Chicken Parmesan Pizza

This tasty chicken parmesan pizza is loaded with crispy slices of breaded parmesan crusted chicken, tangy pizza sauce, and melted mozzarella! It's the newest addition to our regular rotation of incredibly delicious pizzas for pizza night!

Best of all, this is a winning pick for family dinners as EVERYONE loves it!

A unique chicken pizza your whole family will love!

With just breaded chicken and cheese on pizza dough, even picky eaters will be happy with this one!?Get that perfect golden crust on the chicken with two different kinds of breadcrumbs and some salt and pepper.?

Top it off with some mozzarella and Italian seasoning for a mouth-wateringly good meal. In just 35 minutes from start to finish, you’ll have a homemade pizza!?

Jump to:

• ? Origin
• ?? Why You'll Love This Recipe!
• ? Ingredients
• ? Step-By-Step Instructions
• ? Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
• ? Storing & Reheating
• ? Other Pizza & Chicken Parm Recipes
• ? FAQ
• ? Recipe

It doesn’t take all day to ditch the store-bought for your own creation.?Plus, this pizza is great the next day, too!

? Origin

While it seems like it should be from Italy, chicken parm is actually an Italian-American invention. 

Italian immigrants on the east coast recognized how much cheaper various meats were in the US than in their home country at the time.?

They converted eggplant Parmesan, a dish found in the southern parts of Italy, specifically Campania and Sicily, into the dish we all know and love.?

Chicken Parmesan became particularly popular in the 1950s when it started showing up in published cookbooks.

?? Why You'll Love This Recipe!

• It’s unique!?When was the last time you had chicken Parmesan on pizza? Once you try it, you'll agree it totally belongs together too!
• It’s simple! Forget the long grocery list; you only need a handful of ingredients.
• It’s family-friendly! These wonderfully tasty but basic flavors combine to make a dinner that everyone will love!

? Ingredients

Most of these ingredients will already be in your kitchen with the exception of pizza dough.?Make your own or buy ready-made pizza dough, or use a pizza dough mix.?

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken - Breast or thighs.?Either works well!
• Eggs - Support your local farmer and buy delicious farm fresh eggs, if you can.
• Panko Breadcrumbs - Panko adds that delightful extra crunch.
• Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs - The seasoning in these breadcrumbs makes the chicken even more flavorful!
• Parmesan Cheese - I can never get enough of this! Freshly grated is best.
• Salt and Pepper - As simple as they are, these two staple spices make everything better.
• Oil - Vegetable oil is a good option for frying. Be sure to choose a cooking oil that has a high enough smoke point for frying.
• Pizza Dough - Buy pre-made or make my favorite easy pizza dough.
• Pizza Sauce - This is another great way to add your favorite flavors if you make pizza sauce from scratch!
• Mozzarella Cheese - Slice up a ball of fresh mozzarella or grate a block of mozz.
• Italian Seasoning - Basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram combine to make this flavorful seasoning blend. You can use the dried Italian seasoning or the paste available in a tube (found in the produce aisle of your local grocery store).

? Step-By-Step Instructions

I can smell it already! Pizza is always a winning dish at my house. No matter what the pizza toppings are, no one complains when pizza is on the menu!

To make the Parmesan Chicken

1. Prepare the breading. In a bowl, whisk 1 large egg.?In a second bowl, mix together ? cup Panko breadcrumbs, ? Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, ? cup Parmesan cheese, and ? teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
2. Bread the chicken. Dip each piece of 10 ounces of boneless skinless chicken thighs or sliced breasts into the egg then the breadcrumb mixture. Roll each piece in the breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to cover the chicken completely.?Set aside.
3. Heat the pan. Turn your stove on medium-high heat.?In a skillet, heat enough oil to fry the chicken.
4. Cook the chicken. In batches, cook the chicken thoroughly. The outside should be golden brown by the time it’s finished.

To make the Chicken Parmesan Pizza

1. Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 450℉ (232℃).
2. Next, shape the dough.?Grease a 12-14” pizza pan or baking sheet, or add cornmeal to prevent sticking.? Roll or stretch out 16 ounces of pizza dough to fit.
3. Assemble.?Spread 1 ? cups of pizza sauce evenly over the dough.?Top with fried chicken, 8 ounces of sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
4. Bake.?Put your pizza in the oven and set your timer for 8-12 minutes.?You want the cheese to be bubbly, and the crust to be crispy.
5. Garnish and serve. Be careful as you remove your pizza from the oven (it'll be hot!).?Garnish with a sprinkle of extra Parmesan and some basil, fresh or dried.?Slice as desired and eat!

While it’s probably best right out of the oven for lunch or dinner, you can enjoy this any time.?Who doesn’t love cold pizza for breakfast??

Try drizzling on my pizza aioli. Or serve with a simple side dish like a green salad or steamed broccoli.??

? Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes

Make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point when frying the chicken.?

• The smoke point is the temperature at which oil burns and turns to smoke.? When cooking with high heat, as in frying, you need an oil that won’t go bad as you’re making your meal.?
• Avocado and canola oils also work well and won’t vastly alter?the flavor of your food.?
• Anything that has been refined typically has a more neutral taste and higher smoke point.

If you want to save yourself the hassle-or the calories-of frying the chicken, try putting it in the air fryer!?

• It does a great job of crisping chicken up with minimal mess and minimal time.?Just put the breaded chicken in and cook at 375℉ (190°C) for 10 minutes.?
• Flip it and cook for another 5 minutes to finish it off.? Then continue with the recipe, rolling out your pizza dough.

For extra flavor, mix your favorite spice into the breading mix.?

• Personally, I like a little heat.?Cayenne or red pepper flakes crank up the temperature a bit.? You can also experiment with grated Parmesan or curry.?Maybe even a little Cajun seasoning.??

Allow the grease to drain from your fried chicken.

• The best way to do this, rather than setting the chicken pieces on a plate or paper towel, is to set the chicken on a cooling rack. This way the fried parmesan chicken drains well without 'steaming' and getting soggy.

? Storing & Reheating

I wouldn’t recommend keeping this in the fridge for longer than three to four days.? After four days, bacteria can begin to appear.?Use your best judgment, and if it smells off, throw it away immediately.?

Make sure that any leftover pizza slices are wrapped tightly in aluminum foil for the freshest results.

Freezing

If you freeze your pizza, it will retain its taste for up to two months. It’s safe to thaw and eat after that, but it won’t have as much flavor.??

Try wrapping leftovers in foil before putting them into an airtight container or freezer bag for best results.?Be sure to push the air out if you use a freezer bag.??

If you’re planning to reheat one slice at a time, make sure to separate slices and freeze them on a baking sheet before wrapping them up.?It takes roughly 2-3 hours to freeze, then transfer the frozen slices into an airtight freezer container or freezer storage bag.

Reheating

My go-to for reheating pizza is in the oven or toaster oven.?Put the pizza on a preheated baking sheet.?Cook at 450℉ (232°C) for five minutes or 350℉ (175°C) for ten minutes for a softer crust.

To reheat a frozen pizza, you’ll need your oven or toaster oven again.?Bake at 375℉ (190°C) for 12-15 minutes.?If you are concerned about the crust getting too brown, cover it with a piece of foil while cooking.

? Other Pizza & Chicken Parm Recipes

Anchovy Pizza

Garlic Pizza

Chicken Parmesan

? FAQ

? Recipe