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Made with vibrant basil pesto, creamy mozzarella cheese, and fresh tomatoes, this Pesto Pizza is delicious with or without the addition of chicken.
Looking for more recipes using basil pesto? Don't miss my recipes for Pesto Pasta, Baked Pesto Chicken, and Antipasto Skewers.
Simple, Yet Elevated Pesto Pizza
Craving pizza, but not in the mood for classic cheese pizza? Swap out pizza sauce for bold and herbaceous pesto and you are well on your way to a new and vibrant way to enjoy pizza night.
But this Pesto Pizza recipe doesn't stop there! I love adding diced chicken for added protein and finishing the pesto pizza with seasoned tomatoes for a fresh, juicy element, making this simple pizza taste anything BUT simple!
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
Notes on Ingredients
- Pizza Dough: Use 1-pound store-bought or homemade pizza dough.
- Basil Pesto: Homemade pesto is best, but feel free to use store-bought pesto. recommend purchasing from the refrigerated section, shelf-stable pesto.
- Cheese: Mozzarella and parmesan are classic. For the smoothest melt, grate the cheese yourself.
- Chicken (optional): If you have leftover cooked chicken, this is a great recipe to put it to use. Vegetarian? Omit it!
- Tomatoes: Topping the pizza with seasoned tomatoes adds a freshness that takes this pizza over the top, but is optional.
How to Make Pesto Pizza
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Roll and Season Dough. Roll out pizza dough into a large circle on a lightly floured surface and then transfer to a greased pizza pan. Brush the dough with olive oil and season with garlic powder. We are building layers of flavor.
- Par-Bake Pizza Dough. Pesto pizza is one pizza recipe that is best if you par-bake the dough before adding your toppings. This will help to keep the pesto vibrant and fresh while ensuring the dough cooks through.
kristen's tip
Because there are no toppings weighing the dough down, it is best to use a fork to dock the dough several times before baking. This will help air escape the the dough bake evenly and stay relatively flat.
- Add Toppings. Spread a thin layer of pesto over the pre-baked dough, top with cooked chicken if desired, and then top with fresh mozzarella cheese.
- Bake Pizza. After adding pesto, chicken, and cheese, return the pizza to the oven to allow time for the cheese to melt and the crust to fully cook through.
- Season Tomatoes. While the pizza is baking, toss sliced cherry or grape tomatoes with oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Once the pesto pizza is baked, let it cool for 5-10 minutes. This will make the pizza easier to slice and keep the cheese intact. Right before serving, add the seasoned tomatoes, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and ribbons of fresh basil to the top of the pizza. Delicious!
More Homemade Pizza Recipes
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Pesto Pizza
Video
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing dough
- 1 pound pizza dough
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup cooked, shredded or diced chicken, optional
- 2 tablespoons pesto, for chicken
- ¼ cup pesto, for pizza
- 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parmesan cheese, for serving
- fresh basil, cut into ribbons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃). Brush a 12-inch pizza pan with a bit of olive oil.
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch and shape 1 pound pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pizza pan, reshaping if necessary.
- Brush the pizza dough lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder if desired. Dock the center of the pizza with a fork to prevent large bubbles from forming. Place in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, toss 1 cup cooked, shredded or diced chicken with 2 tablespoons pesto to lightly coat and set aside. Skip this step if not adding chicken.
- Remove the pizza crust from the oven, and spread ¼ cup pesto on the pizza dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges to create the crust of the pizza. You should use about ¼ cup of pesto sauce.
- Top the pesto sauce with the chicken and then cover with12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges.
- Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- While the pizza is baking, toss the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and kosher salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the pizza from the oven once baked and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with seasoned tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, and basil.
- Slice into wedges and serve immediately.
Equipment
- 12-inch pizza pan or pizza stone
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This pizza was so delicious and packed with flavor. We loved it!
I love hearing this! Thanks for sharing!
So much flavor
We love this Chicken Pesto Pizza recipe so much! It’s easy to make and has so much flavor. We like how versatile this recipe is too! It’s our new favorite!
This pizza was amazing!! Like seriously amazing. Loved every bite!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing!