Chicken Pesto Pizza With Black Grapes

This Chicken Pesto Pizza is a simple and rustic pizza recipe that combines the bright flavour of pesto with an unexpected pop of sweetness from roasted black grapes. A healthier twist on pizza for any night of the week!

In the summer one of my favourite things to eat is fresh pesto using all the basil I get each summer from my herb garden. Nothing beats fresh pesto and it is super simple to make. My pesto recipe is done in 5 minutes in the blender which makes clean up a snap.

And in the winter when I can’t use my garden basil I just buy head to the grocery store which always has small fresh basil pots so I can have fresh basil all year!

Rotisserie chicken is another staple I always have in my fridge. I use it for soups, salads, sandwiches and you guessed it chicken pizza!

If you are new here to The Delicious Spoon blog you will find that pretty much all of my recipes revolve around getting my family fed quickly using simple recipes and real food ingredients. And most of the recipes allow for leftovers…because leftovers mean lunch the next day!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pizza dough – White, whole wheat, gluten-free… totally up to you!
• Pesto – I prefer fresh pesto but you can find some good varieties at the store too.
• Mozzarella – I use shredded mozzarella but you can use fresh, buffalo or even a goat cheese would work well.
• Rotisserie chicken -I like to use the breast because it is leaner. Slice to 1/2″ thickness.
• Red onion – make sure to slice it thin and if you don’t like it you can leave it off it just adds a peppery note to the pizza.
• Black grapes – Add a burst of sweetness that goes really well with the herbacious pesto. Red grapes can be used as well but the black grapes work better because they are a little sweeter than red.
• Olive oil – used to coat the grapes.
• Red pepper spice mix – Added to the olive oil to add flavour and coat the black grapes and balance out the sweetness. Weber burger spice works well too!
• Flour – So the dough doesn’t stick when forming the pizza.
• Cooking spray – to coat the pizza pan so it won’t stick.
• Cornmeal -Keeps the pizza from sticking and adds a nice texture to the crust.
• Fresh basil – optional.

The first time I saw black grapes as part of a savoury recipe was when I was asked to shoot a recipe for a local restaurant. They had used blistered black grapes on a salad with a similar spice mix coating and it was love at first bite!

It isn’t uncommon to add fruit to a salad so why would a pesto or green pizza be any different? I know in Hawaiian Pizza which originated in Canada is a point of contention for many. But as they say, don’t knock it until you try it!

how to Make This Chicken Pesto Pizza

First preheat your oven to 450º F. Wood oven pizza are ready at about 800ºF so a high temperature is needed to cook the crust through and the melt the cheese.

Spray a pizza pan with cooking spray or coat in a thin layer or vegetable oil and then sprinkle with cornmeal. This keeps the pizza dough from sticking. The cornmeal also adds a nice texture to the pizza crust.

To form the pizza dough I start by flouring my surface and then rolling or pressing the dough out to make it flat and about 10″ round. I do this to start and then I move on to the fun stuff which is twirling my pizza dough in the air like a professional. Not only do I look super cool (or not depending on the day) it is a fun thing to do with the kids.

Here is the Youtube video I always watch that reminds me how to do it. This guys explains it well and I end up getting it every time!

 

Once the dough is large enough for the pan I then top it with the pesto sauce, chicken, onions and 3/4 of the mozzarella. I like to leave some to add on top of the grapes. Make sure to leave about a 1″ border around the edge of the pizza for the crust.

Then in a small bowl add the grapes, olive oil and spice blend. Mix up with a spoon or your hands to evenly coat the grapes. Once coated place the grapes evenly around the top of the pizza and then drizzle any of the remaining oil and spice mix over the top of the pizza for added flavour.

Finish by sprinkling the remaining mozzarella cheese over the pizza. Then bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the crust is browned and crispy and the cheese is melted. Every oven is different so be sure to keep an eye on it and adjust your cooking time as needed.

Remove from the oven, top with some fresh basil if you like, slice and serve hot. But not so hot you burn your mouth on the cheese! I’ve done that enough times!

Recipes That Go Well With Chicken Pizza

• Garlic and Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops
• Panzanella Salad
• Chopped Cucumber Caprese Salad
• Cilantro Fire Roasted Vegetables
• Calamari Fritti

Can this Chicken Pizza Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes! After you assemble the pizza wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

To cook, place the frozen pizza in the oven at 375ºF for about 5 minutes to thaw and then turn the heat up to 450ºF for 8 -10 minutes to cook as you would have before. Again, every oven is different so be sure to keep an eye on it and adjust the cooking time as needed.  

Quickly thawing it in the oven like this vs thawing in the fridge will avoid a soggy mess. 

What if I don’t like or can’t eat chicken?

No problem, you leave the pizza off and go vegetarian or add ham, bacon, ground sausage instead.

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