Spicy Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza Recipe
This Spicy Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza combines the bold, fiery flavors of classic Nashville hot chicken with the cheesy, comforting appeal of a pizza. Featuring a homemade-style Nashville hot sauce, crispy popcorn chicken, mozzarella, tangy pickles, and sweet onions atop a golden, crispy crust, this recipe delivers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and savory goodness in every bite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 large 12-14 inch pizza, serves 3-4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza
- 16 oz raw pizza dough, store bought or homemade equivalent
- 2 tablespoons flour for dusting
- Corn meal for dusting
- 8 popcorn chicken tenders, cooked & roughly chopped
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons honey for drizzling
- Chilled dill pickle slices for topping
- Chilled sweet onion, sliced for topping
Nashville Hot Sauce
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried black garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Pizza Stone: If using a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven to 425°F (220°C) for at least one hour to ensure it’s thoroughly heated for a crispy crust.
- Cook Chicken: Prepare the popcorn chicken tenders according to package instructions until crispy and cooked through. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Make Nashville Hot Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup of butter until frothy and beginning to brown slightly. Whisk in honey, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar until combined. Add cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, dried black garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until melted. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly dust a flat surface with flour and roll out the pizza dough to about ¼ inch thickness and a 12-14 inch round shape. If using a pizza stone, transfer the dough to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
- Assemble Pizza: Brush about ¼ cup of the Nashville hot sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Evenly distribute the chopped popcorn chicken over the sauce, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella on top.
- Bake Pizza: Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or place it on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add Toppings and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and top with chilled dill pickle slices and sweet onion slices. Drizzle with honey to your preference. Slice, serve, and enjoy the spicy-sweet Nashville hot chicken pizza!
Notes
- You can substitute the popcorn chicken with homemade fried chicken tenders if preferred.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce to control the heat level.
- Using a pizza stone helps achieve a crispier crust, but a baking sheet will work in a pinch.
- Allow the Nashville hot sauce to thicken properly to avoid a soggy crust.
- For extra smoky flavor, consider adding a sprinkle of smoked paprika on top before serving.
Keywords: Nashville hot chicken pizza, spicy pizza, hot chicken pizza, popcorn chicken pizza, Nashville hot sauce, homemade pizza
