Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash
Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash
This Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash is absolutely the most perfect family-friendly recipe for the Fall season! It comes topped with an easy pumpkin-infused pizza sauce, BBQ shredded chicken, mozzarella, chopped kale, and perfectly roasted butternut squash. The best weeknight meal option for everyone. Gluten-free option.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links via Amazon for products that I wholeheartedly love.
I'm never one to pass up on a good slice of pizza. Seriously, it's by far on my top list of favorite foods. I just love the versatility of pizza and how easily you can switch things up with a new topping for a completely new experience.
This Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash is truly a delicious mouthful and I couldn't be happier to share this one with you. If you find yourself not being able to give up pizza, especially during the Fall season, then this recipe is sure to satisfy all of your pizza cravings.
Plus, I love the idea of being able to put to good use any leftover ingredients, especially if you have shredded chicken or roasted butternut squash on hand from another meal. Besides, you can totally add other fun toppings like sweet potato instead of butternut squash or meatless options like chickpeas, mushrooms, cauliflower, etc. Make your fall and winter holiday table shine with our Wild + Brown Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash-- This hearty and heartwarming dish blends earthy squash with a hearty wild rice stuffing.
Of course, if you're looking for a classic pizza for the entire family for a weeknight meal option, this Homemade Vodka Pizza is one for the books and is so easy to make!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza
- It's a SUPER EASY from-scratch dough recipe that will leave you with a fool-proof fluffy and crunchy crust.
- The recipe serves 8 people, so there’s plenty of pizza for the whole crew to enjoy!
- Sweet and savory flavors from the pumpkin base, BBQ chicken, and roasted butternut squash----which all takes the flavor to the next level.
- The epitome of Summer meets Fall in just one bite!
Ingredients for Homemade Pizza Crust
For the best pizza, make your own crust! It's easier than you might think, and my recipe takes just a few ingredients and little time to rise. Plus, the dough is seasoned for added flavor!
Here's what you need:
- All-purpose flour. I use organic flour. If you want to make gluten-free pizza dough, check out the notes section below the recipe!
- Raw honey. All of the sugar will be consumed by the yeast in the dough.
- Yeast. Use rapid-rise or instant yeast for dough that rises quickly.
- Olive oil. This is a neutral oil, but you could also use Grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Garlic powder. For added flavor.
Pizza Toppings
To round things out, I use shredded mozzarella cheese (You can also use fresh), pizza sauce, pumpkin puree, BBQ chicken, roasted butternut squash, and finally, chopped kale. If you like parmesan, asiago, or another cheese, feel free to use it! You could also top this pizza with oregano fresh out of the oven. Feel free to personalize it to suit your favorite flavors.
How to Best Shred Chicken
When it comes to creating pulled/shredded chicken, there are two most effective ways to do so. Firstly, you would need to ensure that your chicken is fully cooked and cooled and then you shred the chicken in one of the following ways:
Forks: For this method you would need two forks. If using this method, place your cooked chicken breast onto a plate or cutting board and use both forks to separate the chicken meat and 'shred' as you separate. Continue doing this until all of your chicken is shredded.
Stand Mixer: If you're looking to avoid using arm strength, then the method of a stand mixer might be just for you. This is by far the fastest and easiest way to shred chicken and you simply place all of your cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of stand mixer. Add the paddle attachment and mix on low. In just 15-20 seconds you’ll have shredded chicken. That easy!
How to Best Roast Butternut Squash
Roasting butternut squash is super easy to do and makes for the perfect meal prep option since it's so versatile and can be enjoyed on a ton of things. Here are a few short steps to roasting your butternut squash:
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and preparing a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cubed butternut squash to a bowl along with the seasonings, tossing everything together until it's fully coated.
- Transfer the butternut squash to the baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake until the butternut squash is golden-brown and knife tender, about 25-30 minutes. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PIZZA!
Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash. Everything from my fave pizza pan, baking sheets, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
It must be noted that this recipe (and most sweet or savory pumpkin recipes) calls for 100% pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling! Pumpkin pie filling is quite literally the sweet pumpkin custard that you find in traditional pumpkin pie. It already contains sugar, cinnamon, clove, and other ingredients that make a pie filling.
