Marry Me Chicken Pizza

Marry me chicken pizza takes everything you love about the classic dish and layers it all onto a golden, crispy pizza crust. Think tender chicken, a rich and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce spiked with garlic, parmesan, and fresh herbs - it's as delicious as it sounds!

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Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Marry Me Chicken Pizza

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: pizza

Servings: 1 12-inch pizza

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained divided
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan plus extra for topping
• 1 pound pizza dough
• 2 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 4 ounces shredded cooked chicken
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Preheat pizza stone if using.
• Make marry chicken pizza sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add 1 ½ ounces sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add flour, stirring to combine.
• Slowly add milk to the pot, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
• Add oregano, thyme, red chili flakes, and grated parmesan, stirring to combine. Simmer for 1-2 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Let cool completely.
• Lightly dust a clean work counter with flour and shape pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread pizza sauce on top, followed by mozzarella cheese, sliced shallot, and shredded chicken. Bake pizza for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
• Remove pizza from the oven and top with remaining ½ ounce sun-dried tomatoes, grated parmesan, lemon zest, and freshly cracked black pepper. Garnish with fresh basil and oregano and serve immediately.

Notes

I used rotisserie chicken for the topping. I recommend using dark meat since white meat can dry out while baking.

 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook pizza sauce

Making the sauce is where it all begins, and it comes together quickly in one pot. Start by melting butter over medium heat, then add about three-quarters of your sun-dried tomatoes with minced garlic. Let those saute for a minute to really bloom the flavors.

Make sure to use sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil. The ones not packed in oil are much chewier and aren't ideal for the sauce.

Next, stir in flour to create a roux. I remember first learning about roux when I was a student at the Culinary Institute of America. This thickener, made from butter and flour, is often used for soups, stews, gravies, and yes, even that mac and cheese sauce you make all the time! Over the years, as a professional chef, I've used it more times than I can count.

After adding the flour, slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly. This is the key to keeping the sauce smooth and lump-free.

Bring it to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let it thicken for a couple of minutes. Then, stir in fresh oregano, thyme, red chili flakes, and parmesan. You can also use dried herbs, but I love the aroma and taste of fresh ones for this sauce.

Simmer for another minute or two until the cheese is fully melted. Season with salt and pepper, then take it off the heat and let it cool completely before using it on the pizza.

Feel free to make the sauce up to 3 days in advance.

Step 2: Prepare pizza

If you have a pizza stone, now would be a great time to use it. Just remember to give it proper time to preheat before using.

Once the sauce is cooled, move on to assembling the pizza. Lightly flour a clean work surface and stretch or roll your dough out into a 12-inch circle.

If you need a pizza dough recipe, check out my spicy chipotle mexican pizza recipe, which includes my go-to recipe.

Spread the marry me chicken sauce over the dough in an even layer. Then, scatter shredded mozzarella, a thinly sliced shallot, and cooked shredded chicken. Try to distribute everything evenly so you get a good mix of toppings in every bite.

Since the chicken is already cooked, I prefer to use dark meat if possible. White meat can dry out too much while baking.

Step 3: Bake

Slide the marry me chicken pizza into a preheated 450°F oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. This time can change depending on your oven, so keep an eye on it toward the end.

You'll know it's done when the crust is golden brown underneath, and the cheese is bubbling and starting to get a little color on top.

Pull the pizza out of the oven and finish it off with the remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle extra grated parmesan, a little lemon zest, and freshly cracked black pepper. Scatter fresh basil over the top and serve immediately.

One bite of this marry me chicken pizza, and I think you'll understand why I loved this dish so much. The sauce is instrumental here, delivering richness and so much flavor in every bite. The lemon zest is the perfect finishing touch, adding a bit of zing along with the sun-dried tomatoes.

Now this is a pizza I can get behind

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can make the pizza sauce the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

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