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Pizza. Pesto. Cheese. Bacon. These are a few of my favorite things. So when I found this pin for Garlicky Kale and Chicken Pizza, I knew we had to try it.

We tried it, and it was good, but it was kinda blah.

So I took everybody’s advice for what would make it better – maybe some alfredo sauce, bacon, mushrooms….less chicken, more kale and pesto – and re-created the pizza again. This chicken pesto pizza is really delicious. It’s also very simple to make!

Chicken Pesto Pizza

If you’re all kinds of fancy, you can make your own pizza dough as instructed here. If you take shortcuts and save yourself time when you can, do what I do and stop at Trader Joe’s and get ready made dough. Often times, your local pizza parlor will sell you dough too!

Follow the instructions on the package, and while the dough is resting, you’re going to saute your garlic and mushrooms with your bacon and a little bit of olive oil for a few minutes. Then add in the kale and cook until it wilts. After that, throw in the chicken and some alfredo sauce and mix it all up. It can rest there until you’re ready for it.

Next, roll out the dough and put it on a pizza stone in the oven or directly on your outside grill. Cook it until it starts to get brown, about 8 minutes or so.

Take it off, and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Add a bunch of pesto to the crust. According to my family, you can never over-pesto anything. Then add all of your chicken mixture to the top of the pizza and top with mozzarella cheese.

Terrible picture, I know.

Throw it back in the oven or on the grill another five to ten minutes, and boom! You’ve got the best Chicken Pesto Pizza you’ve ever tasted.

Now if you’re like me and want the actual recipe, here’s the recipe for my Chicken Pesto Pizza.

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Chicken Pesto Pizza (Loaded With Kale, Bacon, Garlic and More!)

Author: Inspired By: Garlicky Kale & Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

  • Premade pizza dough (or you can make your own – get the recipe here)
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • 8 ounces of mushrooms
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
  • 1 cup Alfredo sauce
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 small jar of pesto (or make your own!)
  • 2-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Let the dough rest as instructed on the dough package. Lightly flour your work area and knead the dough for no longer than 5 minutes.
  2. Line a baking sheet or a pizza pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray. Spread pizza dough onto the pan, using the palm of your hands and fingers to stretch it out to about a 1-inch thickness. It totally doesn’t have to be perfect.
  3. Bake in a 400 F oven or on the grill for 8 minutes; remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
  4. While the dough is cooking, prepare the chicken mixture. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet; add garlic and bacon and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  5. Add the kale and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Add the chicken and Alfredo sauce and stir until mixture is coated.
  7. Brush the pesto on to pizza dough. Add the chicken/kale mixture to the top, and top with the mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake until cheese is bubbly and dough is thoroughly baked (about another 10-15 minutes.)

We’ve tried to cook it both ways: on the grill and in the oven, and it’s delicious no matter how you do it. Our newest favorite thing to do though is to grill pizzas, and we’ve been getting pretty creative! So if you have any more fun ideas, please send them my way.

You could also cut this into squares and serve it as a tasty appetizer. It won’t last though so you might want to make 2!

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