Buffalo Chicken Pizza

My roommate showed up one Sunday with leftover wings and a wild idea. We had pizza dough thawing on the counter and a bottle of ranch in the fridge, and somehow those three things collided into the best accident of the month. The smell of buffalo sauce hitting hot cheese is something you don't forget. Now it's the pizza I make when I want to feel like I'm breaking the rules, even though there are no rules in my kitchen.

I made this for a small birthday gathering once, and people kept asking if I ordered it from some secret pizza joint. One friend scraped every bit of buffalo-coated cheese off the pan with a spatula. Another declared it better than any delivery option in town. I didn't tell them how simple it was until they'd already devoured two pies.

Ingredients

• Pizza dough (1 pound): Store-bought works beautifully here, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so it rolls without snapping back.
• Olive oil (1 tablespoon): Brushing the edges gives you that golden, crispy crust you want to bite into first.
• Cooked chicken breast (2 cups, shredded): Rotisserie chicken is your shortcut, just pull it apart with your fingers and you're halfway done.
• Buffalo wing sauce (1/3 cup): Franks RedHot is the classic choice, it brings vinegar tang and just enough heat without scorching.
• Ranch dressing (1/3 cup): This is your cooling layer, the creamy contrast that makes every bite balanced instead of one-note spicy.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 cups): Melts into those beautiful cheese pulls, the backbone of any great pizza.
• Shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 cup): Adds a sharper, deeper flavor that plays well with the buffalo heat.
• Red onion (1/4 small, thinly sliced): A little crunch and sharpness, it mellows in the oven but still bites back.
• Blue cheese crumbles (1/4 cup, optional): If you love that funky, salty punch, this takes it to wing-bar levels of authenticity.
• Chopped fresh chives or green onions (2 tablespoons): The fresh, bright finish that makes the whole pizza look alive when it comes out of the oven.

Instructions

Prep ingredients easily by chopping vegetables, slicing meats, and serving dishes neatly during everyday cooking.

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Heat It Up:

Preheat your oven to 475°F and if you have a pizza stone, let it heat inside for at least 20 minutes. That blazing heat is what turns dough crispy instead of chewy.

Roll and Prep the Dough:

On a floured surface, roll your dough into a 12-inch circle, then transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza peel. Brush olive oil on the edges so they puff up golden and delicious.

Toss the Chicken:

In a medium bowl, toss your cooked chicken with the buffalo sauce until every piece is coated and glistening. The sauce should cling to the chicken, not pool at the bottom.

Spread the Creamy Base:

Spread ranch dressing evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border for the crust. This replaces traditional pizza sauce and keeps everything creamy and cool under the heat.

Layer the Toppings:

Scatter the buffalo chicken across the ranch, then shower it with mozzarella and cheddar. Add red onion slices and blue cheese crumbles if you're going full wing-bar style.

Bake Until Bubbly:

Slide the pizza into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling with brown spots. Your kitchen will smell like a sports bar in the best way.

Finish and Serve:

Pull it out, sprinkle with fresh chives or green onions, and let it cool for a minute or two before slicing. Cutting it hot will make the cheese slide everywhere, which is tempting but messy.

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There was a night when I made this after a long week, just for myself, and ate three slices standing at the counter with a cold drink. It wasn't fancy or Instagram-perfect, but it tasted like comfort and a little bit of rebellion. That's when I knew this pizza had earned a permanent spot in my rotation.

Choosing Your Chicken

Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is my go-to because it's already seasoned and juicy, and you can shred it in under two minutes. If you have leftover grilled or baked chicken, that works just as well, just make sure it's moist enough to soak up the buffalo sauce. I've even used canned chicken in a pinch, though fresh or rotisserie will always taste better.

Ranch vs Blue Cheese

This debate is as old as buffalo wings themselves, and honestly, both work beautifully on this pizza. Ranch is milder and crowd-pleasing, while blue cheese dressing brings that sharp, funky flavor that some people crave. I've made it both ways depending on who's coming over, and I've never had complaints either direction.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

This pizza loves to be served with celery sticks and extra ranch or blue cheese on the side, just like wings. A crisp, cold beer or sparkling water with lime cuts through the richness perfectly. If you want to lean into the sports-bar vibe, serve it with carrot sticks, pickles, or even a simple side salad to balance the heat.

• Drizzle extra buffalo sauce over each slice if you want more heat.
• Serve it at parties cut into small squares for easy grabbing.
• Pair it with a tangy coleslaw to cool things down between bites.

Chop vegetables, slice meats, and prep ingredients easily for everyday cooking and homemade recipes.

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This pizza doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is: bold, messy, and unapologetically satisfying. Make it once and it'll become the thing you crave on a Friday night when nothing else will do.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I use store-bought rotisserie chicken?

Yes, rotisserie chicken is an excellent time-saving option. Simply shred about 2 cups of the meat and toss it with buffalo sauce as directed.

→ What type of buffalo sauce works best?

Frank's RedHot buffalo wing sauce is a classic choice, but any quality buffalo sauce will work. Adjust the amount based on your preferred spice level.

→ Can I make this pizza without blue cheese?

Absolutely. The blue cheese crumbles are optional. You can use all ranch dressing and omit the blue cheese entirely while still enjoying delicious results.

→ How do I prevent the crust from getting soggy?

Don't overload with sauce, preheat your oven fully to 475°F, and consider pre-baking the crust for 5 minutes before adding toppings for extra crispiness.

→ Can I prepare the buffalo chicken ahead of time?

Yes, you can toss the chicken with buffalo sauce up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the pizza.

→ What can I serve alongside this pizza?

Classic accompaniments include celery sticks with ranch or blue cheese dressing, a crisp green salad, or even carrot sticks for a traditional buffalo wing experience.