Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 475–500°F (as hot as it goes). Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside to preheat — at least 30 minutes for best crust results.
- Prep toppings: Cook bacon until crisp and crumble. Toss diced chicken with ¼ cup Mild BBQ Sauce for extra flavor. Thinly slice red onion.
- Shape dough: On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll dough into a 12–14-inch round or rectangle. Transfer to parchment paper.
- Sauce: Spread ½–¾ cup Mild BBQ Sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border for the crust.
- Top: Sprinkle 1½ cups mozzarella over the sauce. Top evenly with BBQ chicken, crumbled bacon, and red onion slices. Finish with remaining cheese.
- Bake: Slide pizza onto the preheated stone or pan. Bake 12–18 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned (rotate halfway for even baking).
- Finish: Remove from oven. Sprinkle generously with Kinder's Red Jalapeño Garlic Seasoning and fresh cilantro. Let rest 3–5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Notes
- Preheat your surface — A hot pizza stone or inverted baking sheet is the non-negotiable. Give it a full 30 minutes in the oven before the pizza goes in. Cold surface = pale, soft crust with no structure. The thermal mass of a preheated stone is what drives the crispy bottom.
- Sauce the chicken first — Toss the diced chicken in ¼ cup of Mild BBQ Sauce before building the pizza. That pre-coat layers flavor into the chicken itself, not just around it. Unsauced toppings don't develop the same way under the cheese.
- Season post-bake, not pre-bake — Kinder's Red Jalapeño Garlic Seasoning goes on after the pizza is out of the oven. Baked spice loses its brightness. Applied fresh, the garlic punch and pepper heat come through clean and sharp against the richness of the cheese.
- Stretch the dough thin — Pull the dough as thin as you can. Thin crust crisps faster and holds toppings without going doughy in the center. If the dough springs back, rest it 10 minutes and try again — the gluten needs to relax.
- Control the sauce layer — Thin and even is the only way to apply the BBQ sauce base. Too much creates steam that prevents the crust from setting. Aim for full coverage with no pooling — ½ to ¾ cup for a 12–14-inch round.
- Serve alongside a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. The acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese and bacon better than anything heavier would. Dress it light — the pizza doesn't need competition.
- Extra Kinder's Mild BBQ Sauce on the side works as a dipping sauce for the crust. You've already built the pizza around it; there's no reason to change for the dip.
- Ranch dressing is the classic move if you want cooling contrast to the jalapeño garlic finish. The creamy notes play directly against the heat and garlic, and the pairing holds up. Keep it cold — warm ranch doesn't do the same thing.
- For a fuller spread, add a simple vinegar-dressed coleslaw or crispy potato wedges baked before the pizza goes in.
- Store leftover pizza in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don't stack slices without parchment between them — the cheese sticks.
- The best reheat is a skillet over medium heat with a lid on for 3–4 minutes. The bottom crisps back up and the cheese re-melts without getting tough or rubbery.
- A 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes works for multiple slices at once. Place directly on the rack for a crisper bottom — a baking sheet underneath softens it.
- Skip the microwave. It steams the crust and it doesn't recover.