BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza
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Switch up your classic pizza with this BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza! This naan pizza is paired with a flavourful homemade tomato sauce, molten and stringy mozzarella cheese, juicy chicken, and flavourful BBQ sauce!
Feeling like pizza but you’re too hungry to get delivery or make one from scratch? A BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza - or “naanza” - is the answer!
Naanzas have been a go-to for me for awhile when I’ve made a batch of naan breads! I’ve gotta tell you guys something - pizza really is my favourite food. I kid you not, the word “pizza” is thrown around in my house at least 10 times a day every day. I do say that I couldn’t eat a pizza every day, but is that really true? Only a couple of weeks ago I had literally 5 meals in a row of pizza and its cousins - focaccia flatbread, bread pizza, Domino’s pizza… Yeah, I’m hooked! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen this pizza mania!
Naanzas are kind of like my take on Pepperoni Pizza Bagels - gives you the satisfaction of pizza without making a full on pizza! Naanzas are more of a flatbread pizza than a “pizza” pizza - you’ll get the full picture soon! Naanzas are awesome because if the naan is already cooked, then making the actual naanza is so fast and easy! Naanzas are a real blank canvas for whatever toppings you desire. I explain this in more depth in my Make Cooking Fun!! guide - my 5 top tips to have the most fun in the kitchen you’ve ever had! - but using what you have and exploring a theme are perfect strategies to give you a delicious and speedy meal! Get that guide for free by signing up for my newsletter, and you’ll also get my Live to Cook one month challenge! If you try a naanza as part of the challenge, be sure to tag me on social media to share your creation with me!
For the full picture of how to put together this exciting flatbread pizza, then check out the video at the bottom of this post! I’d really appreciate if you subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and be sure to hit the bell button so you receive the notifications of when all my video recipes go live! For something like a pizza, I find that a video recipe shows all the hands-on aspects well, and it’ll really set you up for success with this recipe! Let’s get cooking!
How is naan Dough different from pizza dough?
In a lot of ways, a pizza dough is similar to a naan dough. A few things, make a naan do distinct, especially since naan is almost always made with dairy, milk, or yogurt. Pizza dough, usually is made with water. Pizzas can also make use of dough starters such as poolish or tiga. While technically, nothing is stopping you from doing the same with a naan dough, it’s usually not the case.
The best part about having this Naan Pizza, is you have a dough, made with milk. That really gives it an amazing richness and softness we love in a great naan, in the form of a pizza pie.
If you are in a rush and have some naan already on hand, you can top the premade naan and broil it until the cheese is molten.
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
Let’s go over the ingredients needed to make an irresistible BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza! I’ll break down what we’ll need for the dough, chicken, garlic butter, and the pizza itself! Be sure to scroll to the bottom FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD for all ingredient quantities and the full instructions! You can save this recipe for later, and the recipe card will allow you to scale the recipe based on how many naanzas you want to make! The ingredient quantities will be automatically adjusted, so you have the right amount of sauce and toppings for your pizzas!
For the Naan Pizza
Chicken breast, cooked
Onions
Peppers
Mozzarella
Cheddar
Garlic butter
For the naan dough
For the chicken
For the Garlic Butter
Butter
Garlic
Topping variations
The beauty of pizzas - no matter what your base is - is that they are a wonderful blank canvas! Get creative and explore new combinations and HAVE FUN! This is just one way to make a BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza, but you can explore different toppings! Here are my suggestions:
Add pineapple for a refreshing sweetness
Drizzle some ranch dressing on top
Explore different flavours of BBQ sauce!
Switch up the chicken - shred it or grill it!
Transform this to buffalo chicken pizzas by using buffalo sauce!
Add chopped crispy bacon
Explore different cheeses - my other favourites for pizzas are white cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, provolone, and Parmesan!
Swap the chicken for shrimp or even tofu for a vegetarian option
How to Make BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza
For the naan dough
Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add milk to knead to a smooth, soft and tacky dough.
Lightly grease a large bowl and add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hours.
Divide dough into 3 equal 13 ounces (370 grams) portions. Working with one portion at a time, fold the dough in half into itself so that you create a tight surface tension as you pinch the fold. Repeat this until the top surface appears smooth.
