Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making them a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.
Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making them a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine. Finding new ways to cook up the standard bird and keep it interesting (and keep your taste buds dancing) is time-consuming but in this series of recipes, I will highlight many different ways to prepare your poultry so your meal rotation is anything but boring. So whaddya say? Let’s play chicken!
I’ve recently discovered the use of thin pieces of ground and cooked chicken to use in place of wraps or bread. This has revolutionized my thoughts on lunch sandwiches and anything traditionally bready, like pizza crust. The beauty of using a thin piece of ground and breaded chicken as a pizza crust is that it’s sturdy enough to pick up in your hands yet thin enough to add toppings. It’s similar to using a bread crust, as it doesn’t have a strong flavor profile so you can top it with anything. I made this version a fancy grown up pizza using sweet balsamic onions, gruyere, and arugula. This particular combo would make for a fun appetizer at holiday parties or game day gatherings.
These crusts can easily be made up in advance and kept in the fridge or frozen for fast meals in 15 minutes. This also makes for easy party prep. Make up a bunch at one time and you can have a make-your-own-pizza party with friends or family. This is especially fun for kids so it makes family pizza night an activity to share and enjoy together. As a parent, I love that when making a pizza this way, my family is getting a healthy meal with a hearty serving of protein rather than just a lot of carbs and cheese. Power protein in a poultry crusted pizza? Consider it done!
Chicken Crusted Pizza with Balsamic Onions and Gruyere
Calories 397, Protein 34g, Carbs 38g, Fat 10g
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min for each crust plus topping cook time (10 minutes)
Serves: 4 (1 pizza each)
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
½ – 1 teaspoon salt (I used smoked sea salt)
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour or gluten free panko plus additional ⅛-1/4 cup for breading
Toppings:
- 1 cup Sweet Balsamic Onions (recipe below)
- 1 cup gruyere cheese
- ½ cup arugula
- Or top it however you like!
Preparation Instructions:
- Combine the ground chicken or turkey with the salt, pepper and ¼ cup flour or panko.
- Blend together with your hands or a fork.
- Divide mixture into 4 equal portions.
- Flour a clean dry work surface with flour or panko and press each piece of ground poultry out into a thin disk flipping it over and adding more flour/panko as needed so it doesn’t stick.
- Heat a sauté pan with a small amount of olive or coconut oil.
- Place the flattened out disk into the hot pan and cook about 2-3 minutes per side being careful not to burn the breading.
- Remove from the pan and let cool enough to touch.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Top each crust with toppings and place oven for about 10 minutes until toppings are cooked.
Note: This recipe can easily be quartered or halved to serve less—or make all of the crusts at once and refrigerate or freeze for future use. Refrigerate or freeze in resealable containers before adding toppings. Take one out whenever you’re ready to bake and eat.
Sweet Balsamic Onion Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet onion, Vidalia or red work well, sliced or diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- Enough butter or olive oil to cook the onion without burning—start with 1 tablespoon and add if needed
- 2-3 tablespoons honey or coconut sugar, to taste
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon thyme or lemon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Preparation Instructions:
- In a saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in butter or olive oil on medium low heat until translucent.
- Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer until sauce becomes a syrup consistency.
- Remove from heat, let cool, and store in the fridge.
- Delish on pizza, grilled cheese, or spread on cooked pork or chicken.
