Chicken Pesto Paleo Pizza (Printer-Friendly)
Crispy paleo crust with chicken, fresh pesto, and toppings
# What You'll Need:
→ Paleo Pizza Crust
01 - 1 cup almond flour
02 - 1/4 cup tapioca flour
03 - 1/4 cup coconut flour
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
→ Pesto Sauce
09 - 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
10 - 1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
11 - 2 garlic cloves
12 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (for paleo/dairy free)
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Toppings
16 - 2 medium cooked chicken breasts, sliced or shredded
17 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
19 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
20 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, sea salt, and baking soda. Stir until evenly blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and almond milk. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until a cohesive dough forms.
04 - Transfer the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten and shape into a 10 to 12-inch round crust. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges turn golden.
05 - While the crust bakes, combine fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
06 - Remove the par-baked crust from the oven. Spread the pesto sauce evenly over the surface. Layer with sliced chicken, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and black olives.
07 - Return the assembled pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until the toppings are heated through and the crust is crisp.
08 - Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, slice into portions, and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That pesto sauce is so vibrant and fragrant you will want to eat it off a spoon before it even touches the crust.
- The crust crisps up with real structure, so you can actually hold a slice without everything falling apart in your hands.
- It pulls off the comfort of pizza night while keeping things light enough that you do not feel like napping afterward.
02 -
- The crust must be par baked before adding toppings or everything will be soggy and sad in the center.
- Coconut flour absorbs moisture rapidly, so if your dough sits too long before shaping it will become stiff and hard to spread.
- Nutritional yeast is not the same as baking yeast, and using the wrong one will ruin this recipe completely.
03 -
- Wet your hands slightly before pressing out the dough and it will not stick to your palms at all.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes before making pesto and the flavor will deepen dramatically.