BBQ Chicken Pizza with a delicious bite-sized twist! These BBQ Chicken Mini Pizzas are packed with delicious flavor and baked to bubbly perfection… in a muffin tin!

Is there any such thing as too much pizza? Because somewhere along the line… I think I overdid it. When my kids were young, pizza was our go to… for easy dinners and movie nights and sleepovers with friends. It was quick and easy and everyone loved it.

But now that they’re all older? They literally never want it! I almost have to beg them or bribe them or force them to eat it. Either that OR it has to be fancy. Because these days, they only want things like pesto pizza or margherita pizza or hot honey pepperoni pizza.

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So I decided to try something new and different and fancy-ish: these BBQ Chicken Mini Pizzas! Stuffed with shredded chicken and sautéed red onion and fresh cilantro and mozzarella cheese, these muffin tin pizzas are fancy enough to get the nod of approval from my now-teenage daughters… and easy enough to still feel like a dinnertime win for me!

What you’ll Need For This Recipe

Pizza dough – I used one tube of refrigerated pizza dough, which can be found near the refrigerated crescent rolls and biscuits. You can also use a package of pizza dough mix or substitute fresh dough.

Chicken – 2 cups of cooked chicken is the perfect amount for these pizza cups. I used shredded rotisserie chicken, but any type of cooked chicken works well.

Red onion – I added 1/2 cup chopped red onion, sautéed in olive oil.

Cilantro – I also added 2 Tablespoons minced cilantro, plus more for garnish.

BBQ sauce & ketchup – A combination of bbq sauce and ketchup creates a delicious sauce that’s not too sweet. Depending on the brand and flavor of bbq sauce you use, combining it with ketchup is optional.

Cheese – I used shredded mozzarella cheese on top, but feel free to use a pizza blend or a blend of mozzarella and smoked gouda.

Cornmeal – A sprinkle of cornmeal in the bottom of each muffin cup helps keep the dough from sticking to the pan.

How To Make BBQ Chicken Mini Pizzas

Prep the muffin tin. Spray a regular sized muffin pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal into the bottom of each cup. Set aside.

Sauté the onions. In a small skillet, heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned.

Prep the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chicken, sautéed onion, cilantro, bbq sauce, and ketchup. Mix well.

Prep the crusts. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup.

Fill the crusts. Fill each dough cup with a spoonful of the filling, dividing it evenly among all 12 cups. Sprinkle each with shredded cheese.

Bake. Bake at 450°F for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and edges are golden brown.

Recipe Variations

Use homemade pizza dough instead of store bought
Substitute ground chicken or any kind of cooked chicken
Add chopped, cooked bacon
Add minced jalapeños
Use any type of cheese or cheese blend
Add cheese to the filling

Pro Tips

Start with cold dough. Cold pizza dough will be much easier to press into the muffin cups, especially up the sides of the cups.

Use the cornmeal. A sprinkle of cornmeal will work wonders in keeping the dough from sticking to the pan.

Don’t overfill. No need to overfill these cups. The proportions listed will allow the dough to bake fully and keep the pizza cups from becoming soggy and hard to eat.

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