Boost your protein intake with this ground chicken pizza crust (keto-friendly), made from a mixture of ground chicken, Italian, and Parmesan cheeses.
You'll get that same crispy, thin-crust style you love without the extra carbs—each slice boasts almost 30 grams of protein for a more satisfying slice of pizza. We like it simple with just pizza sauce and mozzarella, but you can add any of your favorite pizza toppings. The Italian herbs and spices in the crust give it that classic pizza flavor.
Even if you go simple with sauce and cheese, this is still a pizza for meat lovers.
Why High-Protein Pizza Crust?
Whether you're following the Keto diet, going gluten free, or looking to boost your protein intake, this ground chicken pizza crust offers a great base for building your pizza. Similar to cauliflower, ground chicken is easy to flatten and bake (almost like a meaty cheese crisp). The Italian seasonings impart a traditional pizza flavor.
Ground Chicken Pizza Crust Ingredients
Finely ground chicken (also referred to as "minced chicken") is important in this pizza crust recipe because it will hold together better and appear less chunky. This way, your pizza crust won't have holes or break apart as it bakes. If your chicken isn't as finely ground, you can put it in the food processor to grind it further—just make sure you clean every part of the food processor after doing so!
Speaking of crumbly texture, there's a reason our Test Kitchen recommends using shredded Parmesan over grated Parmesan cheese. Grated Parmesan is so finely ground that it won't have the same melting or adhering ability to hold the crust together. For both the chicken and the cheese in this recipe, it's important to pick the right consistency for the best results.
Ingredients
-
Nonstick cooking spray
-
1 pound uncooked finely ground chicken breast
-
⅔ cup finely shredded Italian blend cheeses
-
⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (do not use grated)
-
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
-
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
½ teaspoon salt
-
¼ teaspoon black pepper
-
¼ cup pizza sauce
-
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz.)
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a pizza stone, if using, in the oven while it preheats. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
While parchment paper and waxed paper are sometimes used interchangeably, this is not a recipe to use waxed paper. Waxed paper is only safe to use in the oven when it is covered completely by a batter (like for a cake) to prevent it from smoking or catching fire.
-
In a large bowl combine the first eight ingredients (through black pepper). Using hands, mix until thoroughly combined.
-
Place chicken mixture on prepared baking sheet. Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out to a 12-inch circle that is about 1/4-inch thick. Remove top sheet of parchment.
-
Slide pizza crust with parchment onto the heated pizza stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn over and return to parchment. Bake 10 minutes more or until dry on top and golden brown. Remove from oven.
-
Spread crust with pizza sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella.
-
Bake 10 minutes more or until toppings are heated through and cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 194 | Calories |
| 9g | Fat |
| 4g | Carbs |
| 29g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
| Calories 194 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 9g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol 86mg | 29% |
| Sodium 657mg | 29% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 29g | 58% |
| Vitamin C 1.6mg | 2% |
| Calcium 318mg | 24% |
| Iron 1.2mg | 7% |
| Potassium 67mg | 1% |
| Folate, total 5.6mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.3mcg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
