This paleo AIP BBQ chicken pizza recipe was one of the first “meatzas” I made when I started AIP. Following a Paleo diet prior to AIP, I would occasionally order gluten-free pizzas on the weekend, but they were never good and the flavor was a mix between cardboard and tomato-flavored straw.

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This paleo AIP BBQ Chicken Pizza’s base is actually made from ground chicken thighs! It’s pretty neat how baking protein into a thin patty makes a “crust” that holds up quite well to toppings and hand manipulation.

The BBQ sauce is equals parts sweet and tangy and even without the smokey flavor of peppers, it’ll still feel like you’re eating the real stuff.

Did you know that KC Naturals makes a legit nightshade-free BBQ Sauce!? You can buy it on Amazon now!

 

 

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BBQ Chicken Pizza

  • Author: Alaena Haber
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
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Ingredients

Cherry-Thyme BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 1/4 cups pitted and halved cherries
  • 1 tsp finely chopped thyme
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Salt, to taste
  • 3 slices uncured bacon, chopped

BBQ Chicken Pizza:

  • 1 lb pastured, organic chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon each chopped oregano and parsley
  • Smoked sea salt to taste

Instructions

For the sauce:

  1. Bring the cherries to a low simmer in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once they start to release some of their juices (3 minutes or so), stir in the chopped thyme, lemon zest.
  2. Let reduce for 5 more minutes and now add in your apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, and salt (to taste).  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes periodically using a rubber spatula to break open the cherries. Transfer sauce to blender to cool.
  3. Cook the chopped bacon in the same saucepan until crispy. Set aside bacon pieces and pour leftover bacon fat into the blender with the cherries. Blend until pureed. Set aside sauce while you make the crust.

 

For the pizza:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a pizza pan on top of a baking sheet. If you do not have a pizza pan, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place chicken thighs and oregano in blender and puree until a paste forms.
  3. Using your hands, spread the mixture into a round-shaped pizza crust on the pan. Sprinkle lightly with smoked sea salt (or regular sea salt). Bake for 15 minutes on middle rack.
  4. Remove from oven. Using a paper towel, pat dry the extra fat that has risen to the top of the crust. This will help ensure a crispier crust. Spread Cherry Thyme BBQ sauce on crust (leaving an empty ½ inch border).
  5. Top with crumbled bacon and return to oven for additional 5 minutes.
  6. Let cool a couple minutes, garnish with parsley, and slice into wedges. Serve with a large salad!

Did you make this recipe?

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Cherry-Thyme BBQ Sauce

Makes enough for 1 pizza | 25 minutes

1 ¼ cups pitted and halved cherries

1 tsp finely chopped thyme

1 tsp lemon zest

1 T ACV

1 T honey

Salt, to taste

3 slices uncured bacon, chopped

 

  1. Bring the cherries to a low simmer in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once they start to release some of their juices (3 minutes or so), stir in the chopped thyme, lemon zest.
  2. Let reduce for 5 more minutes and now add in your apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, and salt (to taste).  Simmer for an additional 10 minutes periodically using a rubber spatula to break open the cherries. Transfer sauce to blender to cool.
  3. Cook the chopped bacon in the same saucepan until crispy. Set aside bacon pieces and pour leftover bacon fat into the blender with the cherries. Blend until pureed. Set aside sauce while you make the crust.

 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Serves 3-4 | 25 minutes

1 lb pastured, organic chicken thighs

1 T chopped oregano

1 T chopped parsley

Smoked sea salt to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a pizza pan on top of a baking sheet. If you do not have a pizza pan, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place chicken thighs and oregano in blender and puree until a paste forms.
  3. Using your hands, spread the mixture into a round-shaped pizza crust on the pan. Sprinkle lightly with smoked sea salt (or regular sea salt). Bake for 15 minutes on middle rack.
  4. Remove from oven. Using a paper towel, pat dry the extra fat that has risen to the top of the crust. This will help ensure a crispier crust. Spread Cherry Thyme BBQ sauce on crust (leaving an empty ½ inch border).
  5. Top with crumbled bacon and return to oven for additional 5 minutes.
  6. Let cool a couple minutes, garnish with parsley, and slice into wedges. Serve with a large salad!

Note: If you don’t follow AIP, I suggest adding tomato slices, and grassfed/raw cheese!