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This vegan bbq chicken pizza is chewy, crispy, and absolutely mouthwatering. It’s topped with homemade seitan chicken that is covered in a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce that when baked becomes crispy and caramelized! Top off this vegan pizza with caramelized balsamic red onions and some sweet corn for the perfect summer pizza that will be sure to be in your weekly recipe rotation!
why we love this recipe
Growing up, one of my family’s go-to restaurants to eat at on the weekends was California Pizza Kitchen. There was this BBQ chicken pizza on the menu that everyone would order, but I couldn’t since I was vegan. This pizza is reminiscent of CPK’s, but I’d go as far as saying it’s better. In fact, I think it’s the best vegan BBQ chicken pizza ever. I made this recipe a few times in the past week, and well…there’s none left. We ate it up very quickly.
easy homemade pizza dough
What makes this pizza so tasty is, in part, the dough. My Easy Weeknight Pizza Dough has a touch of sweetness in it from agave nectar which plays into the sweetness of the caramelized onions and BBQ sauce. This pizza’s toppings are sweet, salty, and savory and will have you reaching for “just one more” slice.
The key to getting a nice texture is making sure the dough is kneaded long enough. I used a stand mixer to make this recipe extra simple and I kneaded my dough for 5-6 minutes with the dough hook attachment. This dough can certainly be kneaded the good ole’ fashioned way by hand. If kneading by hand, you’ll want to do so for at least 8 or 9 minutes.
fast & easy pizza prep
You only need one pan to prep the ingredients for this homemade vegan pizza. Plus all the prep work can be done while the oven preheats. The onions are caramelized with some olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar. The sugars from the balsamic bring out the sweetness of the red onion. After removing the onion, you can toss your vegan chicken with BBQ sauce in the same pan. Who has time to do extra dishes!?
The crust doesn’t need to be pre-baked which is awesome. All you have to do is toss your ingredients on and bake for a short 12 minutes until golden brown. Perfecto.
Here’s an extra tip for extra perfection: go ahead and drizzle a little olive oil on the crust prior to baking for golden brown deliciousness. This will make your crust crispy on the exterior but moist and fluffy on the inside.
the best vegan bbq chicken pizza
Baking at a high temperature helps crisp up the BBQ lathered chickens making them chewy, crispy, and absolutely mouthwatering. I promise y’all, this pizza is sure to be in your weekly recipe rotation. I know it’s now in mine!
homemade vegan pizza faq
Yes, you can absolutely substitute store-bought chicken. The end result will be slightly different as store-bought chick’ns have a different texture than homemade seitan chicken. I recommend using vegan chicken by the brands Gardein or Morningstar.
This pizza has green bell pepper, caramelized onion, corn, and vegan bbq seitan chicken on it. It also has vegan mozzarella cheese (by Daiya) and red pizza sauce. Other toppings that would be delicious on this pizza are basil, nutritional yeast, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms
Yes, absolutely. Pillsbury’s thin crust pizza dough is actually accidentally vegan and easy to find in most grocery stores if you don’t have time or energy to make your own crust.
Looking for more delicious vegan comfort food?
- Vegan Squash and ‘Bacon’ Pizza
- White Pizza with Garlic and Vegan Hot Honey
- Vegan Chicken & Waffles
- “Chicken” Parm Stuffed Shells
- Vegan Chicken Salad
- Grilled Pizza with Peaches & Almond Ricotta
- Vegan Calzones
Did you make this vegan bbq chicken pizza? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
The Best Vegan BBQ Chicken Pizza
This mouthwatering vegan BBQ chicken pizza is the perfect combo of sweet and savory.
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 recipe of Easy Weeknight Pizza Dough
Caramelized Onions
- 1/2 large red onion, sliced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tbs olive oil
BBQ Chick'n
- The best vegan shredded chicken
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce (I recommend an Eastern Carolina BBQ sauce)
Toppings
- ¼ cup green pepper diced
- ½ cup red/marinara pizza sauce
- 1 cup vegan cheese
- 2 tablespoons sweet corn
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Olive oil for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a pan with ½ tablespoon of olive oil on medium-low heat. Add the sliced red onion and balsamic vinegar. Saute for about 5 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 5 minutes to caramelize the mixture further.
- Remove the onion mixture from the pan and add the green pepper and shredded chick’n. Saute for a few minutes before lowering the heat and adding the BBQ sauce. Stir the chick’n until all pieces are fully coated. Cook for another minute on low.
- Coat a baking sheet or pan with a little olive oil or non-stick spray. Place the dough on the pan and rub a teaspoon of olive oil into both sides of the dough.
- Add a layer of pizza sauce, followed by a layer of vegan cheese. Sprinkle the corn, green pepper, onions mixture, and BBQ chick’n on top.
- Put the pizza in the oven and cook for 12-13 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Notes
- I'm using Daiya mozzarella cheese on this pizza.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 393mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 4g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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Categories:
30 Minutes or Less, Comfort Food, Date Night, Mains, Pizza, Seitan, Summer, Vegan Proteins,
