Chef Maria Rodriguez - Pizza & Game Day Specialist
👨‍🍳 Pizza Master

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Culinary Institute Graduate ⏰ 12+ Years Pizza Experience 🍽️ Game Day Food Expert

❤️ My Recipe Story

"This buffalo chicken pizza recipe came from countless game day gatherings where I wanted to combine two crowd favorites - buffalo chicken wings and pizza. After perfecting the balance of heat and flavor, this became our go-to for every sports event."

Maria specializes in elevated comfort foods and game day favorites. She's perfected techniques for creating restaurant-quality pizzas at home, with a focus on bold flavors and crowd-pleasing combinations.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Golden buffalo chicken pizza with melted cheese, colorful vegetables, and a perfectly crispy crust, garnished with green onions and parsley

Building the Perfect Buffalo Base

The secret to exceptional buffalo chicken pizza lies in properly seasoning the chicken and creating the right sauce balance. The chicken should be pre-cooked and tossed in buffalo sauce with butter to ensure even coating and maximum flavor penetration.

Using ranch dressing as the base instead of traditional tomato sauce provides the perfect creamy counterpoint to the spicy buffalo flavors. This combination creates the classic buffalo chicken wing experience in pizza form, with each bite delivering the perfect balance of heat and cooling cream.

💡 Professional Tip

Marinate the cooked chicken in buffalo sauce for at least 10 minutes before adding to the pizza. This allows the flavors to penetrate deeper and prevents the sauce from making the crust soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! Rotisserie chicken works perfectly. Remove the skin, shred or dice the meat, and proceed with marinating in buffalo sauce. It actually adds extra flavor to the pizza.

Use mild buffalo sauce, reduce the amount by half, or mix the buffalo sauce with extra melted butter. You can also add more ranch dressing to cool down the heat.

Pre-bake the crust for 3-4 minutes before adding toppings, don't overload with sauce, and make sure the chicken isn't too wet when adding it to the pizza.

Yes, pizza dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before rolling out.

Frank's RedHot Buffalo sauce is classic, but any quality buffalo sauce works. For homemade, mix equal parts hot sauce and melted butter with a touch of garlic powder.

Fresh cheese melts better and has superior flavor, but pre-shredded works in a pinch. If using pre-shredded, add it in the last 5 minutes of baking for best melting.

Yes! Diced bell peppers, jalapeños, or mushrooms work well. Keep vegetables small and not too watery to prevent soggy crust.

Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes for crispy crust, or use a skillet over medium heat with a lid for 2-3 minutes to crisp the bottom while melting the cheese.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Soggy Crust

Problem: Pizza crust becomes soggy despite proper technique

Solution: Pre-bake crust 3-4 minutes, drain chicken well, use less sauce, and bake on lowest oven rack for crispier bottom.

✅

Burnt Cheese

Problem: Cheese browns too quickly before crust is done

Solution: Cover with foil halfway through baking, lower oven temperature to 450°F, or add cheese in the last 5-7 minutes of baking.

✅

Uneven Cooking

Problem: Some areas cook faster than others

Prevention: Rotate pizza halfway through baking, ensure even topping distribution, and use a pizza stone or steel for more even heat.

✅

Too Spicy

Problem: Pizza turned out hotter than expected

Recovery: Serve with extra ranch or blue cheese dressing, add fresh mozzarella on top, or have milk ready to cool the palate.

✅

Dry Chicken

Problem: Chicken pieces are dry despite proper cooking

Prevention: Marinate chicken longer in buffalo sauce, add extra melted butter to the mixture, or cover chicken with cheese to protect from direct heat.

✅

Flavor Balance Issues

Too Sweet: Add more hot sauce or a pinch of black pepper

Too Salty: Serve with cooling sides like celery sticks or increase ranch drizzle

Bland: Increase buffalo sauce, add garlic powder, or finish with extra blue cheese

Buffalo chicken pizza ingredients including diced chicken, buffalo sauce, cheeses, vegetables, and pizza dough arranged on a marble counter

Choosing Quality Ingredients

The foundation of great buffalo chicken pizza starts with quality chicken and authentic buffalo sauce. Pre-cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken both work excellently, but ensure the meat is properly seasoned and not overcooked to maintain juiciness.

