Light-Ish Caesar Salad Pizza With Chicken "Crust" Recipe
You may think you've already tried every variation of pizza that you're interested in. With Daily Meal recipe developer Deniz Vergara's novel take on the dish, you're about to be surprised. She shares this light-ish Caesar salad pizza with chicken crust recipe, which will completely transform your view of the popular meal. There's no yeasted dough to be seen anywhere, nor will you find tomato sauce or stretchy cheese. Instead, Vergara creates a crunchy chicken crust and garnishes it with a creamy Caesar salad.
"I love the flavor, texture, and ease of this dish," she raves. "The chicken crust is just the right amount of salty, and it's slightly crispy on the outside but a bit chewy on the inside, which is super satisfying." If you're missing the wheat, she says, "I typically serve this with garlic bread." Think of it as the croutons for your chicken Caesar salad, and you'll understand why this combination is effortlessly delicious.
Gather the ingredients for this light-ish Caesar salad pizza with chicken crust
For the crust, you'll need a large egg, canned chicken breast (drained well), grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and sea salt. Next, for the Caesar dressing, grab plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, anchovy paste, a small garlic clove, grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Finally wash, dry, and chop a head of romaine lettuce. "Be sure the romaine lettuce is dry, or the dressing won't stick and you will have soggy lettuce," Vergara warns.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Step 2: Prep a sheet pan
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 3: Mix together the crust
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, add the rest of the chicken crust ingredients, and mix until incorporated.
Step 4: Shape the crust on the sheet pan
Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared sheet pan and form the mixture into a circle about ¼-inch thick. If the mixture is sticky, just add a little oil to the palms of your hands before working it together.
Step 5: Bake the crust
Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch.
Step 6: Let the crust cool
Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.
Step 7: Make the salad dressing
While the crust is in the oven, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a blender or using an immersion blender over a mixing bowl, and blend until smooth.
Step 8: Toss the lettuce with the dressing
In a medium-sized bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with as much dressing as you like.
Step 9: Assemble, and serve
Top the chicken crust with the prepared salad, cut into slices, and enjoy!
- For the chicken pizza crust
- 1 large egg
- 12 ½ ounces canned chicken breast, drained well
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- For the dressing
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 small clove garlic
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, washed, fully dried, and chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg, add the rest of the chicken crust ingredients, and mix until incorporated.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared sheet pan and form the mixture into a circle about ¼-inch thick. If the mixture is sticky, just add a little oil to the palms of your hands before working it together.
- Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.
- While the crust is in the oven, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a blender or using an immersion blender over a mixing bowl, and blend until smooth.
- In a medium-sized bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with as much dressing as you like.
- Top the chicken crust with the prepared salad, cut into slices, and enjoy!
| Calories per Serving | 683 |
| Total Fat | 31.3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 284.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 20.1 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 9.2 g |
| Sodium | 1,447.2 mg |
| Protein | 80.2 g |
How can I change up this Caesar salad pizza?
As such a novel take on a pizza dough base, The chicken crust is the real feature here. While Caesar salad is an obvious topping, Vergara notes that you can let your imagination run wild with the salad variations. She says, "I like this with a Greek salad or even a Cobb!" If you're a fan of tangy and briny flavors, a Greek salad is a winner. If you want to further boost the protein content and layer on the flavors, Cobb should be your go-to. A mixed leafy green salad or spinach leaves tossed with a balsamic dressing would also make a nice pairing.
Aside from assorted salad garnishes, you could just treat the chicken crust like a regular pizza dough and top it with your usual fixings. Tomato sauce, shredded cheese, veggies, and pepperoni slices would all work with the crispy chicken base, or Vergara suggests grilled veggies with a balsamic glaze.
How else can I use this gluten-free chicken pizza crust?
Pizza is a fun template for this dish, but Vergara notes that you can switch it up by combining the chicken crust with different ingredients. For example, "You can make a big 'chicken parmesan' by cooking the pizza crus, adding marinara and cheese, and cooking until melted," she says. Especially if you're serving several people, having a large portion to divvy up can be easier than doling out individual portions. Not to mention, it's more affordable than purchasing plenty of chicken breasts for the purpose.
Alternatively, she suggests making chicken cordon bleu, which features a ham and cheese center and a crispy chicken shell. You can mimic the same format or simply play on those flavors in your version without having to roll out the flat shape. Either way, start by baking the chicken crust first to ensure that it browns nicely and holds up to the other ingredients.