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    Home » Recipes » Pizza Recipes » How To Cook Chicken Breast For Pizza Recipes

    How To Cook Chicken Breast For Pizza Recipes

    Published: Nov 10, 2021 · Modified: Jul 18, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    How to cook chicken for pizza recipe photos with text overlay.

    Don’t add raw chicken to pizza! Instead, learn exactly how to cook chicken breast for pizza toppings. You can pick from cooking chicken breasts for pizza on the grill, air fryer, in a pan on the stove, or the oven. Here are my best tips…

    how to cook chicken for pizza before and after photos with text overlay
    See how to prepare chicken for pizza many different ways with this guide.

    Table of Contents

    • Can you add raw chicken to pizza?
    • Do you need to cook all types of meats before topping pizza?
    • Grilled chicken pizza topping (BBQ or indoor grill pan)
    • Air fryer chicken breast topping tips for pizza
    • Cook chicken breast topping on the stove
    • Pizza with sous vide chicken meal prep method
    • Baking chicken in the oven
    • Slow cooking / smoking chicken
    • Use any leftover chicken!
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • The Perfect Pizza Setup
    • More pizza recipes from Sip Bite Go

    Can you add raw chicken to pizza?

    No. Whether it’s pulled pork pizza, Philly cheesesteak pizza, or chicken pizza recipes, you need to cook the meat before adding it to the pizza. Chicken breast needs to be cooked to 165 degrees F, until it is no longer pink. 

    This rule also goes for bacon or any other meat that is uncooked. That’s why this guide explaining different ways for how to cook chicken for pizza toppings will come in handy if you’re new to making homemade pizza.

    Example of cooked chicken breast on pizza with toppings

    Do you need to cook all types of meats before topping pizza?

    The exception to my rule of cooking meat before adding it to pizza is when you’re using deli ham or deli chicken that’s been roasted or cured or cooked already. Same goes for leftovers. If you cooked the meat the day before, it doesn’t need to be cooked again before making the pizza.

    So let’s cover all your options for exactly how to cook raw chicken for pizza…

    Grilled chicken pizza topping (BBQ or indoor grill pan)

    You can grill chicken outdoors on the BBQ or gas grill. Because I live in Portland, if it’s raining, I’ll usually use a grill pan to make chicken inside in about 10-15 minutes.

    See my method for pounding the chicken breast flat (so it cooks evenly), marinating it for intense flavor, and searing pan grilled chicken to perfection. 

    Grilled chicken breast for pizza topping

    You can shop my grill pan on Amazon.

    Quick meal prep note here: I’m always looking for shortcuts to making restaurant-style weeknight dinner recipes.

    So if I’m cooking chicken on the grill one night, I’ll usually make extra so I can use leftover bbq chicken on pizza (with mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions and red peppers) the following night. That way I don’t have to light up the grill again and dinner on day two is very fast.  

    Grilled chicken breast for pizza topping

    Above is my chicken taco pizza with grilled chicken breast topping, made indoors on a grill pan. 

    Also see how to smoke chicken breast…

    Air fryer chicken breast topping tips for pizza

    There are a couple ways I like to utilize the air fryer for cooking chicken to use as a pizza topping. It’s a really simple, hands off method to make healthy air fryer chicken breast or shred up some air fryer whole chicken.

    Slice of cooked chicken breast topped pizza

    Breaded chicken, especially with buffalo sauce, is also tasty on pizza… 

    Cooked air fryer chicken breast patties example for pizza Sip Bite Go

    Above is my air fryer chicken patties recipe.

    Cook chicken breast topping on the stove

    There are so many ways to infuse flavor in chicken you’re cooking for pizza by adding sauces like enchilada sauce, spinach basil pesto sauce, or a lemon sauce. 

    Example of cooked chicken breast on pizza with other toppings

    See my guide on how to cook chicken breast on the stove. Once it’s cooked, just dice the chicken on a cutting board and add it to your pizza. For my stove top (to oven baking) method, you can use any cast iron skillet or large flat pan you have.

