Maybe it’s just me, but 60 degree weather the beginning of March has me thinking of SUMMER! And all of the greatness that goes with those long, hot days….such as breaking out the grill! Check out this recipe for Grilled BBQ Pizza to add to your summertime recipes!
The Inspiration.
Right after the first of the year, my husband and I took our belated honeymoon up to Ketchum, Idaho. This is where we discovered the one and only “Santa Cruz BBQ Pizza”.
As we wandered our little mountain home for the week, we stumbled across not only some of the best skiing views around, but also a cozy pizza place called Smoky Mountain Pizzeria.
If you ever find yourself heading to Ketchum, definitely check out Smoky Mountain! It’s got a small town feel with big mountain views!
This pizza though…. Between a creamy, garlic white sauce spread on a crispy but chewy crust, to bbq chicken topped with cheese and fresh jalapeños, the Santa Cruz was a memorable journey for the taste buds!
Once we returned to Nebraska, I immediately tried my hand at recreating this grilled bbq pizza.
The biggest concern I had was the crust. I may be biased but I think it’s pretty tough to replace a brick-fired pizza!
Not having a brick stove at handily at my disposable, it was time for plan B!
The GRILL!
The Grill??
Last summer we joined the pellet grill club and got a Pit Boss 820 pellet grill. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to a regular gas grill again. Being able to either grill or smoke food on the Pit Boss is the absolute BEST of both worlds. 10/10 recommend trying a pellet grill if you haven’t already!
Bryce and I have used the grill on occasion to cook a frozen pizza. However, we had never tried using the grill for a homemade pizza.
After trying it once with a homemade pizza, I was hooked!!!
Depending on the type of pizza, using a pellet grill (or any grill) is pretty straight forward. If it’s a frozen pizza you’re cooking, simply throw it on the grill at 350-400 degrees until the bottom crust is browned and your cheese is melted!
If you’re making a homemade pizza, it’s a bit of a different story and a little extra work…BUT definitely worth it!
The Crust.
As with any part of life, all good things must start somewhere. In this case, it’s the crust. Having a good homemade dough recipe for pizza, stromboli, etc is essential in my kitchen. Or if you’re looking for something quicker try using a pre-made pizza crust you can find at the grocery store!
My go to crust recipe is actually a recipe from my sister-in-laws kitchen and has been tested tried and true for many years with her family!
If you don’t have a favorite go-to dough recipe yet, check out Syd’s Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe here!
The Process.
Once mixed up, roll your pizza dough onto a baking stone or old pizza pan and then put on the grill at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
By cooking the dough on a pan over the grill first, you’re able to evenly “flash bake” the crust, to give it the crispy outside. Also, if you don’t “flash bake” your crust at first, there is the concern of dough slipping through the grill grates while baking.
After the dough has firmed up during “flash bake”, the baking stone or pizza pan can be slid out from under the crust. This will leave just the crust baking on the grill grate.
I highly recommend keeping a close eye on the dough while it continues to cook during the remaining time (listed in the recipe below). It has a tendency to cook fast and will need to be flipped fairly often to ensure even cooking.
Once your crust is lightly browned on both sides and slightly crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, you’re ready to start building the pizza!
You might think this is odd, especially when looking at the title of this recipe, but the main sauce for the pizza is a creamy, garlic Alfredo sauce…
The Alfredo Sauce..?
BBQ chicken and bacon on top of Alfredo sauce! It’s quite the combo!
You can easily make your own Alfredo or using a jar of Alfredo sauce from the store is perfectly acceptable as well!
Once the crust and sauce are ready, the pizza process is on the down hill slide. All that’s left at this point is just the addition of BBQ chicken, bacon, and your favorite toppings, and you’ll be having grilled bbq pizza in minutes!
Have your own favorite type of pizza? Drop me a comment below with your favorite pizza! I’d love to hear from you!
DON’T WANT TO MISS A THING?
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest! Or why not subscribe to The Farmer’s Wife to get all of the latest family favorites from The Cookbook and updates of Life on the Farm?
-The Farmer’s Wife-
Grilled BBQ Pizza
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- ½ green pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 2 fresh jalapenos, de-seeded and sliced (optional)
- 1/2 package bacon, crispy and diced
- 1-2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2-3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 recipe of Syd's Pizza Dough
Instructions
- Prepare a half batch of Syd's Pizza Dough or other homemade/pre-made pizza dough.
- Pre-heat grill to 350°.
- Roll pizza dough out into desired size. Place on a baking stone or pizza pan.
- Put prepared crust on pre-heated grill (with baking stone/pan) for 5 minutes, or until dough is starting to firm up and form a crusty outside.
- Meanwhile, cook diced chicken breasts over medium heat, and sprinkle with seasonings.
- After chicken is cooked, toss pieces in your favorite BBQ sauce until well coated.
- Cook crust for an additional 5-10 minutes on each side until both sides are golden brown and to a desired level of crispiness.
- Spoon on pizza sauce and distribute evenly while crust is on grill.
- Sprinkle BBQ chicken, diced bacon, and additional toppings and cheese over pizza.
- Cook until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply