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This Chicken Pizza with Creamy Garlic Sauce sure is a family pleaser! This is the white sauce pizza I promised you. This chicken Pizza will have everyone going back for seconds! I used the same crust as the California pizza.
You may have noticed my recipe posting is a little slow. Four classes in summer keeps me on my toes and the first two weeks of it have been a whirlwind. Hope you like the pizza – we sure did!
Ingredients for California Pizza Dough:
3/4 cup warm water
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Pizza Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Ingredients for Toppings (what I used):
Mozzarella cheese (12 slices or grated)
1 large chicken breast, sautéed and diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp basil, coarsely torn
5 medium mushrooms, sliced
How to Make California Pizza Dough:
Making pizza dough in a bread-maker makes it sooo easy!
1. Add water and yeast and let it stand a few minutes.
2. Add the remaining dough ingredients in the bread-maker in the order they are listed and put it on the dough setting.
Mine takes about an hour. The dough will be sticky and it will be easy to work with once it’s oiled.
Using a mixer or kneading by hand:
Put 3/4 cup warm water in a large bowl, add 1 Tbsp of dry yeast and let stand for a few minutes. Add 1/2 Tbsp honey and 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Add 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour, then the 3/4 tsp salt and mix until well-combined (use a dough hook on speed 2 with a mixer).
The dough should be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume.
Prep the Sauce while the dough is rising since it will need time to cool down:
1. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 Tbsp flour until well mixed.
2. Gradually whisk in 1 1/4 cup milk. Next, add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 2-3 cloves minced garlic and 2 Tbsp fresh basil.
3. Mix in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is well blended.
4. Remove from heat. It will thicken more as it stands.
Once the dough is ready:
Preheat the Oven to 425 ˚ F.
1. Drizzle another 2 Tbsp oil onto a large baking sheet. Transfer the dough onto the large oiled baking sheet and turn it a couple of times to make sure the dough is covered in oil.
2. Roll the dough out in the large cookie sheet. (I use my handy “Chef Roller“ for this job. It saves a potentially messy step (transferring the dough after it’s rolled out) and you don’t have to clean your counter tops afterwards.
3. Start by spreading on the white pizza sauce. Next, spread on the cheese, chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms and basil.
4. Bake at 425 ˚ F for 13-14 minutes or until the crust is crisp and toppings are cooked. Set the oven to Broil and bake another 2 minutes or until cheese begins to golden.
Now, marvel at your masterpiece! Your family will be so impressed and it’s really easy.
Chicken Pizza with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients
Ingredients for California Pizza Dough:
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Pizza Sauce:
Ingredients for Toppings (what I used):
- Mozzarella cheese, 12 slices or grated
- 1 large chicken breast, sautéed and diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp basil, coarsely torn
- 5 medium mushrooms, sliced
Instructions
- Add water and yeast to the bread maker and let it stand a few minutes.
- Add the remaining dough ingredients in the bread-maker in the order they are listed and put it on the dough setting.
- The dough will be sticky and it will be easy to work with once it's oiled.
Using a mixer or kneading by hand: Put warm water in a large bowl, add the yeast and let stand for a few minutes. Add honey and olive oil. Add flour, then the salt and mix until well-combined (use a dough hook on speed 2 with a mixer).
- The dough should be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume.
Prep the Sauce while the dough is rising since it will need time to cool down:
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until well mixed.
- Gradually whisk in milk.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic and basil.
- Mix in Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is well blended.
- Remove from heat. It will thicken more as it stands.
Once the dough is ready: Preheat the Oven to 425°F.
- Drizzle another 2 tbsp oil onto a large baking sheet. Transfer the dough onto the large oiled baking sheet and turn it a couple of times to make sure the dough is covered in oil.
- Roll the dough out in the large cookie sheet.
- Spread on the white pizza sauce.
- Spread on the cheese, chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms and basil.
- Bake at 425°F for 13-14 minutes or until the crust is crisp and toppings are cooked. Set the oven to Broil and bake another 2 minutes or until cheese begins to golden.
If I don’t have fresh basil can I sub it with dried basil ? And would I add the same amount ?
Hi Anna, the normal substitution ratio is 1 tsp of dried basil for 1 Tbsp of fresh. I think I would start at 1 tsp and add more to taste using dried basil.
Wow yummmmo gotta try this recipe sometime gurl always wanted to make my own homemade pizza just need more flour I see that you put sliced mozzarella cheese and I also have shredded which works best can’t wait to make this thanx lots for always keeping me motivated to cook and bake hun
Thanks Tzivia! It is a fun and easy way to add cheese 🙂
Cool awesome hot sauce lol only thing is I’ll add extra mushrooms in place of the chicken since I can’t mix milk and meat but still well done hun beautiful edible masterpiece need a chef roller too and possibly cookie sheets and then I think I’m all set cheers
Hi! How long does it take for the dough to double in volume If using by hand method? Thanks!
