Chicken-Crust Pesto Pizza

When gluten-free pizzas found their way into the culinary zeitgeist, cauliflower was the go-to ingredient for a flourless crust. But more recently, a new ingredient has emerged: chicken. Higher in protein and easy to flavor, chicken is a great grain-free alternative to foods like chips and pizza, so we’ve made our own Paleo version of chicken-crust pizza and topped it with a homemade pesto sauce.

Looking for a vegetarian pizza? Try our PaleoFlex™ Pizza and skip the ground turkey!

Chicken is one of the highest-protein foods around, with 100 grams of chicken breast containing about 22.5 grams of protein.¹ Combined with eggs, which have 6 grams of protein each,² one serving of this pesto pizza is packed with about 26 grams of protein in the crust alone. This can help contribute to muscle growth and repair, greater satiety (meaning you’ll be less likely to crave dessert or a midnight snack), and even bone health. But before you go and eat an entire chicken-crust pizza just for the gains, remember that it’s better to distribute your protein intake throughout the day rather than try to reach your daily goals in one meal.³

The other star ingredient of this pesto pizza is basil, a delicate and aromatic herb that adds flavor to many recipes. According to a 2024 review on basil extracts, the main bioactive compounds found in basil include estragole, linalool, and eugenol, which have potential antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and antioxidant properties.⁴ This recipe calls for 4 cups of fresh basil to make the pesto sauce, so you won’t be skimping on this beneficial herb.

TIP: Sprinkle your chicken-crust pizza with nutritional yeast before serving for a healthier, dairy-free alternative to parmesan.

Love our recipes? Make going Paleo even easier and download our 7-Day, 14-Day, and 28-Day digital meal plans!

References

1. (2023, October 26). Chicken, breast, boneless, skinless, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2646170/nutrients
2. Puglisi, M. J., & Fernandez, M. L. (2022). The Health Benefits of Egg Protein. Nutrients, 14(14), 2904. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9316657/
3. Mamerow, M. M., Mettler, J. A., English, K. L., Casperson, S. L., Arentson-Lantz, E., Sheffield-Moore, M., Layman, D. K., & Paddon-Jones, D. (2014). Dietary Protein Distribution Positively Influences 24-h Muscle Protein Synthesis in Healthy Adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 144(6), 876–880. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.185280
4. Kairat Zhakipbekov, Aknur Turgumbayeva, Sholpan Akhelova, Kymbat Bekmuratova, Blinova, O., Gulnara Utegenova, Shertaeva, K., Nurlan Sadykov, Kuanysh Tastambek, Akzharkyn Saginbazarova, Kenzhebek Urazgaliyev, Gulbanu Tulegenova, Zere Zhalimova, & Zhanylsyn Karasova. (2024). Antimicrobial and Other Pharmacological Properties of Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae. Molecules, 29(2), 388–388. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020388