Did someone say pizza?! Why yes, yes they did! Buffalo Chicken Pizza! This is a healthy and gluten-free take on pizza! Instead of using traditional dough this recipe has a pre-made cauliflower crust and is pretty darn delicious.
WHERE TO BUY
I know that you can make your own cauliflower crust but I didn’t even attempt it. Instead I bought the pre-made cauliflower crust at Trader Joe’s for 3.99 a pop, located in the frozen food aisle. Using this crust makes this recipe super simple to make and is so much better for you than ordering out. This cauliflower crust is also Gluten-free. Yippee! I buy my Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce at Walmart because I’ve found it to be the cheapest however you can also buy it on Amazon by clicking here!
PRO TIP: Use two spatula’s and a little bit of speed to flip the cauliflower crust. My first rodeo, I folded the crust in two while flipping, it cracked BUT luckily after broiling it with the toppings it ended up staying together. The second time I used two spatula’s and some speed and it was perfect!
EATING OUT vs. HOME COOKING
As you know restaurant meals have a ton of hidden macros. If you aren’t cooking the meal yourself, you have NO IDEA what is going into that meal. All that extra love the restaurant just served you, went straight to your love handles! Cook at home people. Don’t be intimidated. Remember, I am just a regular ‘ol gal and am here to help you chef up simple recipes that are healthy and delicious. This recipe is no exception.
NUTRITION
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower crust renders 6 small slices when cut evenly. Each slice has 105 calories, 17g carbs, 1g fat and 6g protein. These are AMAZING stats for a slice of pizza. Don’t believe me? Lets compare my recipe to both Papa John’s Small Buffalo Chicken Pizza and my same recipe but using Trader Joe’s garlic and herb dough instead of the Cauliflower crust.
Look at that! I mean just look at that! You can have 3 slices of my recipe and the calories will almost equal just one small slice of Papa John’s. Don’t even get me started on the fat content difference! Health is wealth people, start using the tools you have in your own kitchen instead of ordering out. Your wallet and waistline will thank you!!
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
DOUGH/CRUST OPTIONS: I am not going to lie. Cauliflower crust, while healthier and delicious doesn’t totally taste like regular dough. Nothing compares to real dough packed with carbs, calories and fat. However, we are here to make healthier decisions one choice at a time. If you are adamant about not using cauliflower crust or if it’s the weekend and you want to splurge a bit I urge you to not order out and cook pizza at home using regular dough. Trader Joe’s sells 3 different flavors (I love the garlic and herb one for everything) and they are pretty darn tasty.
Instructions if using regular dough:
- Make sure to let the dough rise for 20 minutes before using. (perfect timing to preheat the oven to 450 degrees)
- Buy a pizza pan at any store or by clicking here! This will aerate the dough and make sure the bottom doesn’t burn before the top is done!
- Bake the dough for about 10 minutes before loading with toppings. After 10 minutes layer your toppings evenly and then bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the cheese starts to turn golden brown.
DRESSING OPTIONS: I use 2 parts Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce and 1 part Walden Farm’s Blue Cheese as my pizza sauce however you could use whatever blue cheese or even ranch dressing you prefer. Just be sure to watch the fat, carb and sodium content.
MORE SPICE OPTION: If you can take the heat then try tossing the chicken in some Frank’s red hot after cooking and before putting it on the pizza (just like I do in my Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe) or you can marinate the chicken in Frank’s Red Hot in advance!
OTHER BUFFALO CHICKEN RECIPES!
If you like this buffalo chicken pizza recipe, check out some of my others by clicking on each one…. Buffalo Chicken Bake, Buffalo Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs!
Remember folks, this is progress not perfection. Try eating out one less meal this week and preparing it yourself.
Products I love to use when making this dish:
- 1 Trader Joe's cauliflower crust
- 1/2 cup lite shredded mozzarella
- 4 oz grilled chicken, sliced & halved
- 1/4 small red onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce
- 1 tbsp Walden Farm's Blue Cheese Dressing (or your favorite blue cheese/ranch)
- salt, pepper, creole, blackened seasoning (to season chicken)
- extra blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees (beware this takes approx 20 minutes!)
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when oven is ready place dough upside down on a pizza pan and bake for 10-12 minutes. Flip (carefully!) and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
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while the dough is cooking, lightly season chicken with salt, pepper, creole and blackening seasoning.
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Heat a grill pan, over medium-high heat and lightly spray with cooking spray. cover and cook chicken until no longer pink. (about 12 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees) Flip halfway through. Let chicken cool. slice and halve chicken into bite size pieces.
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while chicken is cooking, slice onion. lightly spray a small saute pan with cooking spray and add onions. saute over medium-high heat for about 4-6 minutes or until the onions become translucent.
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In a small bowl, mix together Frank's Red Hot and Blue Cheese dressing. stir.
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when dough is ready, add a thin layer of sauce to the dough crust, leaving a little edge as the crust. Place onions, grilled chicken and mozzarella on top, spreading the ingredients evenly over the dough.
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put pizza back in the oven and Broil on high for about 3 minutes or until the cheese starts to get a little golden brown.
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Let pizza cool for about 5 minutes. Once cool, use a pizza wheel to cut into 6 slices. Serve with extra blue cheese or ranch dressing! Enjoy!
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad