Chicken Pesto Pizza Recipe – The Best Homemade Pizza since 2008

Try this easy and delicious chicken pesto pizza recipe with fresh chicken, basil pesto, and melted cheese. The Best Homemade Pizza since 2008!

Why We Love This Chicken Pesto Pizza (Since 2008)

I wish I could remember the first time I made Chicken Pesto Pizza, but it should have been marked down in history. It was most likely the fall of 2008 in our first apartment in Buckhead (Atlanta, Georgia). Since there are only few ‘good’ pizza places in the South, I taught myself how to make homemade pizza many years ago. I never made basic cheese pizza, but instead tried new and fun recipes.

Back in 2008, I decided to make a pizza from scratch, experimenting with different flavors. We decided to pair a fresh pesto sauce with tender grilled chicken, and the combination was nothing short of magical. That first bite was so unforgettable, we knew we had created the best pizza we’d ever made. We’ve been perfecting this recipe ever since, and it’s still our go-to pizza for guests and special family dinners!

Ingredients for Chicken Pesto Pizza

We love this Chicken Pesto Pizza because it is extremely flavorful and absolutely delicious. I used to purchase all of the ingredients at Trader Joe’s, but many grocery stores sell what you need. Let’s start with the pesto, a sauce of crushed basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Trader Joe’s makes a fresh refrigerated pesto we love, but you can find a jar in most any sauce aisle.

Next ingredient is the cheese. Fontina cheese really makes the pie. It has a rich, buttery and nutty taste that pairs well with the pine nuts and basil. However, shredded or fresh mozzarella cheese is just as tasty, and actually tones down the nuttiness of the pizza. Lastly, if you can find Pesto Chicken Breasts at a Trader’s Joes, omit the seasoning and balsamic vinegar from the recipe.

Fresh Ingredients for the Perfect Flavor

• Trader Joe’s Premade Pizza Dough (any fresh pizza dough works) – room temperature
• Trader Joe’s Basil Pesto Sauce (any premade brand works)
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – cubed (Trader Joe’s Pesto Chicken adds extra flavor)
• Fontina Cheese – cut up into small pieces
• Black Olives – sliced
• Diced Vidalia Onions (this is only an option – I don’t always use them)
• Balsamic Vinegar (or your favorite balsamic dressing)
• Flour
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper
• Garlic Salt (or raw minced garlic if you are watching the sodium)
• Pizza Stone – or cookie sheet

How to Make Chicken Pesto Pizza Like a Pro

1. Pizza Dough needs to be at ROOM TEMPERATURE for the best crust results. Either open the dough bag and leave on your counter for a few hours. Or take the pizza dough out of its packaging and put it in a deep bowl drizzled with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel.
2. Preheat your oven for 400-450 degrees F. The best pizza is cooked in a HOT oven.
3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil – not too thick though or you will end up with oily fried chicken! If you are using the onions, add them now. Cut and cube the chicken breast. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
4. Cook the chicken over medium heat, turning occasionally to brown each side. Drizzle balsamic oil over the cooking chicken (I use a capful). It should reduce and become syrupy and sweet. I usually don’t overcook my chicken because it is going to bake in the oven. Once I do the cut test and see the inside is no longer pink I take it off of the burner and allow it to cool in a covered bowl.
5. Create a clean space to make your pizza crust. Sprinkle some flour on your hands, as well as the top of the dough and onto the counter. You can roll your dough out – but I HIGHLY advise just using your hands to work it into whatever shape stone you plan on cooking the pizza on. I usually don’t put anything on my pizza stone, but if you are using a cookie sheet you may need to use cornmeal or parchment paper so it does not stick.
6. After you have shaped your dough, put it on the pizza stone and spoon on the pesto. Leave room around the edge for a crust. This is a time when you can use as much or as little as you wish. If you go with a little bit of pesto, make sure to add some olive oil so the pizza remains moist.
7. Bake your pizza for 5-7 min so that the crust begins to form.
8. Remove the pizza and while it is still boiling hot, arrange the toppings in this order: chicken, olives, cheese.
9. Put your pizza in the oven and cook it for 20-25 minutes. If you have never made pizza in your oven I recommend that you constantly check on it to make sure the cheese is not burning.

A message from Caitlin in 2010: I hope you all enjoy this recipe as I made it up one night to impress my future hubs, and I think that is what kept him around during wedding planning when bridezilla would show her face!

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Discover the ultimate chicken pesto pizza recipe, made with fresh ingredients and a secret twist we perfected back in 2009. Perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner!

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Ingredients

• Trader Joe's Premade Pizza Dough (any fresh pizza dough works) - room temperature
• Trader Joe's Basil Pesto Sauce (any premade brand works)
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - cubed (Trader Joe's Pesto Chicken adds extra flavor)
• Fontina Cheese - cut up into small pieces
• Black Olives - sliced
• Diced Vidalia Onions (this is only an option - I don't always use them)
• Balsamic Vinegar (or your favorite balsamic dressing)
• Flour
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper
• Garlic Salt (or raw minced garlic if you are watching the sodium)
• Pizza Stone - or cookie sheet

Instructions

1. Pizza Dough needs to be at ROOM TEMPERATURE for the best crust results. Either open the dough bag and leave on your counter for a few hours. Or take the pizza dough out of its packaging and put it in a deep bowl drizzled with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel.
2. Preheat your oven for 400-450 degrees F. The best pizza is cooked in a HOT oven.
3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil - not too thick though or you will end up with oily fried chicken! If you are using the onions, add them now. Cut and cube the chicken breast. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
4. Cook the chicken over medium heat, turning occasionally to brown each side. Drizzle balsamic oil over the cooking chicken (I use a capful). It should reduce and become syrupy and sweet. I usually don't overcook my chicken because it is going to bake in the oven. Once I do the cut test and see the inside is no longer pink I take it off of the burner and allow it to cool in a covered bowl.
5. Create a clean space to make your pizza crust. Sprinkle some flour on your hands, as well as the top of the dough and onto the counter. You can roll your dough out - but I HIGHLY advise just using your hands to work it into whatever shape stone you plan on cooking the pizza on. I usually don't put anything on my pizza stone, but if you are using a cookie sheet you may need to use cornmeal or parchment paper so it does not stick.
6. After you have shaped your dough, put it on the pizza stone and spoon on the pesto. Leave room around the edge for a crust. This is a time when you can use as much or as little as you wish. If you go with a little bit of pesto, make sure to add some olive oil so the pizza remains moist.
7. Bake your pizza for 5-7 min so that the crust begins to form.
8. Remove the pizza and while it is still boiling hot, arrange the toppings in this order: chicken, olives, cheese.
9. Put your pizza in the oven and cook it for 20-25 minutes. If you have never made pizza in your oven I recommend that you constantly check on it to make sure the cheese is not burning.
10. Allow to cool before cutting to eat!

If you love homemade pizzas, check out my recipe for Escarole and Bean Pizza. If you like unique toppings, check out my Dairy Free Prosciutto Lemon Arugula Pizza recipe.

Note: Check out one of the many Chicken Pesto Pizza posts on CHB. Back in the day I had a two blogs: Think Happy Thoughts and Mrs. Bear’s Tasty Fare. I published my personal recipes, as well as favorites from cookbooks and family, with a grainy photos. When I transferred to wordpress, Think Happy Thoughts and Mrs. Bear’s Tasty Fare became Confessions of a Northern Belle. A few years later I rolled out Caitlin Houston Blog – so there are a lot of very old blog posts in my history.