Name: Chicken Pesto Pizza
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 13-inch pizza crust (My pizza dough recipe will make two crusts.); 2 tablespoons pesto, flavor of your choice; 4 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese; 1 cup diced, seasoned chicken; 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro

Chicken Pesto Pizza is a family favorite because it’s so easy and something a little bit different. Use pesto instead of pizza sauce. Then top with the usual Mozzarella and chicken chunks. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

This recipe was first published back in 2014. The original post is now a separate list of secrets for making the best homemade pizza without a baking stone.

Got you covered on the pizza dough.

Need a good pizza dough recipe? Try my favorite pizza dough or this whole wheat pizza dough recipe — a clone from California Pizza Kitchen.

Both recipes are written to be made in a bread machine. However, you can also use a food processor, stand mixer, or make it by hand. Directions for this modification are included in the recipe notes.

CPK Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough from Your Bread Machine--raw dough

Don’t have cilantro or green chile pesto on hand?

If you want to try this and can’t find cilantro or green chile pesto, try making it here. It’s not difficult. Basically, you substitute cilantro for basil.

Just like basil pesto, cilantro pesto is versatile. Use it in salad dressings, over pasta or as a spread on hot French bread.

Yield: 16 slices

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Chicken Pesto Pizza uses flavorful pesto sauce in place of pizza sauce. Add some cooked chicken, cheese and cilantro or basil for a gourmet pizza you can easily put together from start to finish.

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 13-inch pizza crust (My pizza dough recipe will make two crusts.)
2 tablespoons pesto, flavor of your choice
4 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup diced, seasoned chicken
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Brush olive oil over the bottom of your pizza pan. Place your flattened pizza dough into the pan and use fingers to stretch it to the edges. Spread pesto over raw pizza dough.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over pesto, then do the same with the chicken. If desired, save a little cheese to sprinkle over the top of the chicken.
Place pizza into the oven and reduce temperature to 425 degrees F. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, but start checking at around 13 minutes.
Pizza is done when lightly browned and crust is golden brown and crispy on the bottom.

Notes

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:

To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape rolls as indicated in recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape rolls as indicated in recipe
Please note: If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the lukewarm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape rolls.