Lightly grease the dough balls and lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rest for another 2 hours. While the final proofing is happening, proceed with the remaining prep.
If you are not preparing all 3 portions today, you can portion the rest on a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Add to freezer until frozen and then you can transfer the frozen dough to a freezer safe bag.
To cook a portion from frozen, place the frozen dough ball to a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Leave in the fridge to proof for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours.
For the chicken
Place the chicken breast in a Ziploc bag or between two plastic wraps and pound thin using a meat tenderizer (about 1/4 inch thickness) or a heavy object.
Heat a pan on medium heat until hot. Check if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling some water on the pan. If the droplets dance around before evaporating, the pan is ready.
Drizzle some olive oil on the pan and season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken on the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Then, flip the chicken, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1-2 minutes or until completely cooked. Let the chicken rest for 2-4 minutes before finely dicing the chicken.
For the garlic butter
In the same pan as the chicken, add butter and garlic and roast lightly until the garlic is fragrant and has roasted slightly.
Set aside in a bowl or ramekin along with a pastry brush for later.
For the naan pizza
Place one baking steel/stone on the second highest rack of the oven and another one at the bottom most rack. Preheat the oven at 500 F for 1 hour.
Dust your countertop with flour and starting with one portion of dough at a time, add the dough ball over the flour. Starting from the centre of the dough, press down on the dough and create a rim around the side.
Continue pressing down the centre to stretch the dough. Then, hold the dough from the rim and rotate to let gravity stretch if further. You can also you use knuckles to stretch the dough, until the diameter is about 10 inches.
Set oven to Broil mode, let top steel/stone heat for 8-10 minutes.
Dust a wooden pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina and place the stretched dough on the peel.
Add 1/3 Cup of the BBQ sauce and spread until the rim of the pizza. Top with 1/2 Cups of mozzarella and 1/4 Cup of cheddar. Add the peppers, onions and diced chicken. Top with the remaining mozzarella (total of 1 Cup per pizza) and the remaining cheddar (total of 1/2 Cup per pizza).
In a swift push and pull motion, place the pizza on the top baking steel/stone.
Bake for 2 1/2 - 4 minutes or until the crust has some char or brown spots and the cheese has molten. Rotate the pizza 180 degrees halfway along the cook time.
Then transfer the pizza to the bottom steel/stone to finish off the crust of the pizza, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Remove the pizza from the oven. Brush the crust with the garlic butter and serve hot and enjoy!
Tips for an amazing bbq chicken naan pizza
Be careful not to degas the dough too much as you are folding the individual portions onto itself to prepare for the second proofing step. If you work the dough too much, it will start to resist as you start to stretch the dough for the pizza.
Invest in a baking steel or baking stone. They are cheap, and an essential tool if you are serious about your pizza.
Make sure to preheat the oven at the highest temperature your oven can reach for at least 1 hour.
Use a pair of baking steels/stones if possible, setting up one of them towards the top rack of the oven and the second one at the bottom.
10 minutes before baking the pizza, set the oven to broil mode to make the top steel/stone scorching hot. This will help rapidly cook the crispy crust.
Can I freeze this Naan Pizza Dough?
If you are not preparing all 3 portions today, you can portion the rest on a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Add to freezer until frozen and then you can transfer the frozen dough to a freezer safe bag.
To cook a portion from frozen, place the frozen dough ball to a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Leave in the fridge to proof for at least 24 hours and upto 72 hours.
How to store leftover bbq chicken flatbreads
Not to toot my own horn, but I can’t imagine there will be leftovers. However, if there are any or you just want to save some for the next day, then they’ll be just fine if you keep them in the refrigerator! Store your leftover naan flatbread pizzas by wrapping them with plastic wrap or transferring to an airtight container. The best ways to reheat your BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza are in the air fryer and in the microwave.
Reheating your naan flatbread pizza will only take about a minute in the microwave. To reheat in the air fryer, set the temperature to 400 F and set the air fryer to air fryer mode. It will take about two minutes to completely warm through. For those without an air fryer, you can also reheat in a traditional oven, however, it will be a lengthy process since your oven will need to reheat.
