Amazing 22-Minute Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

Oh, summer! Is there anything better than having the entire kitchen heat stay outside where it belongs? I’ve spent years perfecting my outdoor cooking game, and I’m not just talking about burgers and dogs anymore. We are talking about pizza, my friend! Forget soggy takeout when the sun is shining. The real magic happens when you get a crisp, slightly smoky crust right over those hot coals.

I swear, grilling a pizza changes everything. You get that perfect char on the bottom while the toppings meld together under the dome of the grill lid. It’s fast, it’s fun, and honestly, it just tastes better when you’ve got a cold drink in hand watching the smoke curl up. Trust me on this one: This recipe for a Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza is my absolute go-to. It comes together ridiculously fast—we’re talking less than 30 minutes total—but the flavor payoff? Massive. You’re going to totally knock everyone’s socks off!

I still remember the first time I tried this; I was worried about the dough sticking, but once you get the hang of that first flip, you’re golden. If you want to see an earlier version of my grilling adventures, check out my tips for a great Father’s Day pizza right here: Father’s Day Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza in 25 Min. But for today, we’re sticking to the classic BBQ style. Let’s get those grills fired up!

Why This Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza Recipe Works So Well

Honestly, the best thing about this whole process is how unbelievably simple it is to pull off something that tastes like you slaved over it all afternoon. We aren’t fussy cooks here; we want maximum flavor for minimum effort, especially when the weather is this nice. This method guarantees success:

• It’s ridiculously fast! Seriously, the whole thing takes about 22 minutes from start to finish.
• You get that perfect, chewy, slightly charred crust that your indoor oven just can’t replicate.
• It uses store-bought shortcuts without feeling like cheating. Hello, rotisserie chicken!

Quick Prep Time for Your Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

I am a firm believer that your free summer time is too valuable to spend chopping for hours. That’s why I love this recipe. With just 10 minutes of prep time, you’re basically just spreading sauce and sprinkling cheese. Since we rely on that pre-made dough, we skip the fermentation and waiting game completely. It means you can decide on pizza for dinner five minutes before you want to eat.

The Secret to a Perfectly Cooked Crust

This is the whole reason we drag the grill out! When you put the dough directly onto those hot grates, you get immediate, high-intensity heat from the bottom up. That blast sets the crust fast, giving it those gorgeous grill marks and an amazing smoky background note you just can’t get indoors. It becomes crisp underneath but stays airy—the ideal structure for our Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza.

Gather Your Ingredients for the Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

Okay, time to look at what we need. Even though this is fast, we need to make sure everything is ready to go before the grill gets hot, because once that dough is on, things move quickly! I always keep my pantry stocked with good BBQ sauce for impromptu nights. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could whip up a batch of homemade sauce—I even have my favorite recipe if you’re interested in checking out The Best Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe.

For this specific Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza, here’s the lineup you need:

• You need one pre-made pizza dough—about 12 inches is perfect. Don’t fuss with making it from scratch today!
• Half a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce.
• One full cup of already cooked, shredded chicken breast. Rotisserie chicken is my secret weapon here!
• One cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and half a cup of Monterey Jack cheese—that combo melts like a dream.
• A quarter cup of red onion, which you absolutely must thinly slice.
• Two tablespoons of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped for sprinkling on top at the very end.
• And just a little olive oil for brushing the dough.

That’s it! See? No weird stuff. Just good, simple toppings ready for the heat.

Essential Equipment for Making Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

You don’t need some fancy outdoor pizza oven setup for this, which is fantastic news! We’re keeping it simple, relying mostly on the gear you probably already have sitting in your garage. The main star, obviously, is your grill. It doesn’t matter if it’s gas or charcoal, though I personally find gas easier for temperature control when I’m rushing.

But you absolutely need a few key accessories to make the transfer and flipping painless. Trust me, wrestling a floppy, sauced piece of dough is not fun! Here’s what you’ll want handy right next to your station:

• Your Grill: Cleaned and preheated! That’s non-negotiable for good grill marks.
• A Basting Brush: You need this to get the olive oil evenly spread on the dough before it hits the heat.
• A Large, Sturdy Spatula: This is crucial for the scary part—the flip! Make sure it’s wide enough to support the dough, especially because we are cooking it directly on the grates.
• Tongs: Great for maneuvering the pizza once it’s on the grill or if you need to adjust the heat source just a bit.

