Easy Barbecue Chicken Flatbread Pizzas

I bought a supermarket roast chicken with absolutely no intention of cooking another complicated dinner. Jason took one look at it and said, “Let’s make pizza.” A few flatbreads, barbecue sauce, cheese and some colourful toppings later, dinner looked far more impressive than the effort involved. These Barbecue Chicken Flatbread Pizzas are crispy, cheesy and perfect for nights when your energy level says takeaway, but your budget says check the fridge.

EASY DINNER CHICKEN RECIPES

Kendra

7/30/20262 min read

Easy Barbecue Chicken Flatbread Pizzas

Turn supermarket roast chicken into a quick and satisfying pizza dinner with smoky barbecue sauce, colourful vegetables and melted cheese. Using ready-made flatbreads means there is no dough to mix, knead or prove.

Recipe information

Preparation time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 10–12 minutes
Total time: Approximately 25 minutes
Serves: 4 with a side dish, or 2–3 larger appetites
Makes: 4 medium flatbread pizzas
Difficulty: Very easy

Ingredients

  • 4 fully cooked naan breads or flatbreads, approximately 18–20 cm each

  • 300 g cooked supermarket roast chicken, with the skin and bones removed

  • 125 ml barbecue sauce, approximately ½ cup, divided

  • 180 g grated mozzarella or pizza cheese

  • ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced

  • ½ small red capsicum, thinly sliced

  • 80 g canned corn kernels, approximately ½ cup, drained thoroughly

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil, optional

  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Sliced spring onion, parsley or coriander, for serving

Before you begin

Check the cooking instructions on the flatbread packaging. Very thin flatbreads and tortillas cook faster than thick naan.

If using refrigerated roast chicken, keep it refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the pizzas.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional or 200°C fan-forced.

  2. Place two empty baking trays in the oven while it preheats. A hot tray helps the bottom of the flatbread become crisp.

  3. Shred or chop the roast chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.

  4. Place the chicken in a bowl with three tablespoons of the barbecue sauce and the smoked paprika, if using. Toss until the chicken is lightly coated.

  5. Place the flatbreads on two pieces of baking paper. Keep the paper trimmed so it does not extend far beyond the edges of the trays.

  6. Lightly brush the edges of the flatbreads with olive oil.

For thick naan or soft flatbreads

  1. Carefully transfer the flatbreads and baking paper onto the hot trays.

  2. Pre-bake the flatbreads for three minutes, then remove them from the oven.

For thin flatbreads or tortillas

Skip the pre-baking step because the bases may become too crisp or burn.

  1. Spread the remaining barbecue sauce thinly over the four flatbreads, leaving a small border around each edge.

  2. Sprinkle approximately one-third of the cheese over the sauce. This creates a light barrier between the base and the moist toppings.

  3. Divide the barbecue chicken evenly between the flatbreads.

  4. Add the sliced onion, capsicum and well-drained corn. Keep the toppings in a relatively thin, even layer.

  5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the pizzas and finish with black pepper.

  6. Bake for 7–9 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, the edges are golden and the chicken is piping hot throughout.

  7. Begin checking thin bases after approximately six minutes. Rotate or exchange the trays halfway through if your oven cooks unevenly.

  8. Remove the pizzas from the oven and let them rest for one or two minutes.

  9. Finish with sliced spring onion, parsley or coriander. Cut and serve immediately.