This Chicken Pesto Pizza recipe is easy to make and ready in only 30 minutes! Loaded with basil pesto, chicken, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and Kalamata olives. Then top it with mozzarella cheese to delight your taste buds!
Hey there, pizza lovers! Get ready for a delicious treat with our Chicken Pesto Pizza. It’s super easy to make and incredibly tasty! Just spread pesto sauce, add chicken, and cover it all with cheesy goodness on a pizza crust. Then, bake it in the oven until it’s perfect.
It’s perfect for busy nights and for serving large groups as well. I usually grill chicken with some salt and pepper, but you can also use leftover rotisserie chicken or canned chicken for a quick meal. Want more? Try our yummy Chicken Pesto Pasta too!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Perfect for a weeknight meal, this pizza doesn’t demand much of your time, making dinner stress-free and enjoyable.
- It’s a fabulous way to utilize leftover chicken or pesto. Ensuring nothing goes to waste, and everything maintains its delicious taste!
- The pesto, typically made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil, is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients. If you want to try a new recipe, consider making White Bean Pasta with Rosemary Pesto.
Recipe Ingredients
- Basil Pesto Sauce: Pesto gives a fresh, herby flavor, making the pizza taste unique and vibrant. It’s a key ingredient that ties all the flavors together, setting this pizza apart from traditional ones.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella adds a creamy, tangy taste. It’s important for holding the ingredients together, making the pizza rich and delightful.
- Cooked Chicken Breast Strips: Chicken offers a hearty, savory taste, adding substantial protein. It pairs well with pesto, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Artichoke Hearts: Artichokes bring a unique, tangy flavor, elevating the pizza’s taste, and making it feel like a gourmet dish, just like my Loaded Tortilla Breakfast Pizzas, give them a try.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- For the Crust: Don’t limit yourself to pre-baked thin pizza crusts. Experiment with homemade dough, gluten-free variations, or a nutritious cauliflower base.
- Sauce Swaps: Explore beyond traditional basil pesto. Experiment with sun-dried tomato pesto or creamy Alfredo sauce to infuse your pizza with extraordinary flavors.
- Cheese Choices: Elevate the cheesy goodness! Combine mozzarella with delectable varieties like provolone, parmesan, or goat cheese.
- Protein Picks: Revamp the pizza’s protein! Think about choices like turkey, or explore plant-based options such as tofu to make a dish that suits different diets and preferences.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pizza
Step #1: Cook and slice the chicken breasts, chop the onion, cut the olives and tomatoes in half, and drain the artichokes. Then, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).
Step #2: To begin this step, choose your preferred pizza dough, either thin or thick, as both work well for this recipe. Following that, place the pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza stone.
Step #3: Evenly spread the basil pesto sauce over the pizza crust, ensuring you get within ½ inch of the edge.
Step #4: Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese over the pesto sauce and save ½ cup of cheese for later.
Step #5: Spread the chicken strips and artichoke heart pieces evenly over the cheese.
Step #6: Add the halved tomatoes, red onions, and olives as toppings.
Step #7: Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese over the pizza. This cheese keeps the veggies in place when you cut this chicken and artichoke pesto pizza.
Step #8: Put the pizza in the oven that’s already hot and bake it for 8 to 10 minutes. Wait until the cheese is all melty and a bit brown on the pizza’s edges. Then, use a pizza cutter to slice it into 6 pieces.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Choose Quality Pesto for Great Taste: Use high quality basil pesto sauce to ensure a delicious taste.
- Avoid Overloading Toppings: While it’s tempting to add lots of toppings, be careful not to put too much. Too many toppings can prevent even cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil make basil pesto sauce, creating a flavorful base for this pizza.
Certainly! You can make a vegan chicken pesto pizza. You can use plant-based chicken substitutes, vegan pesto, and dairy-free cheese.
Storage Info
To store chicken pesto pizza, wrap it well and keep it in the fridge. It stays good for 3-4 days. When reheating, you have a few options. Use the oven at 350°F, placing the pizza on the oven rack or a baking sheet. Reheat for 10-15 minutes, ensuring it’s heated through and the crust is crispy.
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Chicken Pesto Pizza Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 12 inch pre-baked thin pizza crust (you can use the original crust if you don’t prefer the thin crust)
- ½ cup basil pesto sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast strips - cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup quartered artichoke hearts - drained
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes - I prefer the medley package that has yellow, orange and red cherry tomatoes for the great colors on the pizza
- 1/3 cup chopped red onions
- ¼ cup halved Kalamata olives - drained
Instructions
- Cook and slice the chicken breasts, chop the onion, cut the olives and tomatoes in half, and drain the artichokes. Then, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).
- To begin this step, choose your preferred pizza dough, either thin or thick, as both work well for this recipe. Following that, place the pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza stone.
- Evenly spread the basil pesto sauce over the pizza crust, ensuring you get within ½ inch of the edge.
- Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese over the pesto sauce and save ½ cup of cheese for later.
- Spread the chicken strips and artichoke heart pieces evenly over the cheese.
- Add the halved tomatoes, red onions, and olives as toppings.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese over the pizza. This cheese keeps the veggies in place when you cut this chicken and artichoke pesto pizza.
- Put the pizza in the oven that’s already hot and bake it for 8 to 10 minutes. Wait until the cheese is all melty and a bit brown on the pizza’s edges. Then, use a pizza cutter to slice it into 6 pieces.
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NOTES
Nutrition
