Chicken Pesto Pizza (Printable)

Crisp thin-crust pizza with fragrant basil pesto, tender chicken, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes. Easy 35-minute meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 thin pizza crust, 12 inches diameter, 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 on the center rack as the oven heats.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, combine cooked chicken with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss 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 surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
05 - Distribute seasoned chicken uniformly over the pesto layer.
06 - Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly across the pizza, then arrange tomato slices on top.
07 - Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
08 - Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until mozzarella is melted and bubbly and crust achieves golden-brown color.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 minute. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Slice and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than delivery and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting, so you don't need a dozen ingredients to make it sing.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and cold slices make an excellent breakfast no judgment.
  • You can swap in whatever you have on hand and it still turns out delicious every time.
02 -
  • Don't overload the pizza with toppings or the crust will get soggy and won't crisp up properly.
  • If your tomatoes are watery, pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to avoid a puddle of liquid on your pizza.
  • Let the pizza rest for a minute after baking, cutting it immediately will cause all the cheese to slide right off.
03 -
  • If your oven runs cool, crank it up to 500°F and keep a close eye on the pizza so it doesn't burn.
  • Use a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal to slide the pizza onto a hot stone without sticking, it's a game changer.
  • Make a double batch and freeze one before baking, then you can pop it in the oven straight from the freezer for an even faster dinner.
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