Hi Lily, it really depends on how warm your room is where it’s rising. If you put it in a 100˚ oven (if your oven has a proof mode), it will take the same amount of time as the bread maker. It can take 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature.
This is so very good! thank you for the recipe and step by step instructions!
Thanks Nadia! I’m so happy you liked it 🙂
Hi there! I’m going to attempt to make this tonight but we don’t have honey on hand for the dough, can we substitute any other kind of sugar for the honey? This looks absolutely divine! Can’t wait to try it out!
I’ve only made it with honey, but it should still work well with 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar.
Thank you! I ended up making it with honey, i have to say, it was the best pizza i think I’ve ever had!! My 1.5 year old and 3.5 year old definitely approved and my husband was blown away! Thank you for the recipe! A keeper for sure!
Thank you for such a great review Lacey and you are very welcome :D.
Hi! I thought I commented asking you a question but I don’t see the comment so i’ll comment again. (sorry if there is a double comment of the same thing) How long does you dough usually rise for when done by hand? Approx. 2 hours?
It should be about an hour if you keep it in a warm place. You can also set it in a 100˚F oven if you have a proofing option.
Delicious, I made 2 and nobody could stop eating it! The two pizzas were gone in seconds! The best I have ever tasted! Thank you sooo much!! I honestly love your web site it is the best and thank you again!!
Anita, thank you for such a great review and you are welcome :).
Hi Natasha, ietting better working with yeast dough. i got my self a bread machine but the dough will not rise is it cause i didn’t turn it on first? Natasha if doing the dough in a bowl & putting it in the oven my lowest temp is 170 deg. so can i put the bowl frist then turn it on so i dont loose the temp?
Did you put the dough in the bread machine on the dough setting? Normally, the dough cycle will allow for rising time inside the breadmachine. If you went through the dough cycle and it didn’t rise, it’s possible the water you put in was too hot and deactivated the yeast or maybe the yeast was old?
If your lowest oven temp is 170˚F, that is too hot for a yeast dough. I wouldn’t put it in an oven that was hotter than 100˚F or it deactivates the yeast if it gets too hot and your dough will be ruined. My previous oven was the same way and I had to get creative. I turned on the oven to 170 then turned it off, propped the oven door open with a wooden spoon and set the dough over a towel inside the oven to rise. You don’t want the bowl sitting over racks in the oven that are too hot. I hope that helps!
I used to do that until i forgot one time and ruined my favorile bowl..the sun works best but if its a gloomy day i turn on my little toaster oven and set the dough in bowl wrapped in large towel on top of it.
I made this pizza for dinner today and it’s the best pizza I have ever made! My family loved it! I will definitely make it again!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Yana 🙂
I loved this recipe!! The best pizza I’ve ever tried! my husband couldn’t stop eating it 😉 Thank you. 🙂
What a fantastic review! Thank you, thank you! 🙂
Made this tonight! Loooove it! My husband loves it too. Thank you for such an easy recipe:)
Oooh awesome!!! I’m so happy you and your Mr. both liked it 🙂 Thanks for a great review!
Hi Natasha! What brand of cheese would you reccomend for this pizza?
I used “Frigo” part skim Mozzarella cheese from Costco which worked out great :).
Hi Natasha, does the dough need to rise after using a bread maker?
You don’t need to let it rise if it’s been through the bread maker on the dough setting. You only need to let it rise if it’s done by hand 🙂
Best homemade pizza! It was gone very quick! Even 1-year old liked the crust! Loved this white sauce!
Natasha, I should say that I cooked many dishes from your site and there were nothing that we didn’t like! Everything turns out delicious!!! Thanks!
Galina, your comment is music to my ears :D, I’m happy to get 1-year old’s approval.
That is things by the way, oops! What can I say, I’m a guy…
Hey, I am a 45 yr old disabled Vet. My amazing wife is the bread winner now so I do what I can with the rest of life’s Lil stuff to make thongs easy on her. She loves pizza in general. This recipe reallyput a smile on her face..! Thank you
That’s so sweet 🙂 thank you so much for sharing your story with me 🙂
I just made this tonight and my husband said it was delicious like gourmet pizza!!! Thank you!! We love it so much!!
That’s awesome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Looks delicious, want to give it a try today!:) but one question…did you cook the chicken and with what spices??
It was just sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper. You can add some Mrs. Dash or whatever seasoning you have if you like. 🙂
I’m totally making this for dinner. And… I’m gonna blog about it 🙂
I would love to hear the results :).
SO good!! Best homemade pizza I’ve ever had!!
Awww, that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