White Pizza with Chicken and Fresh Herbs
Change up pizza night with this white pizza with chicken and fresh herbs. With a parmesan sauce and plenty of fresh herbs, this pizza is the perfect summertime dinner.
Homemade pizza is a pretty regular meal in our house. Chances are good that we have a ball or two of pizza dough in the freezer and a can of tomatoes in the pantry. From there, we add whatever we’ve got on hand–pepperoni or salami, some herbs, tomatoes, peppers, etc. Even though I plan out each week’s menu, it’s nice to have something to fall back on for those nights that what I planned to cook isn’t doing it for me. This pizza, on the other hand, was placed on the menu with purpose. I’ve been eager to make it for a while, and after eating it, I’m ready to make it again.
This was Clara’s first time eating pizza, and she went absolutely bananas for this one. This pizza recipe starts out with an incredibly tasty parmesan white sauce. It’s topped with mozzarella, shredded chicken, red onion and lots of fresh herbs. There’s extra white sauce for dipping, if you’re into that (and if you’re not, this sauce may change your mind). Light isn’t something I normally think of when it comes to pizza, but this one certainly has that feeling. Sure there’s a rich white sauce, but the pizza itself isn’t at all greasy or overly cheesy.
This white pizza with chicken and fresh herbs makes a fabulous summer dinner for us because we can take advantage of all the fresh herbs growing in our garden. It’s fun to change things up a bit from the traditional tomato sauce based pizza. This combination isn’t so out there that people who lean toward more traditional pizzas won’t enjoy it, though.
- YIELD: 1 12-inch pizza
1 pound pizza dough
1-2 teaspoons cornmeal, for sprinkling
Olive oil, for brushing the crust
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup milk (low-fat or skim is fine)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
1 cup shredded, cooked chicken breast
⅔ cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1
Heat the oven and pizza stone to 500 degrees, at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile, sprinkle a large piece of parchment with the cornmeal. Stretch and roll the dough into a 12-14 inch circle. Brush the outer edge with olive oil.
- 2
Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the flour and pepper and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns light golden brown, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat and add the Parmesan. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- 3
Spread about ½ cup of the sauce over the pizza dough, making sure to leave the outer edge uncovered. Scatter the chicken and onions evenly over the sauce, then top with the mozzarella.
- 4
Use the parchment to transfer the pizza to the oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese has is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle on the fresh herbs. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.
I’ve been meaning to try this recipe ever since Josie posted it. Thanks for the reminder! It really does sound amazing 🙂
I’ve been meaning to try this recipe ever since Josie posted it. Thanks for the reminder! It really does sound amazing 🙂
This is my kind of pizza! Love the white sauce and all the fresh herbs!
This is my kind of pizza! Love the white sauce and all the fresh herbs!
This look fabulous! We love homemade pizza in our house too!
This look fabulous! We love homemade pizza in our house too!
I can’t wait to try this! Anything pizza and I’m there! Thanks!
I can’t wait to try this! Anything pizza and I’m there! Thanks!