Chicken Pesto Pizza (Print version)

Crisp thin-crust pizza with basil pesto, seasoned chicken, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes. An Italian-inspired main dish ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 thin pizza crust, 12 inches, store-bought or homemade

→ Chicken

02 - 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce

06 - 1/3 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade

→ Cheese & Toppings

07 - 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 475°F. If using a pizza stone, position it in the oven during preheating.
02 - In a small bowl, toss cooked chicken with olive oil, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Place pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza peel lined with parchment paper.
04 - Spread basil pesto evenly across the crust, leaving a small border around the edges.
05 - Scatter seasoned chicken evenly over the pesto layer.
06 - Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza, then arrange tomato slices on top.
07 - Top pizza with grated Parmesan cheese.
08 - Transfer pizza to preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is golden brown.
09 - Remove from oven and cool for 1 minute. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pesto soaks into the crust and gives every bite a garlicky, herbaceous punch that red sauce just can't match.
  • It comes together in half an hour, so you can have homemade pizza on a weeknight without the guilt of ordering in.
  • The combination of juicy tomatoes and melted mozzarella on top of that green base feels indulgent but somehow lighter than traditional pizza.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto, which means less prep and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
02 -
  • If your pesto is oily, blot the top lightly with a paper towel before adding toppings, or your pizza might slide around and get greasy.
  • Don't overload the crust with chicken and cheese; too much weight and moisture will prevent it from crisping, leaving you with a soggy middle.
  • Tomatoes release water as they bake, so slice them thin and pat them dry with a towel before laying them on the pizza.
03 -
  • Preheat your baking sheet in the oven along with the stone if you have one; transferring the pizza onto a hot surface gives you an instantly crispy bottom.
  • If your crust edges brown too fast, tent them loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking while the center finishes.
  • Let the pizza rest for a full minute before slicing; cutting too soon makes the cheese slide off and the toppings scatter everywhere.
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