With this Trashed Up Barbecue Turkey Pizza, I’ll be sharing one of my favorite ways to use turkey or Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. If you want a whole-bird option, check my popular tutorial on how to smoke a turkey.
This recipe is also my contribution to the virtual baby shower for my dear friend Jessica of How Sweet Eats. She’s six weeks away from her due date, so a group of her blogging friends are celebrating with fun, “trashed-up” versions of her favorite treats.
I first met Jessica in Oregon at a Harry & David event and liked her instantly. She was lively, warm, and the only person bold enough to try a bleu cheese chocolate truffle with me. We hit it off immediately. On the flight home, I noticed an unkempt passenger plunk down next to her and then slump into a deep sleep, eventually draping his head onto Jessica’s shoulder. She sat calm and unbothered through the whole long flight—patient and kind in a way that convinced me she’ll be an amazing mom.
In honor of Jessica’s upcoming baby, I present a Trashed Up Barbecue Turkey Pizza that suits her playful, over-the-top style: pile on the toppings and make it yours. This pizza is a fantastic way to use leftover turkey and a fun alternative to the usual casseroles. It’s exactly the sort of thing I look forward to when Thanksgiving leftovers roll around. Congratulations to Jessica, Eddie, and the little one on the way!
Cook’s Notes
- I made this in a cast-iron pan using my Best Pan Pizza method, but you can use any favorite pizza crust and bake it the way you normally do.
- This was made with shredded or cubed leftover turkey, but you can use any fully cooked poultry—roast, grilled, broiled, rotisserie, or fried turkey or chicken will work.
- For cheese I like a mix: mozzarella for melt and stretch, Pepper Jack for heat and flavor, and a bit of Cheddar for sharpness.
- If you want to keep it simple, bake the pizza with barbecue-sauced turkey and lots of melted cheese. To “trash it up,” add sliced black olives, pickled red onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, green onions, and cubes or slices of ripe avocado after baking.
Trashed Up Barbecue Turkey Pizza
Ingredients
For the Pizzas:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil or a neutral high-smoke-point oil (not extra virgin), divided
- 1 batch of pizza dough (see Best Pan Pizza method)
- 2 1/2 cups shredded or cubed leftover turkey
- 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack
- 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar
Optional but tasty:
- fresh cilantro leaves
- sliced black olives
- pickled red onions
- slices or cubes of ripe avocado
- thin slices of fresh jalapeño
- thinly sliced green onions (scallions)
Instructions
To Prepare the Pizzas:
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Preheat your oven as high as it will go, ideally around 550°F (if possible). Remove plastic wrap from the pans with dough. The dough should have spread toward the edges; gently pull the dough to the sides if needed to release trapped air. Nudge any large air bubbles down with the back of your knuckle.
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In a bowl, toss the shredded or cubed turkey with the barbecue sauce. Spread half the mixture onto each pizza, right to the dough edges. Divide the cheeses and sprinkle evenly to the edge.
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Bake in the hot oven for 12–20 minutes depending on how browned you like your pizza. Check the underside with a flexible spatula—finished crust is crisp and deep brown, and the top should be bubbly and golden to deep brown. I remove mine when the edges have some caramelized spots and dark brown bubbles on top.
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Use a flexible spatula to lift the pizza onto a cutting board, add any fresh optional toppings, and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. After slicing, let the pieces rest undisturbed for another 2–3 minutes, then serve.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients with your preferred calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your photos!
If you’d like more trashed-up recipes from Jessica’s virtual baby shower, here are additional categories and contributions from fellow bloggers, including salads, cocktails, burgers, tacos, desserts, and more. The pizza round-up also features creative takes like beer-battered calamari pizza, apple & chicken sausage pizza with stuffed crust, and many other inventive ideas contributed by talented food bloggers.
This post was published as part of my commitment to post every day in November for NaBloPoMo. Follow along for recipes, family stories, and occasional giveaways.