Homemade chicken pesto pizza topped with fresh Italian ingredients. Shredded chicken breast, ripe tomatoes, basil pesto, and melty mozzarella baked on a crispy crust.
Try my Hawaiian pizza or meat lover’s pizza for more delicious pizza recipes.
Recipe Science
- The high heat of baking a chicken pesto pizza ensures the crust becomes crispy while the toppings cook evenly, enhancing the overall texture and flavor.
- Spreading pesto sauce on the pizza provides a rich, herbaceous base, where the oil in the pesto helps to distribute flavors evenly across the pizza.
- Cooking the chicken beforehand ensures it is fully cooked and tender and allows it to release juices that enhance the flavor of the pesto and other toppings during baking.
Jump To a Section
Why It Works
Try something new on your next family pizza night. Instead of using traditional marinara sauce, try a fresh basil pesto. The aromatic herbs, garlic, cheese, and nuts add a gourmet flavor. Super sweet and juicy tomatoes add that missing tomato sauce element and complement the garden-inspired ingredients.
If you have leftover roasted chicken, this is a great way to use it on a new meal. Freshly grated mozzarella cheese locks all the ingredients together when melted. I sprinkle a little parmesan before serving to add a pleasant saltiness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dough: Making homemade pizza dough is easy with just 5 ingredients. If you have bread flour, instant yeast, olive oil, salt, and water, you can turn them into a stretchy pizza crust in just a few hours. Make it the day before to grab and use the next day. Of course, store-bought dough works too. You’ll need 1 pound of dough per pizza.
- Pesto: I use my homemade pesto sauce or basil pesto. Fresh basil leaves are the base of the sauce, giving a slightly peppery, anise, and mint flavor. Parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and pecorino romano add a rich, spicy taste to the herb sauce. The recipe makes a ½ cup.
- Mozzarella: A grateable cheese, like mozzarella, has enough moisture to melt and liquefy at around 130ºF (54ºC). It’s soft due to the high levels of water locked in between the casein protein network. It has a mild flavor to let the pesto sauce shine through.
- Parmesan: Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top right before serving to add a sharp, nutty taste. It’s a hard, dry cheese that doesn’t melt well.
- Chicken: Any leftover shredded chicken, breast, or thigh works.
- Tomatoes: Even though we don’t have a traditional red sauce, I still use fresh tomatoes as a topping. Use small, ripe cherry tomatoes. The sweet and natural savory glutamate flavor compounds concentrate for a robust taste as they cook down.
- Garnish: Toasted pine nuts and fresh basil elevate the pesto chicken pizza flavor.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Flavor variations
Now that you know how to make this chicken pesto pizza recipe, there are various ways to customize the pie!
- Dough: For convenience, you can pick up 1-pound raw pizza dough from the refrigerated section at most grocery stores. Pre-baked crusts are another quick alternative. Just follow the package directions for the bake temperature and time.
- Pesto: Purchase store-bought pesto. I prefer the refrigerated options for the brightest flavor. The cooked jarred products have a muddled, dull taste that’s not as vibrant. If you have time, make it from scratch, and you’ll taste the difference.
- Chicken: Use leftover chicken that is shredded or diced. If you need to cook it from scratch, no problem! Try my stovetop method or bake it to make a big batch. Cooked ground chicken or slices of chicken sausage can be added to the pizza.
- Tomatoes: If desired, you can use other types of tomatoes like Cocktail or Roma. Slice big pieces thin and into smaller wedges. They contain a lot of water, so you don’t want the top of the pizza to get too wet. Alternatively, pieces of sun-dried tomatoes also make a delicious option.
- Cheese: Try white cheddar or fresh mozzarella slices. Pecorino romano or Parmigiano Reggiano adds a savory nutty flavor.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pizza
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Let the chilled pizza dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with. It will stretch more freely.
Step 2: Preheat the Oven
The oven should be nice and hot before adding the pizza. Set the own rack to the lowest position, and heat to 500ºF.
Step 3: Prepare the Pan
Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. The fat and granules add texture for a delightful contrast between toppings and crust. The cornmeal also prevents the dough from sticking to the pan.
Step 4: Shape the Dough
On a floured work surface, use your hands to stretch and shape the dough into a 10-inch circle. You can use more flour if it’s sticky, but don’t add too much, or it will become tough. Transfer the dough to the oiled baking sheet. Form it into a 12-inch circle.
Step 5: Add the Sauce
Spread the pesto sauce evenly on the dough first. I like to brush the edges with olive oil so it bakes up golden brown and crispy.
Step 6: Layer the Toppings
Layer the mozzarella cheese on top, followed by the chicken and tomatoes, to help bind the ingredients when the cheese melts. Before baking, I sprinkle salt and pepper to season the fruit and help bring the juices to the surface for quick evaporation.
Step 6: Bake the Pizza
Bake at a high 500ºF (260ºC) on the lowest rack in the oven. The crust should be golden brown on the bottom and edges, and the cheese should be bubbling.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
Before serving, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil. Slice it up and take a bite of the delicious pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pesto sauce is made with fresh herbs and quality extra-virgin olive oil. There are many health benefits from the monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants in the oil. Compared to tomato sauce, there is more fat and sodium due to adding oil and cheese. However, some tomato sauces contain added sugars. Make sure to read product labels if not made from scratch.
Pesto is a thick paste to toss with pasta or spread on bread like focaccia or pizza dough. It can be used as a pasta sauce but needs to be mixed well. Other pasta sauces can be cream-based, like alfredo, or tomato-based, like marinara. They are much more pourable.
Yes, par-baked or frozen crusts can be used. Make sure to follow the package directions. Frozen crusts may need to be defrosted first.
When making homemade pesto, note that the bright green leaves turn brown once cut due to an enzyme released. To prevent this, blanch and shock the basil for 20 seconds before making the sauce. If used right away, you can skip the blanching, as it will be covered in cheese. However, if you plan to store the pesto for several days, don’t skip this step.
Serve This With
If you tried this Chicken Pesto Pizza, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Chicken Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- olive oil, for brushing
- 2 teaspoons cornmeal, optional
- ½ cup pesto sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
- 1 tablespoon sliced basil
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough – Allow the prepared pizza dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the lowest position and set the temperature to 500ºF (260ºC).
- Prepare the Pan – Lightly brush a large baking sheet with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle cornmeal on the pan, if desired.
- Shape the Dough – On a lightly floured surface, stretch and shape the dough into a 10-inch circle—transfer to the baking sheet. Use your fingers to press into a 12-inch circle. Leave the edges slightly thicker, about ½-inch tall and wide.
- Add the Sauce – Brush olive oil on the edges to make the crust crispier when baked. Spread the pesto on the dough.
- Add the Toppings – Layer the dough with mozzarella cheese, chicken, and tomatoes. Evenly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake – Cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Serve – Garnish with parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and basil. Slice with a pizza cutter and serve immediately while still hot.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Using my Pizza Dough Recipe: It makes enough for two pizzas. Double the topping ingredients, or use 1 crust and save the other for later.
- Storing: Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Place on a sheet pan and broil on the lowest rack until cheese is hot and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second intervals until the cheese melts.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Jay Alhadeff says
Let’s say we didn’t want to add tomatoes as some members of my family don’t do tomatoes, could I add Eggplant?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can add eggplant to the pizza. I would cut them into thin slices. It may have a slightly bitter flavor if you don’t salt them first.