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so You Don’t Have to Google it.

Substitutions, rescues, and the reasoning behind the step you were about to skip — plus the recipes I actually use.

Chicken, Bacon & Ranch Pizza

Chicken, bacon, ranch, cheese…there really isn’t a weak link in that lineup.

This one goes right on the grill, which means you get a golden crust without heating up the kitchen. It’s also a great way to turn leftover cooked chicken into something nobody is going to complain about eating.

Watch Me Make It

Ingredients

  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken
  • ½ cup ranch dressing
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
  • Cornmeal, for dusting
  • 16 oz. frozen prepared pizza dough, thawed
  • 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
  • 5 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-high heat.
  2. Combine the chicken, ranch dressing, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl and toss to coat.
  3. Generously dust a pastry mat or work surface with cornmeal. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
  4. Transfer the dough to a grill-safe pizza pan, gently stretching it to cover the bottom.
  5. Top the crust with the chicken mixture and tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese and bacon.
  6. Place the pizza pan on the grill. Grill, covered, for 18–22 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown. Rotate the pan occasionally for even cooking.
  7. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with green onions, cut into 12 slices, and serve.

Make It Your Own

Use the chicken you have: Leftover grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or meal-prepped chicken all work.

Change the cheese: Colby Jack is great, but mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a combination can work too.

Change the toppings: Add jalapeños, red onion, extra bacon, or whatever sounds good. Not a tomato person? Leave them off. Pizza is not the place to force yourself to eat something you don’t like.

No grill? The same flavor combination can inspire an oven-baked version—just use the baking directions appropriate for your dough and pan.

Laura’s Tip

Let the pizza dough sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before you try to roll it. Cold dough likes to spring back and argue with you. Give it a little time to relax and suddenly everybody gets along.

Yield

6 servings (2 slices each)

Nutrition

Per serving: 470 calories; 26 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 75 mg cholesterol; 880 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 26 g protein.


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