Roman-Style Chicken Pizza

About this recipe

Roman-Style Chicken Pizza layers shredded cooked chicken across passata and topped with melted mozzarella, creating a hearty, protein-rich pizza that emerges from the oven with a charred, pillowy crust supporting generous toppings without collapsing. Rocket salad added after baking brings peppery bite and textural contrast. This is the kind of pizza that satisfies without tasting heavy. Roman-style pizza dough is stretched thin and baked until the crust is charred at the edges but still tender within. The toppings should be generous but balanced—not so much weight that the crust can't support them. Use already-cooked shredded chicken (leftover roasted chicken works brilliantly, or simmer chicken breast gently until cooked through), so it just needs heating through rather than cooking properly during the bake. The critical moment comes when the pizza emerges from the oven: the cheese should be melted and golden, the crust should smell yeasty and toasted, and the chicken should be heated through. Immediately top with peppery rocket salad, which wilts slightly from the residual heat while maintaining some crunch. A drizzle of good olive oil and maybe a scatter of red chilli flakes finishes the dish. Serve this straight from the oven while the pizza is still warm but not piping hot—this is when the contrast between the warm crust and cool rocket is most pronounced. Leftover pizza reheats beautifully in a hot oven for about five minutes. This pizza is wonderful for meal prep: make the dough ahead, shape and freeze until needed, then bake from frozen (adding a few minutes to the cooking time).