Buffalo Chicken Pizza with Ranch Drizzle

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings, 1 large 12-inch pizza
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 13 minutes
• Total Time: 33 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal or semolina, for the pan
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for the crust edge
• 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce, plus 2 tablespoons for the chicken
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 8 ounces
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, about 6 ounces
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, optional
• 3 tablespoons ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
• 1 tablespoon milk or water, for thinning the drizzle
• 1 medium celery rib, very thinly sliced, about 1/3 cup
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, about 1/4 cup

Do This

• 1. Preheat the oven to 475°F with a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside for 20 minutes.
• 2. Stir together 1/3 cup buffalo sauce, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon honey.
• 3. Toss shredded chicken with 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
• 4. Stretch dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface, then transfer to a cornmeal-dusted peel, parchment, or pan.
• 5. Spread buffalo sauce over the dough, add mozzarella, buffalo chicken, and optional blue cheese.
• 6. Bake at 475°F for 13 minutes, until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted.
• 7. Cool for 3 minutes, drizzle with thinned ranch or blue cheese dressing, then top with celery and scallions.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big buffalo flavor: Tangy, buttery buffalo sauce gives every bite that classic wing-night taste.
• Great texture: Melty mozzarella, tender shredded chicken, crisp celery, and fresh scallions make the pizza feel balanced and satisfying.
• Weeknight-friendly: Using store-bought dough and cooked chicken keeps the process simple without sacrificing flavor.
• Easy to customize: Finish it with ranch for a milder, creamy bite or blue cheese dressing for a sharper, more classic buffalo pairing.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium celery rib, 2 scallions
• Dairy: Low-moisture mozzarella cheese, unsalted butter, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, milk, optional crumbled blue cheese
• Meat and Protein: Cooked shredded chicken, such as rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast
• Bakery or Refrigerated: 1 pound pizza dough
• Pantry: Buffalo wing sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic powder, all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal or semolina

Full Ingredients

For the Dough and Pan

• 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping the dough
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal or semolina, for dusting the peel or pan
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing the crust edge

For the Buffalo Sauce Base

• 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon honey

For the Buffalo Chicken

• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 8 ounces
• 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Cheese and Toppings

• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, about 6 ounces
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, about 1 1/2 ounces, optional
• 3 tablespoons ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
• 1 tablespoon milk or water, for thinning the drizzle
• 1 medium celery rib, very thinly sliced, about 1/3 cup
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, about 1/4 cup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven

Place a pizza stone, baking steel, or inverted rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F for 20 minutes. A hot surface helps the crust brown quickly and keeps the center from turning soggy.

If your pizza dough is cold from the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping. Room-temperature dough stretches more easily and is less likely to spring back.

Step 2: Make the buffalo sauce base

In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce, 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon honey. The butter rounds out the heat, while the honey lightly balances the tang of the sauce without making the pizza sweet.

Step 3: Season the chicken

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Toss until the chicken is lightly coated. It should be flavorful but not swimming in sauce, which helps the pizza bake up crisp instead of wet.

Step 4: Shape the dough

Lightly dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12-inch round, keeping the edge slightly thicker for a chewy crust. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal or semolina over a pizza peel, a sheet of parchment paper, or a room-temperature baking sheet, then transfer the dough to it.

Brush the outer 1/2 inch of the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil. This encourages a golden, lightly crisp edge.

Step 5: Add the sauce, cheese, and chicken

Spread the buffalo sauce base over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle on 1/2 cup of the mozzarella first, then scatter the buffalo chicken evenly over the pizza. Top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella. If using blue cheese crumbles, sprinkle 1/3 cup over the top.

Adding a little mozzarella under the chicken helps hold the toppings in place, while the remaining cheese melts over everything for that classic pizza pull.

Step 6: Bake the pizza

Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 475°F for 13 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the buffalo sauce is bubbling at the edges, and the crust is golden brown with a few darker spots.

If baking on a regular room-temperature pizza pan instead of a preheated surface, place the pan on the middle rack and bake at 475°F for 15 minutes, checking that the underside is browned before removing it from the oven.

Step 7: Add the drizzle and fresh toppings

Let the pizza cool on a cutting board for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, stir 3 tablespoons ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing with 1 tablespoon milk or water until it is thin enough to drizzle. Spoon or drizzle it over the warm pizza.

Finish with 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery and 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions. Adding these after baking keeps them crisp, fresh, and bright against the spicy buffalo chicken.

Step 8: Slice and serve

Slice the pizza into 8 pieces and serve warm. For the best texture, eat it while the crust is still crisp and the mozzarella is soft and melty.

Pro Tips

• Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella releases more liquid and can make the buffalo sauce base watery.
• Do not over-sauce the chicken: The chicken should be coated, not soaked. Too much sauce can weigh down the crust.
• Preheat the baking surface: A hot stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet gives the pizza a better bottom crust in a home oven.
• Add celery and scallions after baking: Their crunch and freshness are part of what makes buffalo chicken pizza taste lively.
• Let the pizza rest before slicing: A short 3-minute rest helps the cheese settle so the toppings do not slide off.

Variations

• Ranch Buffalo Chicken Pizza: Use ranch dressing for the drizzle and skip the blue cheese crumbles for a creamy, milder version.
• Blue Cheese Buffalo Chicken Pizza: Use blue cheese dressing for the drizzle and keep the crumbled blue cheese for a sharper, classic wing-style flavor.
• Extra-Spicy Buffalo Pizza: Add 1 thinly sliced jalapeño before baking and finish with an extra 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce after baking.
• Milder Family-Friendly Pizza: Use 1/4 cup buffalo sauce mixed with 2 tablespoons tomato pizza sauce for the base, then finish with ranch dressing.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pizza slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best reheated texture, warm slices on a baking sheet at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or heat them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add fresh celery, scallions, and drizzle after reheating whenever possible.

To make components ahead, toss the chicken with buffalo sauce and garlic powder up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container. The buffalo sauce base can be mixed up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated; warm it for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave if the butter firms up. Slice the celery and scallions up to 1 day ahead, then store them separately in the refrigerator.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 640 kcal | Carbs: 58g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Sodium: 1680mg | Cholesterol: 98mg