Made with vibrant basil pesto, creamy mozzarella cheese, tender chicken, and fresh tomatoes, this Chicken Pesto Pizza is boldly seasoned and incredibly delicious.
Looking for more recipes using basil pesto? Don't miss my recipes for Pesto Pasta, Baked Pesto Chicken, and Antipasto Skewers.
Craving pizza, but not in the mood for a classic cheese pizza? Swap out pizza sauce for pesto and you are well on your way to a new and vibrant way to enjoy pizza night.
But my Pesto Pizza recipe doesn't stop there! I add cooked chicken for protein and seasoned tomatoes for a fresh, juicy element.
What more could you ask for? Bold pesto, sharp parmesan, creamy, rich mozzarella, bright tomatoes, and hearty chicken piled high on tender pizza crust. And this Pesto Pizza is easy to make! Perfection!
Ingredients Needed
- Pizza Dough: You can certainly take a short-cut and use store-bought pizza dough, but homemade pizza dough is best in terms of flavor.
- Pesto: Homemade pesto takes minutes to make and is far superior in taste to store-bought pesto. If you need to take a short-cut, buy pesto from the refrigerated section, not a jar of shelf-stable pesto, as the flavor is lacking.
- Cheese: Mozzarella for its melting factor and parmesan for a rich, nutty finish. Keep in mind, for the best melting factor, it is best to grate the mozzarella yourself rather than using bagged shredded cheese.
- Seasoned Tomatoes: Use grape or cherry tomatoes, as they are delicious year-round and perfectly bite-sized. And I highly recommend seasoning the tomatoes with oregano, olive oil, and crushed red pepper flakes to really amp up the flavor.
- Chicken: You can opt to omit the chicken for a vegetarian version of pesto pizza. Otherwise, this is a great leftover chicken recipe, and can be made with any cooked chicken you have on hand.
How to Make the Best Pesto Pizza
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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.
Assemble Pesto Pizza
Spread the pesto over the pre-baked dough, top with cooked chicken that has been tossed with pesto, and then top with fresh mozzarella cheese. Layering the ingredients in this order will help ensure the chicken does not dry out while baking.
Season Tomatoes
While the pizza is baking, toss the halved tomatoes with oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. This adds incredible flavor to the tomatoes and helps to make this the best pesto pizza recipe.
Serve Pesto Pizza with Tomatoes
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!
Storage Instructions
- Store: It is best to store the seasoned tomatoes and leftover pesto pizza in separate airtight containers to keep the tomatoes from making the pizza soggy. Store them both in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place sliced pesto pizza on a baking sheet and reheat the pizza under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, or in a 350-degree F oven until just warmed through.
More Homemade Pizza Recipes
- Tomato Pizza
- English Muffin Pizza
- Pita Pizza
- Taco Pizza
- Easy Pull-Apart Pizza Bread
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- BBQ Pizza
If you enjoyed this recipe for Pesto Pizza, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
- Olive oil for brushing
- 1 pound pizza dough
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup cooked, shredded or diced chicken
- ⅓-½ cup pesto homemade or store-bought, divided
- 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 teaspoon 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℉.
- Brush a 12-inch pizza pan with a bit of olive oil.
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch and shape the 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 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 the shredded chicken with 2 tablespoons of the pesto sauce to lightly coat and set aside.
- Remove the pizza crust from the oven, and spread a thin layer of the 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 with a generous layer of 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 halved tomatoes with oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the pizza from the oven once baked and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with seasoned tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and basil.
- Slice into wedges and serve immediately.
Equipment Needed
- 12-inch pizza pan or pizza stone
Mel
This pizza was so delicious and packed with flavor. We loved it!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing this! Thanks for sharing!
Nathan
So much flavor
Natasha
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!
Sally
This pizza was amazing!! Like seriously amazing. Loved every bite!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing!