As a lover of all things cheesy, spicy, and saucy, I was intrigued when I first heard of the buffalo chicken pizza. This mashup of classic pizza and hot wing flavors seemed too good to be true! So I decided to dig into the components of this craveable dish to understand what makes it so addictively delicious.
An Overview of Buffalo Chicken Pizza
For the uninitiated, buffalo chicken pizza brings together pizza dough, chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, melty cheeses, and sometimes ranch or blue cheese drizzle. It’s like taking the best flavors of hot wings and turning them into pizza form!
The star ingredient is the buffalo sauce – that iconic tangy, buttery sauce spiked with hot peppers that originated in (you guessed it) Buffalo, New York. When paired with tender chicken and ooey-gooey cheeses atop a crispy crust, you’ve got a slice of heaven.
While recipes can vary, most buffalo chicken pizzas include the following core components:
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Pizza dough – The foundation can be homemade or store-bought. A crispy, chewy crust holds all the delicious toppings.
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Shredded chicken – Cooked chicken breast or thighs are shredded and sauced for optimal coverage.
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Buffalo sauce – The namesake that delivers addictive heat and flavor. Frank’s RedHot is the OG.
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Cheese – Goopy mozzarella and crumbles of tangy blue cheese are classic
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Ranch or blue cheese drizzle – Taking cues from wing accompaniments.
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Onions – Sliced red onions or scallions add some bite.
With this winning combo of components, it’s easy to see why buffalo chicken pizza has earned a cult following Now let’s break down what exactly goes into making this bad boy
Constructing the Perfect Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Being somewhat of a pizza connoisseur after eating it at least once a week for the past 15 years, I like to think I know a thing or two about building the optimal pizza. And buffalo chicken pizza is no exception.
Through painstaking first-hand research and one too many 2am slices I’ve identified the keys to pizza greatness
1. Start with a sturdy, crispy crust
The base sets the stage – go for a crust that’s sturdy enough to hold all the toppings but thin enough to get crispy and golden brown. I’m a firm believer in making your own dough from scratch for superior texture and flavor. But store-bought fresh dough or even a pre-made crust will do just fine too.
2. Load up on the cheese
Let’s be real – the cheese pull is the best part of any pizza. With buffalo chicken pizza, a mix of mozzarella and blue cheese is clutch. The mozz melts smoothly while the blue cheese crumbles add tang. Aim for 75% mozz, 25% blue for ideal cheese coverage.
3. Sauce it up with authentic buffalo sauce
Buffalo sauce is the lifeblood of this pizza. For maximum flavor, make it from scratch by combining hot sauce (Franks if you can find it), butter, and seasonings. The butter balances out the heat. Tailor the spiciness to your tastes.
4. Pile on the chicken
Shredded rotisserie chicken is my go-to for an easy protein boost. For extra flavor, toss the shredded chicken in some of the buffalo sauce before scattering it over the cheese. This amps up the saucy chicken goodness in every bite.
5. Top with contrasting textures
A sprinkle of red onions and scallions adds nice texture and crunch to balance the tender chicken, melty cheese, and soft dough. Those tiny pops of onion are so satisfying.
6. Finish with drizzled dressing
A final drizzle of creamy ranch or blue cheese dressing pulls the whole masterpiece together. It cools down the heat and complements the other flavors perfectly.
Elevating Your Buffalo Chicken Pizza Game
Once you’ve mastered the basics, there are plenty of ways to customize your buffalo chicken pizza and make it your own:
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Mix up the hot sauces – sriracha, gochujang, harissa, etc.
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Add diced celery for more crunch.
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Swap in pepper jack or cheddar for melty spice.
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Garnish with fresh parsley, cilantro or chives.
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Stir ranch seasoning into the buffalo sauce.
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Top with crispy bacon crumbles – trust me.
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Drizzle with barbecue sauce for sweetness.
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Make it even saucier with buffalo chicken dip on top.
The possibilities are truly endless when you’re working with such decadent ingredients. I say embrace your creative license and get weird with different flavor combos.
