Hawaiian BBQ Pizza Braid – with refrigerated pizza dough

If you have leftover holiday ham, this Hawaiian BBQ Pizza Braid is a delicious and simple way to transform it into a new meal. The combination of chopped ham, sweet pineapple, tangy BBQ sauce and melty mozzarella is wrapped in refrigerated pizza dough for a satisfying, handheld meal. Bright cilantro and red onion add freshness and a slight bite, but you can omit them if you prefer.

This braid is quick to prepare and tastes fantastic. For a decorative finish, reserve a small portion of the filling and spoon it on top during the last 5–10 minutes of baking so the dough cooks through before the topping is added. If you put the extra filling on before baking, the dough may remain undercooked.

We’ve made this braid several times since the holidays. It’s a favorite way to use ham, and the sweet-and-savory mix of pineapple and BBQ sauce paired with melty cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. Serve it sliced alongside a green salad or your favorite sides for a quick weeknight dinner or casual entertaining option.

Yield: serves 4

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza Braid

prep time: 5 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 25 mins

A simple, flavorful braid stuffed with ham, pineapple and BBQ sauce for an easy crowd-pleasing meal.

ingredients:

• 1 pound cooked ham, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
• 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 (13.8-oz) can refrigerated pizza dough

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the pizza dough onto the prepared sheet and press it into a rectangle.
3. In a bowl, combine the chopped ham, mozzarella, drained pineapple, BBQ sauce, cilantro and red onion.
4. Cut 10 strips on each long side of the dough, leaving the center portion intact for the filling. Spoon the ham mixture down the center.
5. To braid, fold the strips across the filling, alternating sides and slightly twisting each strip as you work until the braid is complete.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the dough is golden and cooked through. If you reserved some filling to top the braid, add it in the last 5–10 minutes of baking so it warms without preventing the dough from fully cooking.

©Plain Chicken, Inc.

Original recipe credit: Plain Chicken