Description
This Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza is the ultimate culinary mashup that solves your weeknight dinner dilemma. It combines a hot, cheesy, golden-baked pizza crust with a fresh, cool, and crunchy chicken Caesar salad right on top. It is thin and crispy in the middle, fluffy on the edges, and packed with wonderful contrasting textures that ensure no one has to choose between comfort food and a fresh green salad.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough (regular or gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.25 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
- 3 cups fresh romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and chopped
- 0.5 cup creamy Caesar dressing
- 0.5 cup garlic croutons, slightly crushed
- 0.25 cup shaved parmesan cheese (for garnish)
- 0.25 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the Oven and Dough: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Let the pizza dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to relax.
- Shape the Crust: Dust your hands and countertop with flour. Gently press and stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle or rectangle, keeping the center thin and the edges slightly thicker for a fluffy rim.
- Season and Bake the Base: Transfer dough to the baking sheet or hot stone. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Scatter 1.5 cups mozzarella and 0.25 cup grated parmesan evenly over the top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
- Prepare the Salad Topping: While the crust bakes, combine 3 cups romaine lettuce and 2 cups cooked chicken in a large bowl. Pour 0.5 cup Caesar dressing over the mixture and toss gently right before the pizza finishes baking to keep it crisp.
- Slice the Hot Crust: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool on a cutting board for 2 minutes so the cheese sets. Slice the warm, cheesy crust into individual pieces before adding the salad topping.
- Assemble and Serve: Pile the dressed chicken Caesar salad high on top of the sliced crust. Scatter 0.5 cup crushed croutons, 0.25 cup shaved parmesan, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper over the salad. Serve immediately.
Notes
Letting the crust cool for 2 minutes and slicing it before adding the salad prevents the base from getting soggy and makes it much cleaner to serve. Store leftovers separately: keep the baked cheesy crust in foil at room temperature and the salad components in the fridge. Reheat the plain crust at 400°F for 5 minutes to restore the crispness before topping with fresh salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-Italian Mashup
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4th of pizza)
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg