Chicken Peach Ricotta Pizza with Arugula and Balsamic Glaze is bursting with summer flavor! The perfect combination of savory and sweet that’s not only great for dinner, but a tasty appetizer as well!

It’s about time I posted a new pizza recipe, especially since it’s one of my favorite things to eat. While I’m all about a classic, simple slice of pizza topped with Italian sausage and black olives when we order one to bring home, I like to get more creative when I’m making my own.

This Chicken Peach Ricotta Pizza with Arugula and Balsamic Glaze is not only perfect to make this time of year with all the fresh peaches available, but it’s officially now become my favorite pizza that I’ve made.

If you love savory flavors with a touch of sweetness, then you’ll absolutely love this pizza. We loved it so much that I made it twice in the same week.

The first time it was our dinner and the second time I made a smaller version and served it as an appetizer to go with our charcuterie board…and wine, obviously. Let me rephrase that. My wine and my husband’s glass of whiskey, he’s not a big fan of wine.

While the long title of the recipe may lead you to believe that this is a complicated recipe to make, it’s actually quite simple if you use shortcuts like I did.

First was to buy store bought pizza dough. I used to make mine all the time, but honestly unless I have extra time on my hands and am in the mood, I can get perfectly good pizza dough at Whole Foods. Another time saver was to use the leftover grilled chicken that I had from making Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken earlier in the week.

The final time savers were to buy pre-made pesto and balsamic glaze. If my basil plant hadn’t been annihilated by the last two hail storms we had, I may have considered making my own because I love adding it to so many things that I cook.

Balsamic glaze is another product you can find at most stores now or just buy a good quality aged (at least 25 years) balsamic vinegar.

The ricotta and pesto make up the “sauce” for this pizza and then it’s topped with mozzarella cheese, shredded chicken, sliced peaches and more dollops of ricotta. Bake it for 10-12 minutes and then top it with fresh ground black pepper, arugula, torn basil leaves and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. It hits every flavor note you could want and I assure you there won’t be leftovers.

More Pizza Recipes

Grilled Zucchini, Ricotta and Pine Nut Pizza

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza

White Pizza with Bacon and Arugula

Yield: 4

Chicken Peach Ricotta Pizza with Arugula and Balsamic Glaze

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Prep Time 18 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat pizza dough
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pesto
• 4 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cooked and shredded chicken breast
• 2 small peaches, sliced thin
• 1 cup arugula
• Fresh ground black pepper, torn basil leaves and balsamic glaze for topping the pizza

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475° F. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil. Roll or press the dough out into an approximately 10-12 inch circle/oval and transfer onto the prepared baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup of ricotta and the pesto. Spread the mixture evenly onto the pizza dough leaving about a 1 inch border. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta.
3. Top with the shredded chicken, sliced peaches and dollop with the remaining 1/4 cup of ricotta. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
4. Remove from the oven and top with fresh ground black pepper, arugula, torn basil leaves and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Notes

• If you plan to serve this as an appetizer (as shown in the photos), divide the pizza dough in half and split all the ingredients evenly between the two pizzas. Cooking time should still be the same.
• Whole milk or part skim ricotta will both work for this pizza, however the texture is better when using whole milk.