If you have a good grill cover, that’s perfect too, because that’s what acts as our little outdoor oven once the toppings go on. It’s all about using the equipment we have in a slightly unconventional way!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

This is where the fun really starts! Getting the timing right for grilling pizza is everything. We are essentially using the grill twice: once to set the dough and then again to melt the cheese. If you’re using a homemade dough recipe, make sure you check out my tips for working with dough that needs time—like my Italian Pizza Dough Recipe—but for this method, that store-bought disc is our best friend for speed.

Remember, the key is speed once the dough hits the grate. You don’t want it sitting long enough to get completely cooked through on the first side, just enough to get that beautiful solid base and those signature char marks.

Prepping the Grill and Dough

First thing’s first: your grill needs to be ready. Get it preheated to a solid medium heat. I aim for about 350°F to 400°F. You don’t want raging high heat or you’ll incinerate the bottom before the top even warms up! Once it’s humming along, take your pizza dough and stretch it out slightly to about 12 inches. Now, take your olive oil and brush just one side—only the side you are about to place down onto the hot grates. This prevents sticking and adds richness.

Grilling the Crust Base

Carefully lay that oiled side down directly onto the hot, oiled grates. Close the lid for just a moment and let the magic happen. You are looking for 2 to 4 minutes here. Peek underneath with some tongs—you’re looking for the bottom to be golden brown with nice, distinct grill marks. When you see that color, shout “Flip!” because you have to flip it right away! Use that big spatula to turn the dough over onto the uncooked side.

Assembling and Finishing Your Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

This part needs to be speedy! The cooked side is now facing up. Immediately slather down that BBQ sauce, trying to stay just inside the edges. Then, layer on your cooked chicken, followed by the mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. Top that off with your thinly sliced red onion. Close the grill lid down now! This turns your grill into an oven, and you need another 5 to 8 minutes for the cheese to get bubbly and the crust to finish cooking through. Once it’s molten and beautiful, pull your Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza off the heat. Don’t forget to sprinkle that fresh, bright cilantro over the top right before you slice it!

Tips for Mastering Your Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

I’ve made this Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza nearly thirty times now, and I’ve definitely learned a couple of shortcuts and tricks along the way to keep things smooth when you’re cooking outside. The recipe cards already give us a great starting point, but sometimes you need that extra bit of kitchen wisdom to make it truly perfect.

For example, if you are short on time, please just grab rotisserie chicken! Seriously, nobody is going to judge you. Those pre-cooked birds are already juicy and seasoned. Shredding up the breast meat saves you about 15 minutes right there, and you can toss that meat right onto the pizza without a second thought.

Also, if you want that crust just a shade crispier than the grill alone provides, don’t hesitate to give the raw dough a quick five-minute head start in the oven—just until it firms up—before you bring it out to the grill for the charring stage. It’s a little extra step, but it truly guarantees a firm base.

My absolute number one tip for anything going on the grill during a summer BBQ? Watch out for flare-ups! If you see a sudden big tower of flame when the fat drips down, don’t panic by moving the whole pizza right away. Instead, quickly close the lid for 15 seconds. That suffocates the immediate fire, and you can then move the pizza dough a few inches over if necessary. You want smoke flavor, not charred ash flavor!

Serving Suggestions for Your Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

Phew! Now that we’ve got the smoke and the cheese settled, we need something cool and fresh to balance out that rich, sweet BBQ sauce. Pizza is a full meal on its own, but if you’re serving this outdoors like we always do, you need sides that don’t require you to heat up the oven again. Nobody wants that!

When I make this Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza, I usually aim for something crunchy and acidic. The vinegary bite cuts right through the richness of the cheese and the sauce perfectly. My absolute favorite pairing is a simple, sharp cucumber salad. It’s so refreshing and requires zero cooking—just chopping and mixing some vinegar and sugar.

You should absolutely give my suggestion a try; it’s way better than standard potato salad which just weighs you down on a hot day. You can find the incredibly easy recipe for Fresh Pickled Cucumber Salad, and I promise it’s ready in the time it takes for the pizza to finish melting on the grill!

If cucumbers aren’t your thing, a simple, crisp coleslaw made with lots of fresh cabbage and a light vinaigrette also works wonders. Keep it light so you can enjoy that amazing pizza crust!

Storing Leftovers of Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

We all know that the leftover pizza from this Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza is almost as good as the original, right? That sweet and smoky flavor somehow gets even richer overnight. But we have to treat leftovers right, especially anything cooked outdoors, otherwise you end up with rubbery crust or cold cheese.

