BBQ Chicken Pizza with Mozzarella and Red Onion

• 600 gboneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• ½ tspgarlic powder
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 4large flatbreads or naan breads
• 1red onion, peeled and finely sliced into rings
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar
• ½ tspcaster sugar
• 120 mlBBQ sauce, divided
• 250 gmozzarella, drained and torn
• 1 tspwholegrain mustard
• 200 gwhite cabbage, finely shredded
• 1large carrot, coarsely grated
• 1 tbspapple cider vinegar
• 3 tbspmayonnaise
• Fine salt and black pepper
• ½ tspdried chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 tbspolive oil (optional)
• 15 gcoriander leaves (optional)
• 10 gdill (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Pat the chicken thighs dry, toss with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Work the spices in with your hands so the paprika and garlic powder toast against the warm oil and chicken.
2. 2Put an ovenproof frying pan or griddle over a high heat until it's properly smoking; that hard heat is what gives you the char. Lay the thighs in a single layer with space between each one. Don't crowd the pan: bunch them up and water comes out, and you've poached the chicken instead of searing it. Cook two pieces at a time if your pan is small. 5–6 minutes per side until deeply golden, lightly charred at the edges and cooked through with no pink. Rest on a plate for 5 minutes.
3. 3While the chicken rests, combine the sliced red onion with the red wine vinegar, splash of vinegar doing its work, the caster sugar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Toss well and leave for 10 minutes; the rings soften and turn a vivid pink.
4. 4For the slaw, tip the shredded cabbage and grated carrot into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and wholegrain mustard, season with salt and pepper, and toss until everything is glossy and evenly coated. Taste; it should be sharp, creamy, properly seasoned.
5. 5Shred the rested chicken into rough, generous pieces using two forks, catching any resting juices and tossing them back through the meat.
6. 6Lay the flatbreads on two large baking trays. Spread each one generously with BBQ sauce, leaving a 1cm border around the edge for a crisp crust.
7. 7Scatter the shredded chicken evenly across the flatbreads, top with the drained pickled red onion rings, then tear the mozzarella into molten-ready clumps over the top.
8. 8Bake for 10–12 minutes until the mozzarella is bubbling and golden at the edges and the flatbread bases are crisp underneath when you lift a corner.
9. 9Pull the pizzas out and immediately scatter over torn coriander leaves and a pinch of dried chilli flakes, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Plate each pizza with a generous heap of the creamy mustard slaw, a few dill pickles alongside, and a small bowl of extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Per serving

kcal

834

protein

58.5g

fibre

5.5g

carbs

73g

fat

33.2g