    Simmered Chicken Breast cooked for pizza

    Above is my simmered chicken breast in enchilada sauce. It’s so good!

    Pizza with sous vide chicken meal prep method

    When it comes to exactly how to cook chicken for pizza sous vide style, meal prep is also a good idea. I cook a lot of frozen chicken with the underwater sous vide method at once, so I can use it throughout the week in quesadillas, chicken salads, and pizzas. 

    Cooked chicken breast on bbq chicken pizza recipe

    Above is BBQ chicken pizza on Whole Foods dough.

    Below you’ll see sous vide chicken tenderloins searing in a cast iron skillet after they were cooked in the water bath.

    Cooking Sous Vide Chicken Breast tenderloins for pizza topping

    Baking chicken in the oven

    This is a great idea, too. You can dice it up so it cooks faster, and add raw chicken breast to a baking sheet with a little salt, pepper, maybe a dash of italian seasoning (or garlic powder), and a light coating of olive oil. Cook the chicken cubes at 400 degrees F, flipping as needed, until cooked through to 165 degrees F. 

    Slow cooking / smoking chicken

    This is another version of multiple day meal prepping. To do this requires a little planning, but it’s worth it for the tender pulled chicken. Try a smoked Traeger whole chicken or slow cooker whole chicken or even a sous vide whole chicken recipe one night. Save a cup or more of cooked whole chicken for pizza the next night.  

    Use any leftover chicken!

    Last, but not least, just a friendly reminder that leftover chicken breast and other leftover meats take on a new life as pizza dishes. I’ve done this with everything from stuffed chicken breast to my family’s most popular Cheesecake Factory dishes, like the Thai lettuce chicken wraps.

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about how to cook chicken breast for pizza. 

    If you don’t follow me on instagram you totally should @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and see the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.

    The Perfect Pizza Setup

    Want to make restaurant style pizza at home? I’ve got you covered! Here are some of my top tips, tricks, secret ingredients and tools for a pizza night everyone will look forward to, again and again.

    1. NEVER do this… Contrary to what most people believe, when baking pizza on a sheet pan, never add toppings to raw pizza dough. Instead, follow my recipe for making homemade pizza with ready made dough, which will teach you how to par bake pizza dough first.
    2. Get help from secret ingredients…
      – This dough seasoning is the secret to real Italian-tasting homemade pizza dough.
      – Add pizza seasoning to store bought pizza sauce. This makes the pizza taste really fresh!
    3. Herbs are for after… In my weekly pizza making practice, I’ve found that fresh herbs, like basil, need to be added to pizza after the pizza is done baking (so the herbs don’t wilt).
    4. Buy fresh dough and get amazing results. Yup, fresh dough from grocery stores is one of my favorite short-cuts. Learn how to use fresh Trader Joe’s pizza dough and Whole Foods pizza dough with my tutorials.
    5. Frozen pizza can taste amazing, too!! Learn how to spruce it up with this recipe for pizza using frozen crust.
    6. Slice pizza pies like a chef with just a few swipes, using big ol’ pizza cutters.
    7. Want to grill pizza? Here are some pizza grilling tools to check out.
    8. Do you really need to cook pizza on the rack? Nope! I basically never do. Here are tools you see me using in my tutorials on cooking pizza in the oven…
      – Bake pizza on a rimmed baking pan set to get a beautiful golden brown crust.
      – Love crispy crust? Let the air flow with this dishwasher safe pizza pan.
      – Get personal – let your fam / friends top their own pies with this set of personal pizza pans.

    More pizza recipes from Sip Bite Go

    • Cheeseburger pizza
    • Philly cheese steak pizza
    • Smoked Traeger pizza
    • Chicken spinach pizza with bacon
    • Homemade pizza dough
    • Pizza sauce recipe
    • White pizza sauce
    • See tips for stretching pizza dough by hand
    • Learn how to make frozen premade pizza crust taste better
    • GUIDE: how to cook chicken breast for pizza
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

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    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

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    But here I am!

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