Buffalo chicken pizza has become a beloved menu item across pizzerias in America. The tangy spicy flavors of buffalo sauce combined with chicken cheese, and other delicious toppings make this pizza a can’t-miss treat. But what exactly goes into crafting the perfect buffalo chicken pizza? In this article, we’ll break down the key components of this mouthwatering pie.
A Flavorful Foundation – The Pizza Crust and Sauce
The base of any great pizza is the crust and sauce. For buffalo chicken pizza, you’ll want a crust that can hold up to the abundant toppings while still getting perfectly crisp. Many recipes call for a thin crispy crust to provide that desired texture. Using fresh dough or a pre-made crust both work well.
When it comes to the sauce for buffalo chicken pizza you have a few tasty options
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Buffalo Sauce: Spreading traditional buffalo wing sauce as a base adds plenty of tangy heat throughout each bite. Go light on the sauce to keep the crust from getting soggy.
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Ranch Dressing: Ranch adds a cool, creamy counterpoint to the spicy chicken. Swap in blue cheese dressing for an extra buffalo flavor kick.
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Tomato/Pizza Sauce: For a more familiar pizza sauce flavor, use a blend of tomato sauce and hot sauce. The tomato sauce helps balance out the heat.
No matter which sauce you choose, applying it sparingly prevents the crust from getting too soggy after baking.
Packing on the Protein – Chicken and Cheese
Now, let’s talk about the ingredients that really make this pizza sing – the chicken and cheese!
The Chicken: The star of the show is juicy, shredded chicken coated in buffalo sauce. You can bake or grill chicken breasts or thighs and then toss the shredded meat in sauce. Make sure each piece gets nicely coated for full-on flavor.
The Cheese: For optimal flavor and meltiness, a combo of mozzarella and blue cheese is best. The mild mozzarella provides the traditional gooey pizza cheese base while crumbles of blue cheese pump up the buffalo flavor intensity. Cheddar or cream cheese also work well.
Covering the chicken pieces generously with cheese ensures you get ooey-gooey cheese pull in every slice.
Pile On the Veggies and Extras
What transforms basic buffalo chicken pizza to exceptional is taking it over the top with fun veggies and toppings. Here are some tasty add-ons to consider:
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Red Onions: Thinly sliced red onions add a pleasant crunch and subtle sweetness to balance the spice.
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Celery: Diced celery is a classic pairing with buffalo flavors. Mix it in or use as a fresh garnish.
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Green Peppers: Sliced peppers bring a crisp, juicy texture and touch of freshness.
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Fresh Herbs: A sprinkle of chopped cilantro or parsley gives a final punch of color and brightness.
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Ranch or Blue Cheese Drizzle: Drizzling on even more of those cool, creamy sauces takes the flavors up another notch.
With your crust, sauce, chicken, cheese, and toppings all loaded up, it’s time to bring this buffalo masterpiece together!
Baking Your Masterpiece
Preparing your loaded pizza for baking takes just a few simple steps:
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Preheat your oven nice and hot, around 450°F to crispen the crust.
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Layer on your sauces, meats, cheeses, and veggies in that order for ideal baking.
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Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and the chicken and veggies are cooked through.
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Finish with any final drizzles of sauce or herbs to garnish.
Pull your piping hot buffalo chicken pizza from the oven, slice up, and get ready for your new favorite Friday night meal!
Customize It Your Way
The fun of cooking is taking a classic recipe and making it your own. Feel free to customize your buffalo chicken pizza to suit your tastes:
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Spice It Up: Use extra hot sauce and sprinkle on jalapeños for added heat.
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Go Cheese Crazy: Pile on extra mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack – anything melty you love!
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Add Personality: Mix in your favorite veggies like mushrooms, caramelized onions, or pineapple for unique flavor combos.
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Lower the Calorie Count: Opt for low-fat cheese and lighter buffalo sauce to make a healthier version.
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Go Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free cauliflower crust or pizza dough alternative.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when crafting your own personalized buffalo chicken pizza!
Enjoy this Crowd-Pleaser
When made right, buffalo chicken pizza is a definite crowd-pleaser any time of year. The spicy and savory flavors make it perfect for:
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Game day parties – Serve pizza fresh out the oven for the big game.
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Movie nights – Few things beat pizza and a movie with friends.
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Potlucks – This pizza travels well for any party or work event.
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Kids’ dinners – Most kids love pizza night, and this type will be a hit.
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Solo dinners – Why yes, you can absolutely have this entire delicious pie to yourself!
Buffalo chicken pizza is easy to make, fun to customize, and always satisfying to eat. So gather your ingredients and get ready to whip up this flavor-packed fan favorite. Just follow the steps above for pie perfection in every bite.
How do you make the buffalo chicken for this pizza?
To make this buffalo chicken pizza, you can use the leftovers from any buffalo chicken recipe, but if you don’t have a buffalo chicken recipe to use, this is how I make my buffalo chicken in the slow cooker:
- Place the chicken at the bottom of the slow cooker, and add 1 cup of Buffalo sauce per pound of chicken. If you’re cooking a lot of chicken at once (I did 4 lbs.), add a bit of water and/or chicken broth so the chicken is almost completely covered.
- Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for up to 8 hours. (I’m very paranoid and always use my meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.)
- Twenty minutes before the end of the cooking time, open the crock pot, remove most of the cooking liquid, and set aside. Place the cream cheese on top of the chicken, replace the lid, and cook for another 20ish minutes. The cream cheese won’t melt but it will soften enough to be mixed in. Add another 3/4 cup (or more) of the buffalo sauce to the chicken.
- Use two forks or a mixer to shred the chicken and blend in the cheese and sauce. (I used my hand mixer, and it works great!) Add some of the chicken cooking liquid back into the chicken mixture a spoonful at a time so the buffalo chicken is super moist and juicy but not dripping.
Did You Make This Buffalo Chicken Pizza?
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Buffalo Chicken Pizza! What’s for Dinner? Noreen’s Kitchen
FAQ
What toppings go on buffalo chicken pizza?
Juicy shredded chicken is the star of the show. It’s bathed in a tangy, creamy mixture of ranch dressing and buffalo sauce and placed on a pizza crust along with lots of mozzarella cheese, blue cheese, and thinly sliced red onions.
What toppings are on Dominos buffalo chicken pizza?
Buffalo Chicken: grilled chicken breast, fresh onions, provolone, American cheese, cheddar, and cheese made with 100% real mozzarella — all drizzled with a hot buffalo sauce.
What makes a buffalo style pizza?
What makes this pizza so unique is the combination of tangy buffalo sauce, succulent chicken, and melted cheese, all on top of a crispy crust.Dec 21, 2023