Filipino BBQ Chicken Pizza
Recipe Guy
Fil-Am pizza | Banana ketchup barbecue | Calamansi-soy chicken
A crisp, chewy pizza topped with fully cooked calamansi-soy chicken, banana ketchup barbecue sauce, mozzarella, red onion, green pepper, and fresh cilantro.
About This Recipe
Filipino BBQ Chicken Pizza brings the sweet, tangy, garlicky profile of Filipino barbecue to a home-oven pizza. Banana ketchup anchors both the marinade and the sauce, while calamansi and soy keep the sweetness balanced. The chicken is cooked before it reaches the pizza, which gives it time to brown safely without asking a short pizza bake to cook raw poultry.
Ingredient Notes
Prepared pizza dough
Use one 16-ounce fresh or fully thawed dough ball. Let refrigerated dough sit covered at room temperature for about 1 hour so it stretches without snapping back.
Banana ketchup
Banana ketchup supplies the recognizable sweet-tangy Filipino barbecue base. Measure the clean finishing sauce before any portion touches raw chicken.
Calamansi
Fresh or bottled unsweetened calamansi juice both work. Lemon juice is the most practical substitute, although its flavor is less floral.
Chicken thighs
Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy through skillet cooking and the second trip into the oven. Cook them to 165 F before slicing for the pizza.
Mozzarella
Low-moisture mozzarella melts evenly without adding excess water. Shred it from a block for smoother melting than most pre-shredded cheese.
Filipino BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe
A crisp, chewy pizza topped with fully cooked calamansi-soy chicken, banana ketchup barbecue sauce, mozzarella, red onion, green pepper, and fresh cilantro.
Yield: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza, 8 slices Serving size: 1 slice (1/8 pizza)
Yield note: One 1-pound dough ball makes a medium-thick 12-inch pizza or a thinner 14-inch pizza. Count on 4 main-dish servings at 2 slices each or 8 appetizer servings at 1 slice each.
Shopping List
- 16-ounce prepared pizza dough ball
- banana ketchup
- calamansi or lemons
- low-sodium soy sauce
- light brown sugar
- garlic
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- low-moisture mozzarella
- red onion
- green bell pepper
- cilantro
- fine semolina or all-purpose flour
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 pound (454 g) prepared pizza dough, fresh or fully thawed
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or fine semolina, for the peel
Filipino BBQ Chicken and Sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 g) banana ketchup
- 2 tablespoons calamansi juice or lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces (340 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
Toppings and Finish
- 6 ounces (170 g) low-moisture whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella, shredded
- 1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) thinly sliced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 4 calamansi or lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Set the dough in a lightly oiled covered bowl and leave it at room temperature for about 1 hour. It should feel relaxed and stretch when gently pressed; keep it covered so the surface does not dry out.
- Whisk the banana ketchup, calamansi juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and black pepper in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Measure 1/3 cup into a separate bowl for the raw chicken. Cover and reserve the untouched sauce for the pizza and finishing drizzle.
- Add the chicken to the 1/3 cup marinade, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Do not marinate at room temperature.
- While the dough rests and chicken marinates, place a pizza stone or baking steel on the upper-middle oven rack and heat the oven to 500 F for at least 45 minutes. Keep 6 to 8 inches of clearance below the broiler. If using a metal pizza pan, heat the oven for the same amount of time but leave the pan at room temperature.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and let the excess drip away. Discard every bit of marinade that contacted the raw chicken; do not use it as pizza sauce or glaze.
- Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if the sugary coating darkens too quickly, until the thickest piece reaches 165 F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then cut it across the grain into 1/2-inch strips. Toss the strips with 1 tablespoon of the clean reserved sauce so they stay glossy without becoming wet.
- Wipe the skillet clean, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil, and cook the red onion and green pepper over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly softened and dry at the edges. Spread them on a plate to cool before topping the dough.
- Dust a pizza peel with the flour or semolina. Press the dough from the center outward, leaving a 3/4-inch rim, then stretch it to a 12- to 14-inch round. If the dough pulls back, rest it for 10 minutes before finishing. For a pizza pan, shape the dough directly in the pan.
- Spread 1/4 cup of the clean reserved sauce over the dough, stopping 3/4 inch from the edge. Scatter on three-quarters of the mozzarella, followed by the chicken, red onion, and green pepper. Finish with the remaining mozzarella.
- Slide the pizza onto the hot stone or steel and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, rotating once after 5 minutes, until the rim is browned, the cheese bubbles, and the bottom is crisp. A pizza baked in a pan may need 12 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the pizza to a rack or cutting board. Drizzle with the remaining clean sauce, about 1 to 2 tablespoons, and scatter the cilantro over the top.
- Rest for 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese settles, then cut into 8 slices. Serve with calamansi or lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving, not a laboratory analysis or medical nutrition label. Actual nutrition will vary with the dough, banana ketchup, soy sauce, cheese, chicken, retained marinade, and exact slice size.
Tips For The Best Filipino BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Separate the sauce first: Reserve the pizza sauce and finishing glaze before marinating. Sauce that has touched raw chicken must be discarded unless it is boiled separately.
- Watch the skillet heat: Banana ketchup and brown sugar color quickly. Medium-high heat is enough to brown the chicken without scorching the coating before the center is done.
- Preheat the baking surface fully: A stone or steel needs 45 to 60 minutes at 500 F to store enough heat for a crisp bottom. Oven preheat signals alone do not confirm that the baking surface is ready.
- Keep the topping layer light: Use the listed chicken and vegetable amounts and leave small gaps between pieces. Crowding traps steam and softens the center crust.
- Finish after baking: Cilantro and the last spoonful of sauce taste fresher when they go on after the pizza leaves the oven.
How To Serve And Store
Serve hot with a sharp salad, atchara, or sliced cucumbers. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a rack or preheated sheet pan at 400 F for 6 to 8 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, until the chicken reaches 165 F. For best texture, freeze individual slices for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen at 400 F.
Common Questions
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes. Use 12 ounces of boneless, skinless breast, pound the thick end to an even thickness, and cook only until it reaches 165 F so it does not dry out during the pizza bake.
Can I use leftover cooked chicken?
Yes. Skip the raw-chicken marinade, toss 2 cups of shredded or chopped cooked chicken with 3 tablespoons of the sauce, and proceed with assembly.
What can replace banana ketchup?
Regular tomato ketchup will work in the same quantity, but the pizza will lose some of its Filipino barbecue character. Add 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon calamansi juice to bring it closer.
Why cook the chicken before topping the pizza?
A pizza bakes too quickly to cook uneven raw chicken reliably. Precooking also lets the chicken brown and gives you a clear 165 F safety check before assembly.
Can I grill this pizza?
Yes. Cook the topped pizza over indirect medium-high heat on a preheated pizza stone or sturdy grill-safe pan, with the lid closed, until the crust browns and the cheese melts.
