BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza (CPK Inspired) Recipe
A delicious BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza inspired by California Pizza Kitchen, featuring seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, two types of barbecue sauces, and melted mozzarella cheese on a crispy French bread base. Ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for a flavorful and hearty meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Pizza
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 loaf French bread or Italian bread
Meat
- 1.5 lbs chicken tenders (breast or thighs)
- 5 strips bacon
Cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Sauces & Seasoning
- 1.5 cups barbecue sauce (regular, e.g. Sweet Baby Ray’s)
- 1/2 cup Alabama white barbecue sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- BBQ Rub (store-bought or homemade recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the pizza.
- Cook Chicken and Bacon: Season chicken tenders well on both sides with BBQ rub. Cook them in a skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, flipping once until cooked through. While the chicken cooks, sprinkle the bacon strips with BBQ Rub and bake them in the oven until crisp, about 15 minutes. Set the chicken aside under tented foil to rest for a few minutes, then dice it into cubes and chop the bacon into bits.
- Prepare the Bread: Cut the French bread loaf lengthwise horizontally and gently remove some of the inside bread to create space for the toppings.
- Assemble the Pizza Base: Baste the inside of the bread with regular barbecue sauce, reserving some for drizzling later. Sprinkle 2/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. Layer on the diced chicken, chopped bacon, and thinly sliced red onions.
- Add Sauces and Cheese: Drizzle the BBQ chicken and bacon with Alabama white barbecue sauce and some of the reserved regular barbecue sauce. Then top everything with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the Pizza: Place the assembled bread pizza in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Slice into servings and enjoy with extra Alabama white BBQ sauce or ranch dressing for dipping if desired.
Notes
- The BBQ Rub can be store-bought or made at home using a mix of smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
- The Alabama white barbecue sauce is tangy and creamy, typically made with mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, and black pepper. You can use a store-bought version or make your own.
- For best results, use freshly cooked chicken and bacon to keep the pizza flavorful and moist.
- Leftover pizza can be reheated in the oven to keep the bread crispy.
