Barbecue chicken pizza, the brainchild of Ed LaDou, the first pizza chef at Wolfgang Puck’s famed Los Angeles restaurant, Spago and the original California Pizza Kitchen’s menu developer, has been popular ever since LaDou conceived the idea in 1985. Our version takes the classic recipe and makes a few adjustments to make it our own. Perfect for a backyard cookout, this recipe is easy but rewarding.

While barbecue chicken pizza might feel like an obvious crowd-pleaser now, it was anything but when LaDou first created it. Viewed as a “pizza renegade” in the 70s and 80s, LaDou and his inventive menu pushed the limits of what pizzas could taste like and woke the world up to artisanal bakes and non-traditional topping combinations. We may never have gotten to summer corn pizza from Lovely’s 50/50 in Portland, Oregon or Brooklyn-based Paulie Gee’s Hometown brisket pizza without LaDou.

The original recipe called for a barbecue sauce base covered in smoked gouda, chicken, red onions and cilantro. We opted for fresh mozzarella and shredded cheddar for a mix of cheeses that are both sharp and mild. Our red onions are quick-pickled for a hit of vinegar. Finished with cilantro just like the original recipe, our spin on this game-changing pizza is smoky, sweet and fresh.