Paprika Chicken Pizza
Topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, tender paprika-rubbed chicken, and fresh basil leaves, this homemade chicken pizza recipe not only makes an ideal family dinner but also an impressive dish for any special gathering.
This paprika chicken pizza was our favorite at a local place. Since they change their menu every few months and stop making it, we have no choice but to recreate and make it at home ourselves. I love how fresh and flavorful it tastes!
Ingredients & Tools
To make this homemade chicken pizza, you’ll need:
- pizza dough: you can use homemade or store-bought dough, whichever you prefer. We prefer a thin crust 10-inch pizza, so we usually use 6.5 oz of dough. If you like a thicker pizza, you can use 8 oz of dough.
- pizza sauce: my favorite way to make pizza sauce is blending canned whole peeled tomatoes until saucy. This way, I can make a big batch and store in the freezer for several months.
- chicken tenders or chicken breast: the chicken will be rubbed with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, then seared and shredded. This chicken pizza is slightly spicy, but you can customize the level of spice to your preference with more or less cayenne pepper.
- other pizza toppings: sautéed diced onions, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
The quantity of ingredients listed in the recipe card at the end of the post is for a 10-inch pizza. If you want to make a larger pizza, let’s say 12-inch, increase the quantity accordingly. But remember a 12-inch pizza is 44% larger than a 10-inch one, not 20% larger :).
Essentials tools for homemade pizza include a pizza stone/pizza pan and a wooden pizza peel. I currently use this Lodge cast iron griddle and am quite happy with it, but it’s slightly too small, making sliding the pizza onto it a bit tricky. I actually prefer this 14-inch Lodge baking pan, but it’s slightly too big for my oven. Well, I’m sure I will keep trying more pizza pans until I find a perfect one…
Prepare Chicken and Other Toppings
You should start by preheating your oven and pizza stone/pizza pan at around 500°F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare all the toppings:
1️⃣ Sauté the diced onion for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
2️⃣ Season the chicken breast or tenderloin with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Then sear until just cooked through. Shred the chicken using two forks for a quick solution.
Assemble the Chicken Pizza
Next, prepare the crust. Stretch the dough with your fingers or a rolling pin, avoiding pressing on the outer edges. Transfer it to the pizza peel and spread tomato sauce on it.
Then layer other toppings: sautéed onion, shredded chicken, shredded cheese and cherry tomato on the pizza. You can adjust the amount of cheese to your liking.
One of the best things about homemade pizza lies in customization – feel free to add or swap toppings based on your preferences. Now bake until the crust is golden browned and the cheese melts beautifully.
Sprinkle more fresh basil leaves on top after the pizza has baked. This preserves the herb’s fresh flavor and vibrant green color.
If you give this chicken pizza a try, don’t forget to let me know what you think. It is one of our most favorite summer pizzas. You can check out more summer gathering recipes here.
Note: the post was originally posted on June 30th, 2021. It has been updated with additional photos and tips in June, 2023.
Paprika Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 3 raw chicken tenders (about 4.5 oz or 125g)
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer more heat)
- a small pinch of onion powder
- a small pinch of garlic powder
- a pinch of dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onions (about 2.5 oz or 65g, either yellow or red onion is fine)
- 1 portion dough for a 10-inch pizza
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup pizza sauce (about 2.8 oz or 80g)
- 4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8-9 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/3 cup torn basil leaves (about 0.5 oz or 13g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and the pizza stone/pizza pan at 500°F for 30 minutes.
- Toss the chicken tenders with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Set aside.
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add some oil. Add diced onions and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a plate.
- Add some more oil to the same skillet and increase the heat slightly. Once the oil is hot, add chicken tenders. Sear each side for about 2 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer to a plate, let it cool slightly and then shred into bite-sized pieces.
- On a floured surface, press and stretch the pizza dough into a 10-inch round with your fingers or a rolling pin. Work from the middle to the edge and be careful not to press on the outer edge. Transfer the dough to a floured pizza peel.
- Spread the pizza sauce on the dough, leaving a ½-1 inch border. Sprinkle some torn basil leaves, then top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Add the sautéed onions, shredded chicken and cherry tomatoes evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the pizza.
- Transfer the pizza to the pizza stone/pizza pan and bake until the bottom is golden browned and the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Cooking time may depend on your oven and the stone/pan.
- Remove the pizza from the oven. Slice and top with the remaining basil leaves. Serve right away.
Notes
- We prefer a thin crust 10-inch pizza, so we usually use 6.5 oz of dough. If you prefer a thicker pizza, you can use 8 oz of dough.
- An easy way to make pizza sauce is blending canned whole peeled tomatoes until saucy. You can make a big batch and store in the freezer for several months.
- If you want to make a larger pizza, let’s say 12-inch, increase the quantity accordingly. But remember a 12-inch pizza is 44% larger than a 10-inch one, not 20% larger :).
Nutrition
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
