This Chicken Crust Pizza Is Better Than It Has Any Right to Be

While there are decent pizza dough substitutes out there, I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did. I knew it would be very good—it’s like a big chicken nugget, after all—but I thought that amount of chicken would quickly become overwhelming. Nope. The chicken crust pizza is amazing. So go ahead and grab a pound of ground chicken: it’s pizza night.

The only thing I would like to point out is that this is not a chicken parm. Although it does have the ingredients of Chicken Parmesan – breaded chicken, tomato sauce and cheese – it is prepared differently (using baked ground chicken instead of fried patties) and eaten differently (like pizza). Chicken Parmesan is a dish with history , and generations of Italian-American parents have passed down very specific family recipes. While the chicken crust pizza is damn good, it doesn’t quite deserve the same name. Would you call a chicken nugget dipped in ketchup next to a string of cheese “chicken Parmesan”? I think so.

How to make pizza with chicken crust

Now back to our chicken nugget – I mean our super filling, high protein pizza crust substitute. Basically, you need to bread both sides of a very large chicken cutlet. I use two sheet trays for this. They will also come in handy when baking.

1. Prepare chicken mixture.

I seasoned a pound of ground chicken with salt, garlic powder, black pepper and added an egg. Mix everything thoroughly. It’s a mixture similar to a chicken meatball, but without the breadcrumbs inside to soften the texture. You don’t have to over-mix, but at the same time, you don’t have to worry about keeping it tender. This is a pizza crust, so you want the meat to cut and hold up when it’s time to eat.

2. Form a cutlet.

Place a silicone baking mat or piece of parchment paper on an inverted baking sheet. Drizzle it lightly with oil (I used canola, but any vegetable oil will work) or apply with a pastry brush. Place the chicken mixture in the center and use your fingers or a rubber spatula to press the meat down into a circle about a half-inch thick. My crust was about nine inches in diameter.

3. Bread the chicken

While you could omit the bread from this recipe altogether, I think it’s much more attractive and texture-friendly with the crispy, lumpy panko breading. There are plenty of wheat-free options available these days, so if you have gluten sensitivity, perhaps opt for gluten-free panko instead of skipping the breading entirely.

Prepare a 1:1 mixture of breadcrumbs and panko in a bowl. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the chicken cutlet, smooth it out with your hand, and gently press the crumbs to adhere to the meat. Don’t forget the edges. Spray a light coat of oil on the crumbled side. It’s time to turn this around.

Place another silicone mat or piece of parchment on top of the chicken. Place another sheet tray, bottom side down, on top of the mat. Hold both pans firmly with both hands and flip them over at the same time so you can bread the other side of the crust. Carefully remove the roasting mat (a spatula may help if the meat is sticking a bit). Fry the other side and brush it with oil. Place the mat on top of the chicken and the baking sheet bottom side down.

4. Bake the crust

Place the crust, sandwiched between two baking mats and two baking sheets, in the oven. Place a weight on top. (This could be another baking sheet or a heavy skillet.) This weight will ensure good contact with the metal pan, transfer heat to the crust, and prevent it from shrinking or floating. Bake the crust at 400°F for 25 minutes. Remove the weight, top pan, and top liner and bake the crust for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Add filling

Remove the pizza but leave the oven on. Leave the chicken crust in the pan and add a few spoons of pizza sauce (it doesn’t have to be tomato ), shredded cheese and any pizza toppings you desire. Return the pizza to the oven and bake the pizza for three to five minutes. My oven is set to broil and the cheese took four minutes to bubble. Cool the chicken crust pizza on a rack (there will be plenty of steam underneath) for five minutes before slicing and serving.

The crust cuts beautifully and holds up when held in your hands, just like pizza should. The breading crisps up nicely in the oven and, surprisingly, the chicken crust never feels too heavy despite being mostly a chicken board. If you’re trying to increase your protein intake or just add some flair to your pizza diet, be sure to give this crust a try.

Chicken Crust Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound raw ground chicken

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• A few pinches of black pepper

• 1 egg

• ½ cup panko

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

• A pinch of salt

• A few drops of neutral vegetable oil.

• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce

• ½–1 cup grated mozzarella

• Pizza toppings (*optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine panko, breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix the first five ingredients.

3. Turn the baking sheet over and place a silicone mat on it. Spray it with neutral oil or, if you don’t have spray oil, rub a teaspoon of oil into the mat. Place the chicken mixture in the center of the mat and roll it out into a circle about 9 inches in diameter and a half-inch thick.

4. Sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture over the chicken cutlet. Spread it over the surface, pressing gently until it evenly coats the top and sides of the chicken.

5. Brush the breaded chicken and the second silicone mat with more oil. Place this mat, oil side down, on top of the chicken cutlet. Place the second sheet tray, bottom side down, on the mat. Hold both baking sheets and flip the chicken over. Remove the baking sheet and mat so you can slurp on the other side. Apply more oil to the newly breaded side and replace the mat and pan.

6. Place the chicken on a double baking sheet with a double mat in the oven and place a heavy skillet or third baking sheet on top to press down the crust while baking. Bake for 35 minutes, removing the top pan and top mat for the last 10 minutes to brown the crust.

7. Remove crust from oven and add pizza sauce, cheese and toppings (if using). Grill the pizza until the cheese and toppings are lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool the pizza on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

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