Keto Chicken Caesar Pizza: A Delicious Low-Carb Twist

This article explores a unique and delicious way to enjoy pizza while keeping your carbohydrate intake low: the Keto Chicken Caesar Pizza. This innovative recipe replaces the traditional flour-based crust with a protein-packed chicken crust, topped with a refreshing and flavorful Caesar salad. It's a perfect meal for those following a ketogenic diet or simply looking for a healthier alternative to traditional pizza.

What is Keto Chicken Caesar Pizza?

The Keto Chicken Caesar Pizza combines the savory flavors of a Caesar salad with the satisfying comfort of pizza. The base is a crispy crust made primarily from chicken, offering a high-protein, low-carb alternative to traditional pizza dough. This crust is then topped with a creamy Caesar-dressed romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of black pepper.

Why Choose Chicken Crust Pizza?

There are several reasons why this pizza variation is gaining popularity:

• Low-Carb: The chicken crust eliminates the high carbohydrate content of traditional pizza crusts, making it suitable for ketogenic and low-carb diets.
• High-Protein: Chicken is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for muscle building, satiety, and overall health.
• Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, making it a great option for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
• Versatile: The chicken crust can be customized with various spices and seasonings to create different flavor profiles.
• Creative Use of Leftovers: This pizza is perfect for using up leftover cooked chicken, whether it's boiled, crockpot cooked, or baked chicken breasts.

Recipe Variations and Customization

One of the best things about this recipe is its flexibility. Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and toppings to create your own unique version.

Chicken Crust Variations:

• Type of Chicken: While some recipes call for canned chicken, others suggest using ground chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Ground chicken breast can provide a leaner crust, while rotisserie chicken can add a richer flavor and more tender texture.
• Spices and Seasonings: Incorporating spices, nutritional yeast, or a clove of garlic into your pizza dough can add extra flavor. Consider adding garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or Italian seasoning.
• Cheese: While Parmesan cheese is a common ingredient in the chicken crust, you can also experiment with other cheeses like mozzarella.
• Egg: Egg is used to bind the chicken mixture together.

Topping Variations:

• Caesar Salad Kits: Caesar salad kits are a convenient option for the topping.
• Homemade Caesar Dressing: For a healthier option, consider making your own Caesar dressing using Greek yogurt as a base.
• Other Toppings: You can use the chicken crust as a base for a Buffalo Chicken Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, or Pesto Pizza.

Recipe 1: Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

This recipe uses canned chicken for the crust.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® canned chicken, drained
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• Romaine lettuce
• Caesar dressing
• Additional Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the chicken, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and egg in a bowl.
3. Place the chicken mixture on the prepared baking sheet and press into an 8-inch circle.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Let the crust cool for 5 minutes.
5. Toss the greens in Caesar dressing until they’re well-coated. Add a bit of Parmesan and toss again.
6. Top your crispy chicken crust with the salad mixture.
7. Serve immediately.

Recipe 2: Ground Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

This recipe uses ground chicken for the crust.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ground chicken
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• Seasonings to taste
• 3 cups romaine lettuce
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• ½ cup caesar dressing (store bought or homemade)
• ½ cup shaved parmesan
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix ground chicken, eggs, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a large bowl until everything is well combined.
3. Press the chicken mixture into a parchment lined pan, spread out evenly.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
5. While this is baking, assemble your caesar salad by adding romaine lettuce, dressing, parmesan cheese and lemon juice.
6. Top the crust with the prepared Caesar salad.
7. Serve immediately.

Recipe 3: Single Serving Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza

This recipe uses an egg wrap as the base.

Ingredients:

• 1 Trader Joe’s or EatCrepini Egg wrap
• 4 oz 99% lean ground chicken or turkey (112g)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp cheddar cheese grated (14g)
• 2 cups romaine lettuce chopped (150)
• 2 Tbsp shaved parmesan (10g)
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing

Instructions:

1. Lay your wrap flat on a cutting board or plate and place several small pieces of the ground chicken all over the wrap to get it well distributed. Smash the meat and spread as best as you can to cover most of the wrap. It will be VERY thin. Season with salt, garlic, and a little pepper.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat with a spritz of oil. When it’s nice and hot, lay the wrap meat-side down on the pan and cook for two minutes.
3. Remove the wrap and sprinkle cheddar cheese directly on the hot (nonstick) pan. Immediately add the wrap back, this time meat-side up. Use a spatula to smash the wrap and shimmy it a bit to sort of pick up the cheese. Let it cook until the cheese is browned and does not stick to the pan. Turn the heat down and let it continue to cook a few more minutes until crispy.
4. Remove your wrap from the pan and top with tossed Caesar salad. Finish with a little more salt and pepper, cut into pizza wedges and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Crust Pizza

• Press the chicken mixture thinly and evenly: This will ensure that the crust cooks evenly and becomes crispy.
• Don't overcrowd the pan: If you're making a large pizza, you may need to bake it in batches.
• Let the crust cool slightly before adding toppings: This will prevent the salad from wilting.
• Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: This will make a big difference in the flavor of the pizza.
• Adjust seasonings to your liking: Don't be afraid to experiment with different spices and herbs to create your perfect flavor combination.
• If using ground chicken: Excess liquid will release from the ground chicken while it’s baking, but that’s ok! It will evaporate by the time the crust is fully cooked.

Serving and Storing

Chicken Crust Caesar Salad Pizza is best served fresh. If you have leftovers, store the crust and salad separately to prevent the crust from becoming soggy. The crust can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to one month.

Nutritional Information

The nutritional information for Chicken Crust Caesar Salad Pizza will vary depending on the specific ingredients and serving sizes used. However, it is generally a high-protein, low-carb, and gluten-free option.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #chicken #caesar #pizza #recipe