Indulging in Buffalo Chicken Pizza to My Heart’s Content
I think it’s quite clear that I have a special place in my heart (and stomach) for buffalo chicken pizza. The nostalgic flavors bring me right back to carefree weekends spent with friends crushing a couple slices after a night out.
It’s the ultimate comfort food that soothes my soul and satisfies my spice-loving palette. I’ll gladly keep singing the praises of this indulgent pizza creation any chance I get. From the addictively hot and tangy buffalo sauce to the three cheese blend to the peppery onions – every element works in perfect harmony.
So do yourself a favor and whip up a buffalo chicken pizza ASAP. Just be warned that you won’t be able to go back to plain cheese pizza ever again. Embrace the magic my friends, and get ready for your new pizza obsession.
Buffalo Chicken Pizza RecipeBuffalo Chicken Pizza is the easy dinner recipe of your dreams. Very little prep, simple ingredients, and it’s ready in under 30 minutes.
- ▢ Pizza stone or large baking sheet
- ▢ Large sheet of foil
- ▢ 1 ball pizza dough (12 to 16 ounces, 340 to 450g)
- ▢ ¼ cup buffalo sauce plus more for serving (60mL)
- ▢ ¼ cup Ranch dressing plus more for serving (60mL)
- ▢ 1½ cups shredded cooked chicken (200g)
- ▢ 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (170g)
- ▢ ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (42g)
- ▢ ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (25g)
- ▢ 2 green onions thinly sliced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. (If you have a pizza stone, place it on the middle rack in the oven before preheating.)
- Ensure that the pizza dough has risen properly, then stretch it into a 12- to 14-inch circle on a large sheet tray (or piece of foil sprayed with olive oil spray if you are baking with a pizza stone).
- In a medium bowl, stir to combine the buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Spread one-half of this mixture all over the pizza crust, leaving about a 1-inch border at the edges. In the same bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the remaining sauce mixture.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella and blue cheese in an even layer over the top of the pizza sauce. Top evenly with the chicken and red onion.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cheese is melted all over. (If you use a stone, place the entire piece of foil with the pizza on the stone. If you make the pizza on the sheet tray, you can either place that on the stone or the oven rack.)
- Drizzle with more buffalo sauce and/or ranch dressing if you like and top with green onions and parsley.
- The best store-bought pizza dough to use: You can use a ball of fresh pizza dough purchased from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The dough should weigh about 12 to 16 ounces in order to be the correct size for this recipe. I do not recommend using canned pizza dough.
- If your dough feels sticky or tacky, lightly flour the dough and baking sheet before shaping the dough. For the pan, you can use all-purpose flour, semolina, or fine cornmeal. Use regular AP flour for the dough, if needed.
- If you want to use a pizza stone, place it on the middle rack in the oven before preheating the oven. Stretch the pizza dough on a piece of aluminum foil sprayed with olive oil to prevent sticking. When ready to bake, place the piece of foil with the assembled pizza on it directly onto the pizza stone.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
Storage: Once completely cooled, store leftover buffalo chicken pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Store cooled pizza in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: If you’re a fan of cold pizza, feel free to eat buffalo chicken pizza straight out of the fridge! To reheat it, pop refrigerated or frozen leftover pizza onto a baking sheet and warm in the oven at 350°F until heated through. You can also air fry the pieces at 325°F for 3 to 5 minutes.
“Buffalo Chicken Pizza with 112g Protein?! Only 863 Calories for the WHOLE LARGE Pizza”
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 tastes good with buffalo chicken?
Buffalo wings are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing for dipping. It is a bold, spicy flavor that works well with the cooling and smooth texture of the ranch dressing or bleu cheese.
What toppings are good on a chicken pizza?
- Buffalo Sauce and Ranch and/or Blue Cheese. That’s right – we’re talking about buffalo chicken pizza! …
- Bacon. Two different meats on one pizza? …
- Garlic. …
- Bell Peppers. …
- Pesto. …
- Gorgonzola Cheese.