Adding pumpkin pie filling to a dish that calls for 100% pumpkin puree will add an unwelcomed sweetness, essentially ruining the dish. Even if you are unsure of what type of pumpkin a recipe is calling for, go for the 100% pumpkin puree.
Homemade Pizza Storage Suggestions
Store leftover pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can always enjoy it cold (Confession... I actually LOVE cold pizza). The flavors seem to marinate and taste even better the next day. But if you are not on the cold pizza bandwagon, then you can always reheat it on a griddle or in the oven to serve.
More Delicious Homemade Pizza Recipes
Get inspired to keep the awesome pizza options alive! Trust me, your tastebuds are going to be so happy and satisfied come pizza night!
- The Ultimate Veggie Pizza
- Best Homemade Vodka Pizza
- Easy Kale Pesto Pizza
- Sheet Pan Roasted Garlic Buffalo Chickpea Pizza
- Cajun Veggie Pumpkin Pizza
- Garlic Herb Cheese Pizza
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you make this Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash, tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza with Butternut Squash
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 2 ¾ cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 cup WARM water + 2 Tbsps
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 packet rapid-rise yeast (See Notes!)
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
BBQ CHICKEN:
- Roasted chicken breasts, shredded
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, premium
TOPPINGS:
- ¼ cup pizza sauce, organic (I love using otamot)
- 1 cup organic 100% pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling!)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups roasted cubed butternut squash
- 1 cup kale, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CRUST:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (with a dough hook attachment), mix together the warm water, honey, olive oil, and yeast (you might need to use a whisk to ensure that everything combines together well). Let is sit for at least 5 minutes, until yeast begins to activate and foam.
- Slowly add the flour and garlic powder (on low speed!), until fully incorporated and a soft dough is formed. NOTE: if dough is too sticky, add ½ cup of additional flour at a time)
- Now, increase the speed to medium-high and knead the dough for about 5 minutes in the mixer.
- Once done, add the dough onto a floured surface and slightly roll out the dough until it’s flat enough to form a flat circle the rest of the way with your hands, about 11 inches in diameter.
- Lightly grease your pizza pan with extra virgin olive oil and place dough on one end of pan, evenly pressing it and flattening it out to fit the entire pan. Gently use your finger to stretch dough until pan is fully covered and gently pinch the edges of the dough together to form the crust.
TO MAKE THE BBQ CHICKEN:
- To add sauce to your shredded roasted chicken, add both the chicken and BBQ sauce to a bowl and stir together until chicken is fully coated.
FOR THE PUMPKIN PIZZA SAUCE:
- In a bowl, add the pizza sauce, pumpkin puree, salt, oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, smoked paprika, and garlic powder, mixing together until combined.
ASSEMBLY:
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit and place top rack into the middle of oven. NOTE: be sure to use a great pizza pan to ensure that your crust is crispy and not soggy.
- Spoon a generous amount of the pumpkin pizza sauce over the top of the crust until evenly coated. Top with the chopped kale.
- Generously sprinkle on the mozzarella until crust is fully covered in the middle, leaving a bit of crust for the edges. Add the cubed roasted butternut squash and BBQ chicken atop the cheese.
- Lightly brush the tops of the edge of the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to ensure that it becomes a nice golden brown.
- Transfer the pizza pie to the hot oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or so, until the mozzarella has melted (and becomes bubbly) and the crust is crispy and golden brown.
- Once done, allow pizza to rest/cool for a few minutes (about 2-3 minutes) so that the mozzarella sets before cutting into generous slices, using a pizza cutter. Garnish with dried oregano or red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Leftover pizza is best kept tightly wrapped in foil paper, refrigerated for 3-4 days for optimal freshness.
- PIZZA CRUST: For a crispy pizza (especially on the bottom), I suggest using a pizza pan with holes to allow the crust to bake through nicely. See my Amazon Storefront for my favorite kind!
- GLUTEN-FREE CRUST: To make your pizza crust GF, see my Easy GF Pizza Crust recipe.
- RAPID (INSTANT) RISE YEAST VS. ACTIVE DRY YEAST: If you’re not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn’t work as quickly.
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