Buffalo Chicken Pizza

No bones about it—this pizza slaps

By
Nicole Hopper
Nicole Hopper, portrait
Nicole Hopper
Nicole Hopper is a recipe tester and developer located in Birmingham, Alabama.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
and
Sharon Hsu
Sharon Hsu wearing a white button-down shirt and holding a skewer of strawberries
Sharon Hsu
Sharon Hsu is an enthusiastic recipe and technique developer best known for her expertise in crafting visually appealing cafe and bakery-style treats. She thrives on exploring new concepts in the culinary world, seamlessly blending traditional baking methods with innovative flavors and techniques to create culturally rich creations. She appreciates how food has consistently been at the heart of countless cherished memories and aims to inspire others to bake and cook for their loved ones as an expression of love.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 03/6/24
Tested by
Spruce Eats Test Kitchen
A view of the Spruce Eats Test Kitchen
Tested by Spruce Eats Test Kitchen
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios, home of the Spruce Eats Test Kitchen, is housed in a 40,000-square-foot facility based in Dotdash Meredith’s Birmingham office, is a hub for food content creation for the nation’s top food and lifestyle publications.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
A buffalo chicken pizza cut into slices, served with glasses of beer

The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 4

A few of my husband’s closest friends are those he met during his time at Buffalo University. Because of the fond memories he made there and the irresistible tanginess of Buffalo sauce, it’s become a tradition for us to have some variation of Buffalo chicken incorporated into our major holiday get-togethers. Just the thought of that iconic flavor makes my taste buds tingle.

What is Buffalo Chicken?

Buffalo chicken is a dish of deep-fried chicken wings coated in a mild, tangy hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot. It’s often served with celery sticks and a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing. Now put that on top of pizza and you won’t be able to stop eating! Even better: this pizza comes together in under 30 minutes, which is faster than delivery.

Packed with flavorful, saucy buffalo chicken and generous amounts of cheese, this pizza is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Pre-made pizza dough and shredded rotisserie chicken are the secrets to success (and speed) in this recipe. Store-bought ranch dressing provides a creamy, balancing contrast to the buffalo sauce's heat, but if you’re picky about ranch dressing you can always make your own. 

Since you shouldn’t have to choose between ranch and blue cheese, this recipe includes both. Adjust the amount of blue cheese crumbles you add according to your preference. If you’re a blue cheese fan, you can even swap the ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing. 

Preparing the Pizza Dough

After unwrapping your store-bought pizza dough, you may notice that it’s a little bit difficult to stretch out. If that’s the case, cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rest to allow the gluten strands to relax for approximately 10 minutes before continuing to stretch it. You’ll have an even easier time if you can bring the dough to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. While using a pizza stone is highly recommended for this recipe, you can bake without it. The bottom of your pizza may not be as crispy, but it will still be delicious.

Recipe Tips

  • Let it warm up—Make sure to let your pizza dough come to room temperature before stretching and shaping. Let it rest in its packaging on your counter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before using.
  • Give it a rest—If your dough resists being stretched, let it rest to give the gluten strands a chance to relax. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rest for about 10 minutes, then continue stretching. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded rotisserie chicken

  • 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot) 

  • 1 (1-pound ball) fresh prepared pizza dough, at room temperature

  • 1/3 cup ranch dressing, plus more for garnish

  • 8 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

  • 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

  • 2 tablespoons sliced scallions, plus more for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 475 F with a rack in the lower third position (if you have a pizza stone, place stone on rack to preheat).

    Ingredients to make buffalo chicken pizza

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  2. Stir together 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded rotisserie chicken and 1/2 cup buffalo sauce in a medium bowl until evenly coated. Set aside.

    A large glass bowl of shredded chicken tossed in buffalo sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  3. Gently stretch and shape 1 pound pizza dough into a 13-inch round: gently press the dough into a flat round disk on a lightly floured surface. Working from the center towards the edges in a circular motion, use your fingertips to gently push the dough outward. Grab the edge of the dough and let the dough hang straight down. Rotate the dough in your hands and let gravity help stretch the dough.

    A flattened, round piece of dough on a marble surface

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  4. Place the dough onto a large rimless baking sheet (or a floured pizza peel if using a pizza stone), and use your fingertips to adjust the shape as needed into a 13-inch round.

    A large flattened piece of dough on a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  5. Evenly spread 1/3 cup ranch dressing over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

    A round piece of pizza dough on a baking sheet covered with ranch dressing

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  6. Sprinkle the dough evenly with 8 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), then top with reserved buffalo chicken mixture. Top with 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles, and 2 tablespoons sliced scallions.

    An unbaked pizza with ranch dressing, buffalo chicken, shredded mozzarella, crumbled blue cheese, and sliced red onions on a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  7. Place the baking sheet in the oven (or if using a pizza stone, slide the pizza from the peel directly onto the hot pizza stone). Bake until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a large cutting board.

    A fully baked buffalo chicken pizza on a round cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

  8. Garnish with additional scallions and a drizzle of ranch dressing, if desired. Slice into 8 equal slices, and serve.

    A buffalo chicken pizza with a bowl of extra ranch dressing and a pizza cutter

    The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Jenn Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

How To Store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat as desired.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Skip the ranch—For blue cheese lovers, you could substitute the ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing.
  • Add veggies—Add any veggie toppings of your choice, such as peppers (hot or sweet). 
  • Mix up the cheese—You could substitute some of the mozzarella for cheddar or provolone for a 2-cheese or 3-cheese version.
  • Bring in some celery—A garnish of some celery leaves is a fun nod to the buffalo wing.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
699 Calories
35g Fat
58g Carbs
38g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 699
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 2034mg 88%
Total Carbohydrate 58g 21%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 23mg 113%
Calcium 474mg 36%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 452mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)