Buzz
There are so many great pizza dough alternatives out there, so I didn’t anticipate loving this one as much as I did. I knew it would be decent—it’s essentially a giant chicken nugget, after all—but I thought the chicken would become overpowering. Turns out, it’s fantastic. So grab that pound of ground chicken: It’s pizza night!
Let me clarify upfront: this is not chicken parm. While it includes elements of chicken parmesan—breaded chicken, tomato sauce, and cheese—it’s prepared differently (using baked ground chicken instead of fried cutlets) and eaten differently (like a pizza). Chicken parmesan is a dish with a history, passed down by generations of Italian-American families with specific recipes. While chicken crust pizza is amazing, it’s not quite deserving of that same title. Would you call a chicken nugget dipped in ketchup and paired with string cheese ‘chicken parmesan’? I rest my case.
How to Prepare Chicken Crust Pizza
Now, back to our chicken nugget—er, I mean, our high-protein, utterly satisfying pizza crust alternative. To create it, you simply need to coat both sides of a large chicken patty with breadcrumbs. I use two baking sheets to make the process easier. They also come in handy when it's time to bake.
1. Prepare the chicken mixture
I seasoned a pound of ground chicken with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and added an egg. Combine everything thoroughly. It’s similar to a chicken meatball mixture, but without breadcrumbs to soften it. There's no need to overmix, but remember, you want the meat to hold its shape when slicing, since it’s a pizza crust.
2. Form the patty
On an inverted baking sheet, place a silicone mat or parchment paper. Lightly spray with oil (I used canola, but any cooking oil will work), or brush it on with a pastry brush. Scoop the chicken mixture into the center and, using your hands or a rubber spatula, press and shape it into a circle about half an inch thick. My crust ended up around nine inches wide.
3. Coat the chicken with breadcrumbs
Although you could skip the breading altogether, I find the crust more appealing and enjoyable with a crispy, lumpy panko coating. There are plenty of wheat-free alternatives available now, so if you have gluten sensitivities, consider using gluten-free panko instead of leaving the breading out.
Combine equal parts fine breadcrumbs and panko in a bowl. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the chicken patty, and use your hand to gently press the crumbs so they stick to the meat. Don't forget to cover the edges. Lightly spray the crumb-covered side with oil. Now it's time to flip it.
Place another silicone mat or parchment paper over the chicken. Put a second sheet tray, bottom-side down, on top of the mat. Hold both trays tightly with your hands and flip them at once to bread the other side of the crust. Gently remove the baking mat (use a spatula if the meat sticks a bit). Coat the other side with breadcrumbs and spray with oil. Put the mat back on top of the chicken and place the sheet tray, bottom-side down, on top of the chicken.
4. Bake the crust
Place the crust, sandwiched between the two baking mats and trays, into the oven. Add a weight on top (this could be another sheet pan or a heavy skillet). The weight ensures good contact with the tray, allowing heat to reach the crust and preventing it from shrinking or bubbling up. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. Remove the weight, top tray, and top liner, then bake for another 10 minutes.
5. Add your choice of toppings.
Take the pizza out of the oven but keep it running. Leave the chicken crust on the pan, then spoon on some pizza sauce (it doesn't necessarily need to be tomato-based), sprinkle some shredded cheese, and pile on any pizza toppings you like. Place the pizza back into the oven and broil it for about 3-5 minutes. My oven has a 'low broil' setting, and it took four minutes for the cheese to melt and bubble. Allow the chicken crust pizza to cool on a wire rack for five minutes before slicing and serving—there's quite a bit of steam trapped underneath.
The crust cuts perfectly and holds up when you pick it up with your hands, just like a pizza should. It crisps up beautifully in the oven, and surprisingly, the chicken crust doesn’t feel too heavy even though it’s primarily chicken. If you’re looking to boost your protein intake or simply want to spice up your pizza game, this crust is definitely worth trying.
Chicken Crust Pizza Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound of raw ground chicken
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
A few cracks of black pepper
1 egg
½ cup of panko breadcrumbs
½ cup of regular breadcrumbs
Pinch of salt
A few spritzes of neutral cooking oil
3 tablespoons of tomato sauce
½ - 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings (*optional)
1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt. Set this mixture aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, thoroughly blend the first five ingredients together.
3. Place a sheet pan upside down and cover it with a silicone mat. Lightly spray the mat with neutral oil, or rub about a teaspoon of oil if you don’t have spray oil. Heap the chicken mixture into the center of the mat, then gently press it into a circle shape, approximately 9 inches wide and half an inch thick.
4. Sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture over the chicken patty. Spread it out and press gently until the breadcrumbs are evenly distributed across the top and sides of the chicken.
5. Lightly spritz more oil onto the breaded chicken and onto a second silicone mat. Place this mat, oil-side down, onto the chicken patty. Place another sheet tray, bottom-side down, on top of the mat. Holding both trays, flip the chicken crust over. Remove the top tray and mat to bread the other side. Spritz more oil onto the newly breaded side and replace the mat and sheet tray.
6. Place the chicken, with both trays and silicone mats, into the oven. Put a heavy skillet or a third sheet pan on top to press down the crust while it bakes. Bake for 35 minutes, removing the top pan and mat during the final 10 minutes to allow the crust to brown.
7. Remove the crust from the oven and top it with pizza sauce, cheese, and any desired toppings. Broil the pizza for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese and toppings are lightly browned. Let the pizza cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
