This Cast Iron Buffalo Chicken Pizza is loaded with cheese, chicken, and Buffalo sauce goodness all piled on top of a chewy crispy crust. It's easy to make and packs a ton of flavor, what more could you want? Serve it with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The soft pillowy crust with a crispy bottom provides the perfect chewy bite.
- The Buffalo sauce and chicken topping packs a ton of flavor! And, the freshly grated mozzarella cheese adds all that yummy cheesiness you want in a pizza.
- Baking it in a cast iron pan not only helps to crisp the crust but also makes the whole pizza-making process much easier.
Recipe Ingredients
Pizza Dough - This recipe calls for my homemade pizza dough. It's the perfect partner to the loaded toppings you'll be adding on top. But, if you want to use premade storebought that will work too.
Chicken - I use boneless skinless chicken breast in this recipe but thighs would work too. If you have the time, season the chicken with the seasoning blend earlier in the day so it can more fully penetrate the chicken.
Hot Sauce - I recommend using Frank's Hot Sauce for that traditional Buffalo taste but you can substitute with your favorite hot sauce.
Mozzarella - As always, I highly recommend that you grate your cheese rather than buying pre-shredded. Bagged cheese is coated to prevent it from sticking together which also hinders how well it melts.
How To Make Cast Iron Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1:
First, you'll need to prepare the pizza dough about 2 hours before making the pizza.
Step 2:
Place the bottom rack on the lowest level in the oven and the second rack high enough for the cast iron pan to fit between them. You want the pizza to be as close to the heat at the bottom as possible. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 3:
Oil the cast iron pan making sure to spread the oil all over the bottom and up the sides. You want the entire pan to be coated in a thin layer of oil.
Step 4:
Flip the dough out into the cast iron pan so that the oily side is up. Spread it out so that the dough is an even layer all the way out to the edges. Cover and place the pan on one of the turned-off burners on the stove while you make the buffalo chicken topping.
Step 5:
Mix together the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss the diced chicken in the seasoning mixture and set aside.
Step 6:
In a pan, melt the butter. Add in the chicken pieces and cook until mostly cooked through. Then add the rest of the butter and hot sauce. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Step 7:
Remove the chicken and set it aside. Spoon the sauce over the crust taking it almost completely to the edge.
Step 8:
Sprinkle with two-thirds of the cheese. Top with the chicken pieces. Then, finish with the rest of the cheese.
Step 9:
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and bubbling. If you want the top to be more browned cook the pizza under the broiler for 2 minutes.
Items You May Need
Tips & Tricks
- Oiling the pan will make removing the pizza easier but you don't want to add too much because it can make the crust soggy. Give the pan a light coating and remove any excess.
- As always, I suggest shredding your own cheese for the best results.
- Baking in the lowest part of the oven gives a nice crisp to the crust but it can leave the top with minimal browning. When the pizza is done baking, turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes or until the top is as browned as you like. Just make sure to keep an eye on it!
What to Serve With It
Ranch Dressing
Blue Cheese Dressing
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Celery Sticks
Extra Hot Sauce
Storage & Reheating
Allow the leftovers to cool completely so that they don't create condensation in the fridge.
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat the pizza, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then bake for about 5 minutes until warmed through.
You can also reheat it in an air fryer for an extra crispy crust. Again, set it to 350 degrees and bake for 3 to 5 minutes.
Other Recipes You'll Love!
Soft Pretzel Bites with Champagne Honey Mustard Dip
Double Chocolate Pretzel Cookies with Caramel Drizzle
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Cast Iron Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Homemade Pizza Dough or storebought
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large chicken breast diced into ½ inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce or other hot sauce of your choice
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Make the homemade pizza dough at least 2 hours, but up to 1 day, before making the pizza.
- 30 minutes before cooking, move the bottom oven rack to the lowest spot in the oven and the second one to the top. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Spread the olive oil around the cast iron pan so that it lightly coats the bottom and sides. If any of it puddles, use a paper towel to soak it up.
- Dump the dough out into the pan bottom side up so that the top has a layer of oil on it from the bowl. Use your fingers to spread it out to fit the pan. Cover and keep somewhere warm while you make the sauce and chicken. I like to keep it on the opposite side of the stovetop on a turned-off burner.
- Stir together the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss the chicken in the seasoning mixture.
- In a pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté the chicken until mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the butter and the hot sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until it becomes slightly thickened, another 5 minutes. Spoon the chicken out of the sauce and onto a plate and set aside.
- Spoon the sauce over the crust spreading it almost the whole way to the edges. Then, sprinkle ⅔rds of the cheese over the entire pizza. Evenly spread out the chicken on top of the cheese layer. Finally, finish with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake in the bottom of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and bubbly. If the top isn't browned enough, turn on the broiler and broiler for 1 to 3 minutes. Watch it closely so that it doesn't burn.
- Allow the pizza to cool for 5 minutes then remove it from the pan using a spatula. Cut into 8 pieces.
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