Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Jump to Recipe

Pizza or Parm?

When I was younger, one of my favorite take-out dinners was Italian food. Because I lived in New York, there were always pizzerias and Italian restaurants around my neighborhood. Whether I got pizza, a hero, or pasta, it always hit the spot. Now living in Los Angeles, I definitely miss the good old days of New York Italian takeout. Since moving here, I’ve come to realize that small, casual Italian restaurants aren’t as common. A lot of Italian restaurants in Los Angeles are more upscale and way too overpriced in my opinion. Sometimes all I want is to do is get $16 Italian takeout from a joint in my sweatpants, but that doesn’t seem to be an option here. So in honor of my Italian takeout dreams, I created a recipe that combines two of my childhood favorite Italian-American dishes: pizza and chicken parmesan. This Chicken Parmesan Pizza is what dreams are made of because I know for a fact that everyone loves a good pizza and chicken parmesan.

Full Circle

Like I mentioned, pizza and chicken parmesan were my favorite Italian-American dishes as a kid. It was always a struggle to pick between the two. So now we’ve come full circle because I’m solving my childhood dilemma with this Chicken Parmesan Pizza. We have pizza dough topped with pizza sauce, ricotta, breaded chicken, oregano, red pepper flakes, mozzarella, and parmesan. It’s baked in the oven until golden brown and cheesy, then topped with hand-torn basil. While this may sound elaborate with all the different toppings, it’s actually a lot easier than you think. So let’s get into it!

Stretch it Out

Two of our key ingredients for this recipe are store-bought pizza dough and pre-made breaded chicken cutlets. Having these components already made is what’s going to make it come together in no time. Starting with the pizza dough, read the package directions to determine the temperature to preheat your oven. If you have a pizza stone, place it into the oven while it preheats. Alternatively, you can use a large baking sheet. This is going to help our pizza develop a crispy, sturdy crust.

My first disclaimer is to work gently with the pizza dough. If you stretch and press it too aggressively, the dough is going to become overworked and have a hard time stretching out into a larger circle. Grease your hands with olive oil to prevent the dough from sticking to you. I like to start with pressing the dough out into a medium sized disk. Once the ball of pizza dough has flattened, you can begin to use your fingertips to press the dough out into a larger circle, leaving a 1-inch thicker edge for the crust. When the dough reaches about 7-inches in diameter, you can pick the pizza dough up and hold it 1-inch from the edge. Continuously rotate the dough in one direction, allowing it to hang and stretch to create a thinner crust in the center. The pizza should stretch to be about 12-14 inches in diameter.

Carefully remove the hot pizza stone or baking sheet from the oven and place it onto a heat-safe work surface. If you’re using a baking sheet, make sure it’s flipped upside down and grease it with oil. Lay the pizza dough onto the pizza stone or baking sheet. You can stretch and fix any imperfections in the shape of the pizza.

No Stopping with the Toppings

Now, onto the fun part: the toppings! Spread the pizza sauce all over the pizza dough except for the crust. There’s definitely an art to adding sauce onto a pizza crust because if you add too much, the crust will become soggy. On the other hand, if you add too little, the dough will absorb it and you won’t have any sauce left.

Then dollop small spoons of ricotta over the pizza. Ricotta typically isn’t included in chicken parmesan, but I personally love the creaminess it adds to pizza. Now, for our second key ingredient — the pre-made breaded chicken cutlets. I used frozen breaded chicken to make the process easier but you can, of course, be a superstar and make your own. If you’re using pre-made breaded chicken, heat it up according to the package directions then dice it into pieces. Add the diced chicken on top of the pizza then sprinkle on the dried oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.

Finally, let’s top it with cheese! We’re using the most classic pairing of mozzarella and parmesan. Certain things are a classic for a reason and it’s simplicity shouldn’t be messed with. Sprinkle the cheeses all over top then bake the pizza in the oven according the the pizza dough package directions.

Release the Aroma

When the pizza is done, the crust should have browned and the cheeses should be melted. Tear some fresh basil leaves into pieces then add it onto the pizza. While this step doesn’t seem as important, trust me, you cannot skip this step. Tearing the basil leaves releases its natural flavors and aromas. The flavor compliments the pizza so well and would not be the same without it. So make sure to add on that basil!

When you take your first bite of this Chicken Parmesan Pizza you’re going to be shocked at how similar it tastes to a chicken parmesan because I definitely was. I know it sounds silly, but I was genuinely impressed with how good it tasted and how accurate it was to a chicken parmesan. It has all the same flavors but with some extra bites of creamy ricotta and it’s all on a pizza. So if you ever find yourself in a dilemma deciding between pizza or chicken parmesan, try this recipe out! Let me know how you like it in the comments below and what combination of foods I should create next!