First things first: patience! You have to let the pizza cool down completely on the counter before you even think about storing it, maybe about an hour. Stuffing hot food into a container creates steam, and steam is the enemy of crispy crust texture. Once cool, wrap up individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, or better yet, place them in a sturdy, airtight container. It needs to go straight into the refrigerator after that.

Now for the crucial part: reheating. Look, I get it, sometimes you’re just grabbing a slice and running out the door. If you must use the microwave, go for it, but brace yourself for a softer crust experience. For the best results and to bring back some of that beautiful grilled texture we worked so hard for, you *have* to use dry heat.

My favorite method is throwing the slices onto a baking sheet and popping them into a low-to-medium oven (say, 350°F) for about 8 to 10 minutes. If you have an air fryer, even better! Those things are miracle workers for pizza reheating. Just five minutes at 375°F usually gets the cheese melted and the crust nice and firm again. Don’t settle for soggy pizza when you have the option to crisp it back up!

Frequently Asked Questions About Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

When you start grilling things like pizza, you naturally have a few little worries pop up. It’s a different technique than using an oven, so I totally get it! I’ve tried to cover all the spots where I used to trip up when I was first learning how to make the perfect grilled pizza over open flames. Here are the common snags:

Can I use homemade pizza dough instead of pre-made for this Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza?

Absolutely, yes! If you have the time to make your own dough, please go for it. Homemade dough often tastes miles better, and you can treat it exactly the same way. The only thing I warn people about is thickness. Make sure your homemade dough isn’t too thick, maybe around a quarter inch when you roll it out. If it’s too thick or uneven, the outside edges will crisp up beautifully, but the middle part that’s piled high with your BBQ chicken toppings won’t cook through before that bottom burns. Keep it relatively uniform for the best results!

What temperature should my grill be for the best Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza?

This is so important! People often think, “It’s the grill, let’s crank it up to high heat!” But that’s a recipe for disaster with pizza. If the heat is too high—like way over 450°F—you are just going to burn those gorgeous grill marks into black flakes before the cheese has even begun to melt. I stick firmly to medium heat, which usually lands right between 350°F and 400°F. That temperature gives you enough heat to set the dough fast and get that smoky flavor, but it allows you enough time to add your toppings and close the lid without incinerating the base.

Can I grill this pizza if I don’t have BBQ sauce?

Life happens! If you’re out of BBQ sauce or just want to try something different, you can totally pivot this recipe without any issues. Since the grilling technique is so sturdy, it handles other sauces really well. Instead of the BBQ sauce, I highly recommend using a thin layer of pesto—the basil and nuts bring a nice, bright herby flavor that pairs surprisingly well with the chicken and cheeses.

Alternatively, a simple, good quality marinara works too, but you have to be a little more careful with liquid content. Tomato sauce tends to add more moisture than thick BBQ sauce, so make sure you don’t overdo the spoonfuls. You still want that beautiful crust texture! If you happen to love making things from scratch, you can check out some fun baking projects here: Easy to Make Dump Cakes, though they don’t involve the grill, they are great for summer too!

Nutritional Estimates for Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza

Alright, let’s talk numbers, because even though this amazing Grilled Summer Bbq Chicken Pizza tastes like pure summer indulgence, it’s actually pretty balanced, especially since we are controlling the toppings ourselves!

Now, I have to throw in my little disclaimer here—these numbers are just my best guess based on the recipe above. If you use a store-bought dough that’s thicker, or if you use that super-sugary BBQ sauce I love, your numbers might shift a tiny bit. But this gives you a great ballpark for what you’re looking at per slice:

We are aiming for about 4 servings, so let’s look at what one slice brings to the table:

• Calories: 450 – Not bad for a full slice of pizza!
• Sugar: 12 grams – Mostly coming from that lovely BBQ sauce, so keep an eye on that ingredient!
• Sodium: 750 mg – Cheese and processed chicken can add up here, so maybe drink some extra water!
• Fat: 18 grams (with 8 grams being the saturated stuff)
• Protein: 25 grams – Thanks to all that chicken, you’re feeling satisfied for hours!
• Carbohydrates: 50 grams

It’s really not too shabby for a weekend treat cooked outdoors. You’re getting a ton of protein and a really satisfying portion size for under 500 calories. That’s why I love this grilled pizza—it feels like cheating, but the nutrition is actually pretty decent!

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