Ground Chicken Pesto Pizza with Artichoke Hearts (Gluten Free)
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Ground Chicken Pizza
Pizza night gets a delicious upgrade with this Ground Chicken Pesto Pizza with Artichoke Hearts. This delicious pizza with a premade crust combines savoury ground chicken, herby basil pesto, tender artichoke hearts and cheesy mozzarella for a flavourful twist on classic pizza.
Unlike traditional pizza recipes made with a heavy tomato sauce, this chicken pesto pizza uses a fresh pesto base that pairs perfectly with the Italian-spiced chicken and the slightly tangy, earthy taste of artichokes. The result is a gourmet-style pizza you can easily make at home in less than 15 minutes.
This recipe is also a great option if you’re looking for a homemade pizza with high protein. The toppings combined add a whopping 16 grams of protein per slice making it a very satisfying and balanced meal. It’s both hearty and delicious!
Whether you’re making dinner for your family, meal prepping, or simply craving a restaurant-style pizza at home, this chicken pesto pizza comes together quick and easy. And if you like this recipe, be sure to check out my Butternut Squash and Ricotta Pizza with Sage for another gourmet pizza idea!
Recipe Notes & Ingredient Tips
A few things to keep in mind:
- Pre-baked Pizza crust – You can use any pre-baked pizza crust that you like for this recipe. I love to make a homemade gluten-free crust for my pizzas. Regular wheat crusts or store-bought work just fine too.
- Ground chicken – I love using ground chicken for pizzas. I prefer it over having large chunks of chicken breast on the pizza. This way, you get chicken in every bite! Ground turkey would also work.
- Pesto – Basil pesto is the pizza sauce in this pizza recipe. You can either make it at home or buy it at the store. If you buy it at the store, I recommend buying a good quality pesto that has very simple ingredients and minimal preservatives, if any.
- Artichoke hearts – Artichoke hearts add delicious flavour, texture and dimension to the pizza. I used marinated artichoke hearts for this recipe. You can find them at the store near the olives.
- Shallots – I chose to use shallots for this recipe since they pair well with the other ingredients. They are mild in flavour and spiciness, while still adding that onion flavour that we want. You can use very thinly sliced white, yellow or purple onion as well if you don’t have shallots.
What Makes This Chicken Pesto Pizza Different?
Using ground chicken, instead of cubed or sliced chicken breast, means more chicken in every bite! With smaller bits of chicken, it’s more evenly distributed on each slice. Having pesto as the pizza sauce adds another level of flavour with all of that herby basil and parmigiana cheese mixture. Artichoke hearts bring a slightly tangy, tender texture that balances the richness of the cheese. And red pepper flakes bring a welcome kick for those of you who are heat lovers!
How to Make High-Protein Ground Chicken Pizza
Step 1: Cook the chicken and shallots.
Heat a medium-sized stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium heat and drizzle in a couple tablespoons of avocado or olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Add the oregano, fennel, salt and pepper. Stir to coat everything in the spices. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
Step 2: Start building the pizza.
Spread the basil pesto all over your prepared pizza crust in an even layer. The crust should be pre-baked before adding the pesto.
Step 3: Add the toppings.
On top of the pesto, add 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese in an even layer, then the cooked chicken mixture and finally the chopped artichokes.
Step 4: Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and broil.
Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top and transfer the pizza to the oven. Set the temperature to HIGH broil. Do not walk away; watch closely as broil can burn very fast. Once the cheese is melted and just starting to brown, remove it from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices. Enjoy!
FAQ:
Yes. Ground turkey would also work. Or, a plant‑based ground meat substitute for a vegetarian option.
Yes. You can pre-cook the chicken and chop the shallots and artichoke hearts ahead. Assemble just before baking so the crust stays crisp.
Yes — artichokes are part of the charm, but you could use sun-dried tomatoes or pepperoncini instead.
If you have leftovers, the best way to reheat is under HIGH broil in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Just keep careful watch as broil can burn things in a hurry!
Yes! If you’ve got cooked chicken to use up it will certainly work for this recipe. Simply add it to the pan with the shallots and garlic after they are cooked and toss everything in the pan with the spices. Then, transfer the mixture to the pizza crust when you’re ready.
Ground Chicken Pesto Pizza with Artichoke Hearts
Equipment
- 1 Round Pizza Pan or Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- avocado oil for cooking
- 1/2 pound organic ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 prepared pizza crust of your choice
- 1/2 cup basil pesto heaping
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered
- 3 tablespoon shallots thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- red pepper flakes for serving, optional
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium heat and drizzle in a couple tablespoons of avocado or olive oil. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Then, add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Add the oregano, fennel, salt and pepper. Stir to coat everything in the spices. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
- Transfer the pre-baked pizza crust on a round pizza pan or baking sheet and spread the basil pesto on top in an even layer.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of the pesto and then add the cooked ground chicken and shallots, artichoke hearts and remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
- Set the oven to high broil and broil the pizza for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Watch it carefully! Broil can sneak up on you and burn quickly.
- Once the cheese has browned, remove the pizza from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and let rest for a minute or two. Cut into slices, top with red pepper flakes, fresh basil if desired and serve!
