This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
My Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Pizza is a mouth-watering blend of savory roast turkey, smoky hickory barbecue sauce, creamy, melty cheese, sweet-tart cranberry flavors, and a hint of jalapeño for a nice kick. After indulging in a hearty Thanksgiving feast, this crispy pizza provides a refreshing change from the heavier dishes! Plus, it’s an excellent way to make use of leftover turkey and any extras you have in the fridge.
“As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases that you make from the links within my posts and recipe cards with no added cost to you.”
How many of you still have leftovers lurking in your refrigerator? Even after enjoying leftover plates, sandwiches (my all-time favorite is turkey, cranberry, and mayo with a pinch of salt on a homemade roll), and gumbo on Sunday, I still have just a wee bit of turkey and cranberry sauce to put to good use.
I found this recipe last year, but I didn’t try it because, sadly, I was out of barbecue sauce (I’m not sure how that’s even possible). Thankfully, I bookmarked it, and the culinary stars were aligned this year.
I like to use my homemade Pizza Dough, my leftover Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, and my Tomato-based Barbecue Sauce, but of course, you can use any good-quality store-bought ingredients. Chihuahua cheese is excellent for its flavor and melting properties, but Monterey Jack would be a nice substitute.
I used only breast meat on my pie, but if you prefer the dark meat of the thigh, then feel free to use it. Red onion and cilantro add a nice, fresh flavor, but the real kick to this recipe comes from the thinly sliced jalapeño. If you are sensitive to anything on the Scoville scale, I would just omit it. But you might want to give it just a little taste test first. Sometimes they can be as mild as a green bell pepper, and others, well, they can be 🔥. If you can handle a little heat, but not too much, then I would remove the seeds and ribs of the pepper and chop it into a fine dice. If you are on board with a little zap to the taste buds and maybe a little nose run, then go for the whole slices!
It seems like it is an odd combination of flavors, but it gets an even two thumbs up 👍👍 in our house.
Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (13 ounce) ball of pizza dough
- ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato-based barbecue sauce
- 4 ounces (about 1 cup) Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- 4 ounces (about 1 cup) shredded roast turkey from the breast or thigh
- ¼ small red onion, sliced thin against the grain (opitonal)
- 1 medium jalapeño sliced thin, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- Kosher salt
- unbleached all-purpose flour and/or cornmeal for dusting
- Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Place a baking stone on the middle shelf of your oven (unless you know your oven well enough to place it on a different shelf) and preheat on the highest setting (about 575ºF) for at least an hour. In a small bowl, mix together the cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce; set aside
- On a lightly floured work surface, shape the ball into a 12-inch round, about ¼ inch thick and slightly thicker towards the edge. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet that has been lightly dusted with flour or cornmeal.
- Brush the outer edge of the dough with Extra-Virgin olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce over the dough. Arrange the turkey, red onion, cheese and jalapeño slices over the top of the sauce.
- Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the baking stone. Bake until the crust is puffy and slightly charred on the edge, about 7-9 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a pinch of kosher salt. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
