This Papaya Barbecue Chicken Pita Pizza is a tropical twist on the classic with a no-drama crust that comes together in seconds.
I made pita pizza all the time in college, and still do to this day! It’s incredibly versatile, insanely quick to throw together, and the perfect size for a personal pizza. You can use any flatbread you like from naan to flour tortillas with any toppings you have lying around the kitchen.
BUT, if you’re willing to go wild, I encourage you to amp it up with Papaya Barbecue Sauce! Not only does it add a tropical flair to your pizza, but it also substitutes tomato sauce (if you don’t have any on hand). You could even add a few spoonfuls to other sauces for a sweet, slightly fruity dip for garlic knots or calzones! Are you still with me? Good!
So then…what do you get when you put Papaya Barbecue Sauce on a pizza? A unique combination of fruity, spicy, and savory all together in traditional barbecue chicken pizza form! And what happens when you swap your finicky store-bought pizza dough with pita bread? You make a super quick and easy Friday night pizza on a crunchy crust!
A great late-night snack or as an appetizer before a meal with friends.
PAPAYA BARBECUE CHICKEN PIZZA
MAKES: 4 PIZZAS ⎪ DIFFICULTY: EASY ⎪ FUNK: CASUAL
Mise en Place
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
- neutral oil
- salt & pepper
- 3/4 cup Papaya Barbecue Sauce, plus more to taste
- 4 pita bread
- 4 ounces mozzarella, sliced or shredded
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- sour cream, for garnish
COOKS NOTE Want a decorative look? Place sour cream and barbecue sauce in 2 separate plastic bags. Snip off the corners and squeeze a swirl around your pizza.
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1. COOK THE CHICKEN
Preheat the oven to 425F. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a skillet and bring to medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt & pepper. Add to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan and flipping the chicken until no longer pink. Stir in 2 tablespoons papaya barbecue sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
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2. TOP THE PIZZA
Spread 2 – 3 tablespoons papaya barbecue sauce on each pita, then evenly distribute the mozzarella. Top with chicken pieces, red onion, and green bell pepper.
TIP! At this point, you can tightly wrap the pita pizzas in plastic wrap and chill or freeze for later. Follow the rest of the recipe when you’re ready to eat!
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3. BAKE THE PIZZA
Place the pita pizzas on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes or until the pita bread turns brown and the cheese is melted. Transfer the pita pizzas to a cutting board and drizzle with extra papaya barbecue sauce and sour cream.
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4. SERVE & STORE
Slice and serve immediately with a tropical beer. Did you make Papaya Barbecue Chicken Pizza? Let me know how it turned out, and leave a comment below.
