and adults alike. Crispy, thin crust pizza is everyone's  preference around here. We also use it for entertaining, letting guests top their own pizzas or cutting individual pizzas into small slices and serving them as hors d'ouevres.

The pizza sauce recipe is a hybrid tomato and barbecue sauce.  You can use a smoky BBQ sauce from the store or try this homemade version.

I love turning almost any pizza into a calzone. Here I used a half ball of dough, about 4 1/2 ounces, and rolled it out to about a 8 inch round. I then  added about half the amount of toppings that I would use on a pizza, keeping them on one half of the dough about an inch away from the edges. Pinch the edges together and roll and fold the edge of the semicircle toward the center to seal. Cut a couple of small slits in the top with the tip of a sharp knife and cook on a pizza stone as you would the pizza for up to 12 minutes.

Barbecue Chicken Calzone

Pizza Dough

Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas

• Approximately 6 cups 00 Tipo Flour (the recipe will work with all purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional, omit for crispier crust)

Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.

NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

BBQ Pizza Sauce

In a large saucepan sauté for one minute

• 4 cloves minced garlic in
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil

Add:

• 4 cups San Marzano canned tomatoes, pureed (or canned plum tomatoes)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp sweet basil
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ cup of your favorite smoky barbeque sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional) or 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Simmer all ingredients together over low heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Toppings choose any you like :

Grilled boneless skinless chicken breast cut in slices.
Pre-cooked bacon
Kalamata olives
Roasted red peppers
Sautéed red onion
Cheese: Use any combination you like cheddar, mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.

I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.

 Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.

Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Updated. Originally published October 5, 2007.