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This homemade chicken pesto pizza is packed with flavor! Pesto, marinated chicken, roasted red peppers, fontina cheese, and dollops of creamy ricotta top this fresh and delicious baked pizza. It’s a dinner the whole family will love and great for parties too!
If you love adding chicken to pizza, try this chicken peach ricotta pizza and this chicken alfredo pizza!
Why you’ll love it
Family dinner – Pizza night was always a favorite of mine growing up. It’s a meal both kids and adults typically enjoy.
Easy dinner – Thanks to jarred pesto and store bought pizza dough, this pesto pizza is a breeze to make!
Customizable – Roasted red peppers were my vegetable topping of choice, but if your family prefers bell peppers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, or something else, use that instead.
The ingredients
- Chicken breast – Opt for a larger chicken breast if possible.
- Pesto – Homemade or jarred pesto can be used. I love DeLallo’s jarred pesto.
- Pizza dough – Homemade or store bought can be used. I generally buy Whole Foods fresh pizza dough to save time.
- Fontina or mozzarella cheese – For something different, try fontina cheese. It has a creamier and more intense flavor compared to mozzarella.
- Roasted red peppers – The sweetness of the roasted red peppers pairs perfectly with the pesto.
- Ricotta cheese – Use whole milk ricotta has the best texture and flavor.
How to make chicken pesto pizza
Let the pizza dough rest on the countertop for at least an hour.
Coat the chicken breast in the pesto and let it marinate on the counter for 15-30 minutes. Grill it or cook it in a pan on the stove. Let it rest for several minutes before slicing it.
Preheat your oven to 475 -500° F. Drizzle olive oil onto a rimmed sheet pan, or you can use a pizza stone if you have one.
Stretch the pizza dough onto the pan. Keep the dough a little thicker around the edges for a thicker, chewy crust.
Spread the pesto evenly onto the dough then add the sliced chicken and top it with the fontina or mozzarella cheese.
Top with the sliced roasted red peppers and dollops of ricotta. Add additional fontina and pesto if desired.
Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Tips for the best homemade pizza
- Let the pizza dough come to room temperature and rest on the countertop in an oiled bowl covered with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap for at least an hour. Sometimes I’ll even set it out 2-3 hours before using it. This allows the gluten to relax so that the dough doesn’t snap back when you roll or stretch it out.
- Build up the edges of the dough when you stretch or roll out the dough. This will give you a puffy, chewy, thicker crust.
- Brush the edges of the pizza dough with olive oil to give the crust a golden brown color and crisp texture.
- Make sure your oven is thoroughly pre-heated and bake at a high temperature. 475° F. is the minimum temperature I would recommend and 500° F. is even better.
Substitutions and variations
- Make the pizza vegetarian and skip the chicken.
- Use sun-dried tomatoes in place of the roasted red peppers.
- Add additional veggie toppings such as red onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, or artichoke hearts.
- Use a combination of both fontina and mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella could also be used and burrata would be a delicious alternative to ricotta.
- Save time and used shredded rotisserie chicken. Toss it in pesto for extra flavor.
Storage and reheating
Storage – The leftover pesto chicken pizza will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container or wrap it in foil or plastic wrap.
Reheating – To reheat leftover pizza, I recommend warming it in the oven for best results. Preheat oven to 375° F. and place the pizza on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the pizza is hot.
Freezing – Leftover pizza can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag or other airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More pizza recipes
Did you make this chicken pesto pizza? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Chicken Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
Pesto Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon pesto
Pizza
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 2 cups shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- Fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Coat the chicken breasts in a tablespoon pesto and let it marinate on the counter for 15 minutes. While the chicken marinates pre-heat your grill. Grill until the internal temperature is 165° F. Let it rest for several minutes before slicing it.
- Preheat oven to 475-500° F. Drizzle olive oil onto a rimmed sheet pan. Stretch the pizza dough onto the pan keeping the dough a little thicker around the edges.
- Spread the pesto evenly onto the dough then top it with thee sliced chicken and fontina or mozzarella cheese.
- Add the roasted red peppers and dollops of ricotta to the top of the pizza. Add additional fontina and pesto if desired.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