Cheese selection makes a significant difference in the final result. A combination of mozzarella for stretch and cheddar for sharp flavor creates the perfect melted topping. Fresh cheeses melt more smoothly than pre-shredded varieties.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Buffalo Sauce: Look for authentic buffalo sauce with simple ingredients: hot sauce, butter, and minimal additives. Frank's RedHot is the gold standard for traditional flavor.
  • Pizza Dough: Room temperature dough rolls easier and bakes more evenly. If using store-bought, let it sit out for 30 minutes before rolling.
  • Chicken Preparation: Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces for even distribution and easier eating. Remove excess moisture before tossing with buffalo sauce.
Buffalo chicken pizza baking in the oven with golden, bubbling cheese and perfectly crispy edges forming

Mastering Pizza Assembly and Baking

Proper assembly order is crucial for buffalo chicken pizza success. The ranch base provides moisture protection for the crust while creating the signature flavor combination. Distribute toppings evenly, leaving space at the edges for proper crust formation.

High-heat baking creates the perfect contrast between crispy crust and melted, bubbly cheese. The final drizzle of buffalo sauce after baking ensures maximum flavor impact without compromising the crust texture.

The Perfect Bake

Bake at high heat (475°F) for a crispy crust and properly melted cheese. Watch for golden edges and bubbling cheese as indicators of doneness.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza - The Perfect Spicy Twist

Prep 25 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4 servings
Level Easy

📋 Ingredients

For the Pizza Base

  • 120ml buffalo sauce, divided
    Use authentic buffalo sauce for best flavor
  • 60ml ranch dressing
    Acts as pizza base instead of tomato sauce
  • 30g butter, melted
    Mixed with buffalo sauce for chicken
  • 15ml hot sauce (optional)
    For extra heat if desired
  • 2 green onions, chopped
    Fresh garnish for color and mild onion flavor
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
    Adds fresh herb brightness
  • Crumbled blue cheese (optional)
    Classic buffalo wing accompaniment

For the Buffalo Chicken Topping

  • 450g pizza dough, room temperature
    Store-bought or homemade works well
  • 340g cooked chicken breast, diced
    Rotisserie chicken works perfectly
  • 200g mozzarella cheese, shredded
    Fresh mozzarella melts best
  • 85g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
    Adds sharp flavor complement
  • 30ml olive oil
    For brushing crust edges
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    Mixed with olive oil for crust
  • 60g red onion, thinly sliced
    Adds sharp flavor and crunch
  • 60g celery, finely diced
    Classic buffalo wing accompaniment

Instructions

  1. Prepare Buffalo Chicken

    In a bowl, toss diced cooked chicken with 80ml buffalo sauce and melted butter. Let marinate for 10 minutes while preparing other ingredients. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C).

  2. Prepare Pizza Base

    Roll out pizza dough on floured surface to 12-inch circle. Transfer to greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Brush edges with olive oil and minced garlic for extra flavor.

  3. Add Sauce and Toppings

    Spread ranch dressing evenly over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle half the mozzarella, add buffalo chicken, red onion, and celery. Top with remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

  4. Bake the Pizza

    Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with remaining buffalo sauce.

  5. Finish and Serve

    Sprinkle with green onions, fresh parsley, and blue cheese if desired. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before slicing. Serve with additional ranch and buffalo sauce on the side.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage

Leftover pizza keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes to restore crispness.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and extra ranch or blue cheese dressing for the complete buffalo wing experience. Cold beer pairs perfectly.

Variations

Try adding jalapeños for extra heat, substituting blue cheese dressing for ranch, or using a mix of buffalo and BBQ sauce for a sweet-spicy combination.