This pizza topped with chicken and barbecue sauce is a tasty departure from the traditional tomato-sauce-and-cheese-topped pie. To start, make the pizza dough. While it’s rising, put together the easy sauce. Then stretch out the dough; top it with the sauce, smoked Gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, shredded chicken, and slices of red onion; and bake until the crust is browned and crisp. Wash it all down with a refreshing beer cocktail.

Game plan: The dough can be made through step 4 and left to rise in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to make the pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature in the covered bowl while the oven is heating, at least 30 minutes. Then proceed with shaping the dough and topping it.

The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated in a container with a tightfitting lid for up to 4 days.

  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Total: 2 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients (19)

For the dough:

  • 3/4 cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating the bowl
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the barbecue sauce:

  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light or dark molasses (not blackstrap)
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped

For the pizza:

  • 8 ounces shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 cups)
  • 6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

For the dough:

  1. Whisk the water and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside until the mixture bubbles, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the flour, measured oil, and salt and mix on low speed until the dough just starts to come together and looks shaggy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is elastic and smooth, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, coat a large bowl with a thin layer of oil and set it aside.
  4. When the dough is ready, form it into a ball, place it in the oiled bowl, and turn to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
  5. Let the dough rest in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

For the barbecue sauce:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, whisking occasionally, until the flavors have mingled and the sauce has reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature.

For the pizza:

  1. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, turn it out onto a work surface, and form it into a ball. Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 525°F and arrange a rack on the bottom.
  2. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet. Using your hands, stretch and shape it into a rough 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Using a fork, prick the dough all over, being careful not to poke all the way through.
  3. Evenly spread all of the cooled barbecue sauce over the dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Evenly scatter the chicken over the sauce, sprinkle both cheeses over the chicken, and scatter the onion over the cheese.
  4. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into slices, and serve.