Using our super popular No Rise Time Pizza Dough, we’ve created this delicious Pesto Chicken Pizza. Complete with fresh tomatoes, chicken, bacon, fresh mozzarella and of course plenty of our Super Greens Pesto Sauce. Pizza dough and pesto can be made ahead of time so you can have this lighter pizza ready in less than 30 minutes!
WE LOVE PIZZA DOUGH WITH NO RISE TIME!
We are always on the hunt for ways to cut down on our hands-on and waiting-around time in the kitchen. And this is one of our favorites (and most popular) ways to do just that.
I’ve made a lot of dough (bread dough, not money) in my life, but this by far is my favorite, most versatile recipe. It’s simple, flavorful, chewy with a slightly crisp edge; all with NO RISE TIME!
That means I can whip up pizza with homemade dough in just a matter of minutes. There’s no tricky guessing when the rising is done, punching dough down, covering and waiting for more rising, etc. We think you'll love this time-saver and once you do it, you'll never go back!
The Best Ingredients for Pesto Chicken Pizza
PESTO - There is no judgment here for picking up a jar of pesto sauce at all. However, we LOVE our homemade Super Greens Pesto too. So if you have a minute (seriously, so quick to whip up), then throw your greens into a food processor and save a jar of your own to use on this pizza.
CHICKEN - For this recipe, it's easiest to use leftover cooked chicken or grab a pre-made roasted chicken from the grocery store. No need for anything fancy, it will soak up all the flavor from the other pizza ingredients.
FRESH MOZZARELLA - We love a ball of fresh mozzarella, usually found near specialty cheeses at the grocery store. It gives this pizza a really special creaminess and pairs well with the pesto. Of course, if you've got shredded mozzarella on hand, that works great too!
BACON - Did you know you can cook bacon ahead of time? We do it all the time and it's awesome to have bacon ready to use whenever you want it. We like to bake it at 400°F on a foil-lined baking sheet. You can bake a lot of pieces at once in just about 15 minutes. To save the extra, just place in a zip-top bag and throw in the fridge.
FRESH TOMATOES AND BASIL - We love sliced cherry tomatoes but feel free to use whatever tomatoes you have on hand. Adding basil on top of the pizza AFTER baking adds a ton of flavor and a freshness that can't be beat.
How to Make Pesto Pizza
To make this recipe, simply...
Cook bacon and roughly chop. (See text above for tips on easy cooking and clean up.)
If uncooked, bake chicken breast at 450°F until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Cube chicken breast and toss in pesto sauce.
Preheat the oven to 550°F.
Make No Rise Time Pizza Dough according to recipe.
Sprinkle pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal or flour so the pizza doesn't stick.
Roll out dough and begin to assemble pizza on a pizza stone or baking sheet.
Spread pesto sauce over the entirety of the pizza leaving half an inch at the edges for the crust. Brush edges with olive oil or butter.
Top with chicken, bacon, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and parmesan.
Bake on center rack on a pizza stone or cookie sheet for 8 minutes or until edge of crust is browned and center is fully cooked.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for one minute.
Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Pesto Chicken Pizza Modifications
Gluten Free
This recipe can easily be made gluten free by swapping out your favorite gluten free pizza dough. There should not be gluten in any of the rest of the ingredients, but always safe to check any store-bought ingredients.
Dairy Free
Simply leave the mozzarella off and brush edges with olive oil instead of butter. You can also replace the fresh mozzarella with a vegan cheese substitute. Either way, it will still taste delicious!
How to store and freeze Pizza Dough
Pizza dough can be saved easily! Mix dough fully and split evenly into two balls. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 24 hours or frozen for 3-4 months. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to use, allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then follow the recipe from there!
Love this Pesto Chicken Pizza recipe? Try these other delicious pizza recipes!
BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA 
PISTACHIO PIZZA PINWHEELS
Pesto Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 batch quick rise pizza dough see recipe card below
- ⅓ cup pesto sauce see recipe card below
- 1 cooked chicken breast cubed or shredded
- 3 strips bacon cooked and chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 10 torn pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese or a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup fresh parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 basil leaves more to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon and roughly chop. (See text above for tips on easy cooking and clean up.)
- Cube chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and a little pesto sauce. If uncooked, bake chicken at 450°F until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- Preheat the oven to 550°F.
- Make pizza dough according to recipe.
- Roll out dough and begin to assemble pizza on a pizza stone or baking sheet.
- Spread pesto sauce over the entirety of the pizza leaving half an inch at the edges for the crust. Brush edges with olive oil or butter.
- Top with chicken, bacon, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and parmesan.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until edge of crust is browned and center is fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for one minute.
- Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Super Quick Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water Should be warm but not hot
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast or "instant yeast"
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon each salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 550°F (280°C), or as close as your oven will go. If using a pizza stone make sure to put it in while oven is warming up.
- Mix water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add salt, flour and spices into mixing bowl with yeast mixture. Using a dough hook, knead until combined. About 3 minutes.If you don't have a stand mixer, this can be done by hand.
- Once kneaded divide dough into two or three equal parts depending on how thick you like your crust.
- Flour a cutting board and using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a circle.
- Brush edges with olive oil and build your pizza.
- Slide pizza onto a pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until crust is browned.
- Take out pizza and let cool for two minutes before slicing.
Notes
Super Greens Pesto | Hearty and Delicious
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted almonds or pecans, cashews or pine nuts
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup kale
- 1 cup basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper more to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil more to taste
Instructions
- Put nuts in dry saucepan on medium heat. Stir frequently until toasted, about 5 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, wiping down the sides as you go.
- Add olive oil until pesto is a smooth consistency.
- Pour over your favorite pasta or spread on toast with some tomatoes. YUM!
Notes
Nutrition
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