Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Caramelized Onion Pizza!!! The first time that my husband and son started ordering bbq pizza from our favorite pizza place, my thought was YUCK! And, I don’t believe that I tasted it for at least a year! BUT, one day I tried it and I was hooked! The sweet bbq sauce and the toppings of chicken and veggies were so delicious! So, I have created the perfect Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza.
My husband, Gerald, loves bbq pizza so much that I thought why can’t I make one at home! Our pizza place is over 30 miles away and not possible for a week night dinner. We have made homemade pizzas for years, but never a BBQ PIZZA. Usually, we make our dough from scratch, but pizza doughs can easily be found at your local supermarket.
Can you cook pizza on a baking sheet?
Yes, I have always baked my pizzas on a cookie sheet. I know that you can buy pizza pans, but a sheet pan or cookie sheet is what I have always had on hand and it bakes up the pizzas perfect!
What is sheet pan pizza?
A sheet pan pizza or sheet pizza is a thin crust style pizza. This pizza is baking on a baking sheet, for example, like a rectangular cookie sheet. Then, the pizza is cut into square or rectangular slices. Even though most sheet pan pizzas are thin crust some of my family likes a thicker crust, so I make both thin crust pizza and thick crust pizza on sheet pans.
I was actually making “sheet pan pizza” before I knew that it had a name, because those were the pans that I had available, LOL!
How big is a sheet pan pizza?
I have different sizes of sheet pans, because I have 6 people in my household, so how much pizza I need to fix depends on how many people are eating pizza. I have one kid who only wants pizza sauce and cheese, one kid who wants onions and some who don’t want onions and so on. So, I may fix a large Italian sausage pizza, but a small one without toppings for Gabe. But, y’all get the idea that any size sheet pan will work depending on how much pizza that you would like to make.
Here is a pic of one of the pizza that I made, LOL. Some with no cheese or no meat or no caramelized onions or just raw veggies OR JUST PIZZA SAUCE! LOL!
Let’s just say no one likes the same kind of pizza!! LOL
There are five industry-standard baking sheet sizes.
- Full-Size = 18” x 26”
- 2/3 Size = 16” x 22”
- 1/2 Size = 13” x 18”
- 1/4 Size = 9 1/2” x 13”
- 1/8 Size = 6 1/2″ x 9 1/2”
How many slices in a sheet pan pizza?
Depending on the size of slices that you cut, here are some average slice amount:
- 9″x13″ pan: 12 slices
- 13″x18″ pan: 20 slices
- 18″x26″ pan: 40 slices
What temperature do you bake a pizza sheet? And, how long do I bake a pizza?
Typically, I bake my pizzas at 375 degrees and preheat your oven before you add your pizza. I have my oven rack in the middle position and I bake for 15-20 minutes or until my pizza is golden brown. Around my house these times will vary, because I like my crust REALLY brown, but not everyone does, so just keep an eye on your pizza until it’s as brown as you would like it to be.
Should I oil the baking sheet for pizza?
YES, the crust will definitely stick if you do not grease your baking sheet very well before cooking your pizza or you can add a sheet of parchment paper to the sheet pan.
What toppings are on a sheet pan bbq chicken and caramelized onion pizza?
Toppings can vary, but here are the ingredients that I have chosen for my bbq chicken pizza:
- cooked and shredded chicken breast – salt & black pepper – Cook the chicken either in a crockpot the morning of or cook in a skillet. You can either shred the chicken breast or cut it up into strips
- onion and bell pepper – sauteed in olive oil and some left raw (because Gerald likes his raw and not cooked, LOL)
- bbq sauce
- shredded cheese
- ranch dressing
- pizza dough – store bought or hand made, my recipe is in the this post.
- chopped parsley (optional)
Can I add other toppings to my sheet pan pizza? Yes, of course, there are so many toppings to choose from. My husband loves pineapple and Canadian bacon. My favorite is Italian sausage, jalapenos and black olives, so the choices are endless. Here are a few ideas:
- pineapple
- bell pepper
- onion
- black olives
- mushrooms
- Italian sausage, ham, chicken, Canadian bacon, breakfast bacon, taco meat
Can I cook my sheet pan bbq chicken in a crockpot or skillet?
What I like to do is cook a couple pounds of chicken in the crockpot for several meals. However, you can always cook your chicken right before you make your pizza.
What if I forget to thaw out my chicken? If I don’t remember to thaw out my chicken, I like to buy these bags of chicken that can be added to a skillet frozen, they are individually frozen, then I add a lid and they cook up perfect and quick.
How do I make a sheet pan bbq chicken and caramelized onion pizza? (scroll down for full printable recipe)
- Brown chicken in a skillet with a little olive oil OR cook in a crockpot of high for 4 hours
- Cut chicken up or shred the chicken breasts
- Take a medium size skillet and saute onions in a little olive oil
- Make pizza dough or buy a pizza dough from the supermarket. Pizza dough recipe is in the post.
- Cook pizza dough for 25-30 minutes, then remove from oven to add toppings.
- Brush BBQ sauce on to the pizza dough
- Add chicken to the pizza
- Add caramelized onion
- Add shredded cheese to the pizza and bake until cheese is completely melted.
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Caramelized Onion Pizza
Best ever BBQ Pizza! With sweet tangy BBQ sauce, juicy chicken and caramelized onions all on a handmade pizza dough!
Ingredients
- 1 lb of cooked chicken breast
- 1/2 cup sweet honey bbq sauce
- 1 onion (raw or caramelized)
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- pizza dough
Instructions
- Cook chicken in a skillet with a little olive oil or cook in a crockpot on high for 4 hours
- Cut up the chicken or shred it
- Take a medium size skillet and saute the onions in a little olive oil
- Make a pizza dough or use a store bought one
- Bake pizza dough at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes
- Take pizza dough out of oven and add toppings
- Spread BBQ sauce onto the pizza dough
- Add the cooked chicken
- Add the onions, raw OR caramelized
- Add shredded cheese
- Bake until the cheese is completely melted.
Notes
Pizza dough recipe:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 (.25 oz) package of active dry yeast
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 + 1/4 cup warm water
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Add ALL INGREDIENTS to a bowl and using your dough hook (standup mixer) mix until combined.
3. Next spray a sheet pan (9in x 13in) with oil and spray hands (to keep dough from sticking to your hands while you spread it out in the pan)
4. Place dough onto baking sheet and spread and smooth out with your hands to fill the sheet pan.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until underside is beginning to brown.
6. Remove pizza dough from oven and add toppings, then return to oven and bake until cheese is melted completely.
What can I do with leftover sheet pan bbq chicken and caramelized onion pizza?
Well, if you have any leftovers, you can place the pizza into an airtight container for 3-4 days. Place a couple of slices into meal prep bowls and take for lunch the next day.
Can sheet pan bbq chicken pizza slices be frozen? Yes, I have froze pizza many times. I place the slices into a gallon bag and into the freezer.
Try some of our other recipes!
- Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich with Sweet Chili Mayo
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch
- Easy Garlic Bread Casserole
- The Easiest Chicken Pot Pies
- Easy Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Savory Brown Sugar Meatloaf
