Easy Chicken Crust Pizza recipe made with ground chicken, packed with protein and ready in 30 minutes. Top it with your favorites for a tasty low carb pizza!
We also love this low carb cauliflower pizza crust and almond flour pizza crust!
Table of Contents
Chicken crust pizza reminds me of a flattened meatloaf with toppings, just without breadcrumbs or flour. It’s perfect if you are following a high in protein diet and still want to enjoy a taste of pizza.
I also love making cottage cheese pizza crust and Greek yogurt pizza crust. They’re higher in protein but come with a bit more carbs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Staple ingredients, fast prep, little effort, and ready in just 30 minutes.
- Customizable: Make it your own. Just like your usual homemade pizza night, but low carb and gluten-free.
- A fresh way to serve chicken: A new idea to add to your chicken recipes repertoire to break free from the same old options.
- Pizza taste: Ground chicken is mild, so when combined with spices and cheese and topped with toppings, it tastes just like pizza!
Ingredients for Chicken Crust Pizza
You’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients plus your favorite toppings to make this easy dinner.
- Ground chicken: The main ingredient for the ground chicken pizza crust. Any other lean meat like ground turkey will create a sturdy base for your toppings.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and gives the crust its structure.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds flavor and helps bind the crust. Use freshly grated Parmesan as it melts better and adds the best taste. I do not recommend using it from the shaker.
- Seasonings: A blend of Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.
- Toppings: You can add whatever you like. I used marinara sauce, sauteed veggies, and mozzarella cheese.
How to Make Chicken Crust Pizza
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and get 2 pieces of parchment paper ready.
- Mix the dough: Combine the ground chicken, egg, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well blended.
- Shape the crust: Transfer the chicken mixture to one sheet of parchment paper, form a ball, and cover with the other piece of parchment. Press it into a round crust about 1/4-inch thick using your hands. Peel off the top sheet, then smooth out the crust with a wet spatula.
- Pre-bake the crust: Transfer the crust, still on the parchment paper, to
a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until you see brown edges. - Add toppings and bake: Spread a thin layer of sauce on the crust, add your toppings, and pop it in the oven to let the cheese melt. You can broil it at the end if you want it extra crispy.
My Toppings
I quickly sauteed broccolini with grape tomatoes and garlic in olive oil. You can add whatever you like to your chicken crust pizza.
Tips for Best Results
Here are 5 simple tips to ensure perfect results.
- Shape it evenly and thin: So your crust cooks evenly and gets crispy all around. A thinner crust also makes it easier to hold the toppings without getting soggy.
- Avoid dry pizza crust: Don’t over bake it. All ovens vary and some run hotter and some lower. Add your toppings once you see brown edges, and remember the crust will bake more after you add toppings.
- Pre-cook the toppings and crust: Pre-baking the crust gives it time to firm up and ensures the chicken is cooked before adding the toppings. And pre-cooking your veggie toppings releases excess moisture so they don’t make the crust soggy.
- To avoid the sticky crust: This didn’t happen to me, but it is mostly because of your parchment paper. Buy quality parchment paper or next time add 1 tablespoon of oil to the chicken mixture.
- Don’t overload it: So you can pick it up. Chicken crust is a bit less sturdy than traditional pizza crust.
Variations
- Ground turkey: You can substitute ground turkey if that’s what you have on hand or if you want to make it a bit lower in fat.
- Seasonings: It’s pretty plain so season well. Instead of Italian seasoning try any combination of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, or crushed red pepper flakes. You can also add fresh herbs like parsley or thyme.
- Pizza sauce: Go for a classic marinara or pizza sauce, or switch things up with alfredo sauce or pesto.
- Toppings: Use what you have on hand or pick up your favorites! Some ideas include pepperoni, sausage, bacon, bell peppers, red onions, mushrooms, spinach, black olives, zucchini, tomatoes, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, or artichokes.
Serving Ideas
Serve chicken crust pizza just like you would any other pizza! It’s pretty filling so slice it up and enjoy it on its own or pair it with a fresh salad.
Try a simple Caesar salad or healthy cucumber salad. You can also serve some extra marinara or dip like cottage cheese ranch or Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing for added flavor.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Slice your pizza and freeze in an airtight container for 3 months. If you want to meal prep the crust, pre-bake it, wrap in plastic wrap, then freeze. Thaw on the counter for 2 hours, then add toppings and bake.
Reheat: You can either microwave pizza slices for 30-40 seconds or reheat in the oven until warm.
FAQs
Yes. Pre-bake the crust, wrap it in plastic, then store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then thaw, add pizza toppings, and bake.
The crust is ready when you see golden brown and crispy edges, and it’ll shrink in size. I find the thermometer isn’t accurate as crust is very thin, but you may try for 165 degrees F.
You may but I haven’t tried. If I were to use canned chicken, this is what I would do. Drain and squeeze canned chicken well, then process all ingredients in a food processor and follow the recipe. You might have to bake it longer too.
More Healthier Pizza Recipes to Try
- Healthy zucchini pizza skillet
- Oatmeal pizza crust
- Sweet potato pizza crust
- Vegan cauliflower pizza crust
Chicken Crust Pizza
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Toppings:
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- Sauteed veggies, like broccoli, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and prep 2 pieces of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add ground chicken, egg, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well with spatula to combine.
- Transfer chicken mixture onto parchment paper, form a ball and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Using your hands, press into a round pizza crust approximately 1/4 inch thick. Carefully remove top parchment paper and smooth out with wet spatula, dipping it into a bowl with water as necessary.
- Transfer the crust, by holding onto parchment paper, onto baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until edges start to brown. Your pre-baked crust is ready.
- To make pizza, spread thin layer of sauce and top with your favorite toppings. Return pizza to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese has melted. You can broil it at the end.
- Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate prebaked pizza crust wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 days and add toppings after.
- Freeze: Freeze leftover pizza slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If you would like to freeze the crust, I highly recommend to freeze the prebaked pizza crust (vs. the uncooked) wrapped in a plastic wrap for 3 months. Thaw on a counter for 2 hours, then add toppings and bake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
