Pizza Hut is one of the most popular pizza chains in the United States and around the world. They offer a variety of pizzas, sides, desserts, and drinks for dine-in, carryout, or delivery. One of Pizza Hut’s signature items is their BBQ Chicken Pizza which features a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
The Pizza Hut BBQ Sauce
The BBQ sauce used on Pizza Hut BBQ Chicken Pizza and other BBQ menu items is a sweet, tangy, and smokey BBQ sauce. While each Pizza Hut location makes their BBQ sauce in house, it is based on a standard recipe distributed by the Pizza Hut corporation. The ingredients and recipe for Pizza Hut’s BBQ sauce are proprietary information and not publicly available.
According to Pizza Hut, their BBQ sauce features a blend of molasses, vinegar, and tomato puree flavored with ingredients like garlic, onion, mustard, brown sugar, and hickory smoke flavoring. It strikes a balance between the sweetness of molasses and brown sugar and the tanginess from vinegar. The tomato puree gives it a rich, thick texture while the spices and smoke flavoring round it out. The sweet, tangy, and lightly smokey flavor profile complements the grilled white meat chicken on the BBQ Chicken Pizza.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
The BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pizza Hut is a very popular menu item. It features a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce topped with grilled all white meat chicken, red onions, and green peppers on hand-tossed or pan crust. The mix of chicken, vegetables, and signature BBQ sauce make it a go-to pizza choice for BBQ pizza lovers.
In addition to BBQ sauce, the BBQ Chicken Pizza is topped with a layer of Pizza Hut’s savory vine-ripened tomato pizza sauce. The combination of the rich, tangy BBQ sauce and classic pizza sauce gives each bite layers of flavor. The grilled white meat chicken provides a smokey, savory flavor while the slivered red onions and chopped green peppers provide a fresh, crisp contrast. The sweet BBQ sauce strikes the perfect balance with the vegetables and crust. Customers can choose between a hand-tossed or thin, crispy pan crust.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information for Pizza Hut’s BBQ Chicken Pizza varies slightly depending on the size and crust type. Here is the approximate nutrition breakdown for one slice (1/8 of a large BBQ Chicken Pizza):
| Nutrition Facts | Hand-Tossed Crust | Pan Crust |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 260 | 240 |
| Total Fat | 9g | 10g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g | 5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 45mg | 45mg |
| Sodium | 730mg | 880mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 30g | 29g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g | 1g |
| Sugars | 8g | 6g |
| Protein | 16g | 15g |
Other BBQ Menu Items
In addition to the BBQ Chicken Pizza, Pizza Hut utilizes their signature BBQ sauce in several other menu items including:
BBQ Meat Lovers Pizza
This pizza is topped with Pizza Hut’s BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, Italian sausage, bacon, beef, ham, and red onions on a hand-tossed or pan crust.
BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Features a crispy fried or grilled chicken breast topped with BBQ sauce, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo on a toasted bun.
BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
Topped with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, smoked pulled pork, red onions, and cilantro on hand-tossed or thin crust.
BBQ WingStreet Wings
Bone-in or boneless wings fried and coated in Pizza Hut’s signature BBQ sauce.
BBQ Boneless Wyngz
Breaded, boneless wings fried and sauced with BBQ sauce.
BBQ Chicken Pasta
Grilled chicken, penne pasta, onions, and red peppers tossed in BBQ sauce. Served with garlic bread.
Regional and International Differences
While Pizza Hut aims to maintain consistency in their core menu items like the BBQ Chicken Pizza, there are some regional and international differences in the BBQ sauce and menu options.
Regional Differences
In some regions of the United States, Pizza Hut locations may tweak the BBQ sauce recipe slightly to cater to local preferences. For example, in areas of the southern United States, the BBQ sauce may have a more pronounced smokey or vinegary taste compared to other regions.
International Differences
Internationally, some Pizza Hut locations substitute different proteins in their BBQ pizzas and meals to accommodate cultural preferences. For example, in India the BBQ sauce may be paired with paneer or chicken tikka instead of beef or pork.
The core ingredients and sweet, tangy, smokey flavor profile remains consistent but the spice level and heat may also be adjusted in different countries. Pizza Huts in Asia may offer a spicier BBQ sauce, for instance.
Conclusion
Pizza Hut’s sweet, tangy, and smokey BBQ sauce helps make their BBQ Chicken Pizza and other BBQ items into fan favorites. While the exact recipe is confidential, it combines molasses, vinegar, tomato puree, and spices for its signature flavor. BBQ sauce adds a tasty twist to classics like the Meat Lover’s or Chicken Sandwich as well. While regional and international Pizza Huts may tweak the BBQ sauce to suit local tastes, the core flavor profile stays the same. So no matter what Pizza Hut you order from, you can expect a quality BBQ sauce to complement your meal.