I do recommend you reheat the pizza in the oven or air fryer to avoid the sogginess that comes with reheating pizza in the microwave.
Serving suggestions for BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza
You could certainly have this BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza on its own and it’ll be an incredible meal! However, flatbreads are usually served as an appetizer, since they’re small and thinner than pizzas. You could have this naan pizza as an appetizer for literally any meal, but here are some pairing ideas!
The Best Mozzarella Sticks - as an additional appetizer!
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad - can be a main or on the side
More awesome pizza recipes!
WATCH HOW TO make BBQ Chicken Naan Flatbread Pizza HERE:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!
BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza
Ingredients
- 4 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 8 grams)
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 3/4 Cup milk
- 3 Cups mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 Cups cheddar cheese
- 1 Cup BBQ sauce (pick your favourite)
- 1 chicken breast, cooked (as directed below)
- 1/3 Cup onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 Cup peppers (mixture of red and green), finely diced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2-3 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together and add milk to knead to a smooth, soft and tacky dough.
- Lightly grease a large bowl and add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hours.
- Divide dough into 3 equal 13 ounces (370 grams) portions. Working with one portion at a time, fold the dough in half into itself so that you create a tight surface tension as you pinch the fold. Repeat this until the top surface appears smooth.
- Lightly grease the dough balls and lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rest for another 2 hours. While the final proofing is happening, proceed with the remaining prep.
- If you are not preparing all 3 portions today, you can portion the rest on a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Add to freezer until frozen and then you can transfer the frozen dough to a freezer safe bag.
- To cook a portion from frozen, place the frozen dough ball to a baking sheet or plate, covered tightly with at least 2 layers of plastic wrap. Leave in the fridge to proof for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours.
- Place the chicken breast in a Ziploc bag or between two plastic wraps and pound thin using a meat tenderizer (about 1/4 inch thickness) or a heavy object.
- Heat a pan on medium heat until hot. Check if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling some water on the pan. If the droplets dance around before evaporating, the pan is ready.
- Drizzle some olive oil on the pan and season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken on the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Then, flip the chicken, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1-2 minutes or until completely cooked. Let the chicken rest for 2-4 minutes before finely dicing the chicken.
- In the same pan as the chicken, add butter and garlic and roast lightly until the garlic is fragrant and has roasted slightly.
- Set aside in a bowl or ramekin along with a pastry brush for later.
- Place one baking steel/stone on the second highest rack of the oven and another one at the bottom most rack. Preheat the oven at 500 F for 1 hour.
- Dust your countertop with flour and starting with one portion of dough at a time, add the dough ball over the flour. Starting from the centre of the dough, press down on the dough and create a rim around the side.
- Continue pressing down the centre to stretch the dough. Then, hold the dough from the rim and rotate to let gravity stretch if further. You can also you use knuckles to stretch the dough, until the diameter is about 10 inches.
- Set oven to Broil mode, let top steel/stone heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Dust a wooden pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina and place the stretched dough on the peel.
- Add 1/3 Cup of the BBQ sauce and spread until the rim of the pizza. Top with 1/2 Cups of mozzarella and 1/4 Cup of cheddar. Add the peppers, onions and diced chicken. Top with the remaining mozzarella (total of 1 Cup per pizza) and the remaining cheddar (total of 1/2 Cup per pizza).
- In a swift push and pull motion, place the pizza on the top baking steel/stone.
- Bake for 2 1/2 - 4 minutes or until the crust has some char or brown spots and the cheese has molten. Rotate the pizza 180 degrees halfway along the cook time.
- Then transfer the pizza to the bottom steel/stone to finish off the crust of the pizza, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Brush the crust with the garlic butter and serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
1628.85Fat (grams)
60.92Sat. Fat (grams)
33.87Carbs (grams)
188.76Fiber (grams)
6.62Net carbs
182.14Sugar (grams)
49.46Protein (grams)
78.17Sodium (milligrams)
4200.16Cholesterol (grams)
230.62Nutrition info is an estimate.
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Welcome to Cooking With Anadi. This platform is all about making cooking exciting and finding new ways to bring classic flavours and recipes at your service. Join me in my personal journey in the world of cooking. Hope you have a great ride!
