You only need four simple ingredients to whip up a savory chicken crust pizza with BBQ toppings. The shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, eggs, and spices come together to create a low-carb pizza crust that delivers all the flavor of thin-crust pizza—without the carbs!
What is Chicken Crust Made Of?
There are plenty of ways to make chicken pizza crust, but keep it simple with just three ingredients—canned or shredded chicken, Parmesan cheese, and a large egg—that’s it!
- Chicken: Drain the liquid from two cans of chicken breast to create the crust for the pizza, or use leftover chicken from a previous meal.
What kind of chicken can you use?
I usually use canned chicken as the base for the chicken crust, but shredded chicken, ground chicken, or store-bought rotisserie chicken, like the ones from Costco, works just as well. Check out my Dutch oven pulled chicken recipe for an easy shredded chicken option.
For ground chicken, mix the raw meat with Parmesan cheese, egg, and spices. Shape the mixture into a circle on parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes for the initial bake. Then, follow the remaining instructions in the recipe card.
- Parmesan: Grated Parmesan cheese flavors and binds the crust together.
- Egg: Bind the ingredients for the crust with a large, fresh egg.
- Toppings: Finish the chicken crust pizza with BBQ toppings—sugar-free BBQ sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, red onion slices, crispy bacon bits, and chopped cilantro leaves.
Additions and Substitutions
- Swap the sauce. Replace regular BBQ sauce with a different sauce such as ancho aioli, Carolina gold BBQ sauce, or BBQ aioli.
- Experiment with cheese. Use shredded cheddar cheese or smoked gouda cheese instead of shredded mozzarella cheese.
How to Make Chicken Crust Pizza with BBQ Toppings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the canned chicken onto it and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a mixing bowl with grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and egg. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C). Spread the chicken mixture onto the baking sheet and use a silicone spatula to form it into a circle.
Step 4: Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll the chicken out with a rolling pin to ¼-inch. Bake for 8 minutes.
Preparation Tip
You can press the mixture out with your hands or place another baking sheet over the top rather than rolling it out.
Step 5: Line the baking sheet with fresh parchment paper and gently transfer the crust onto it. Spread a layer of BBQ sauce over the top of the crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, onion slices, and bacon bits, and bake for 8 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the pizza from the oven and set it aside to cool, then garnish with chopped cilantro, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Drain the canned chicken. Use a colander to remove excess water from the canned chicken, ensuring the chicken crisps up properly.
- Replace the parchment paper between bakes to avoid burning. The high cooking temperature can cause the parchment to scorch if reused, so swap it out for a fresh sheet each time.
If you enjoy chicken crust pizza, try more low carb recipes!
Serving Suggestions
BBQ chicken crust pizza is a fantastic gluten-free, low-carb way to enjoy one of your favorite meals. While the BBQ toppings taste delicious, you can top the pizza with whatever you want. For another tasty variation of the meal, try buffalo chicken crust pizza.
Pizza Topping Ideas:
- Sauce: Alfredo Sauce, Pistachio Pesto, Sugo al Pomodoro
- Cheese: Mozzarella Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Crumbled Feta Cheese
- Meat: Pepperoni, Turkey Bacon, Sausage, Ham, Bacon Bits
- Veggies: Mushrooms, Kalamata Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Jalapeño Peppers, Arugula
If you’re like me, pizza isn’t complete without a side of ranch dressing. For a garlicky twist, try Polish sos czosnkowy.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover pizza crust in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Chicken pizza crust freezes beautifully, making it perfect for batch cooking or meal prep. Prepare a few crusts—enjoy one now and freeze the rest for later. Once cooled, wrap the crust (without toppings) in plastic wrap and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. The crusts freeze for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the crust overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm the leftover chicken crust in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 5-10 minutes for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this pizza like?
Chicken crust pizza bakes warm and crispy, resembling a classic thin-crust pizza. If you prefer a more doughy pizza crust, try the popular low-carb fathead dough recipe.
More BBQ Recipes:
Chicken Crust Pizza
- 2 cans (15 ounces) chicken breast, drained
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar-free BBQ sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup bacon bits
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the canned chicken onto it and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a mixing bowl with grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and egg. Stir to combine.
- Increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C). Spread the chicken mixture onto the baking sheet and use a silicone spatula to form it into a circle.
- Place another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll the chicken out with a rolling pin to ¼-inch. Bake for 8 minutes.Tip: You can press the mixture out with your hands or place another baking sheet over the top rather than rolling it out.
- Line the baking sheet with fresh parchment paper and gently transfer the crust onto it. Spread a layer of BBQ sauce over the top of the crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, onion slices, and bacon bits, and bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and set it aside to cool, then garnish with chopped cilantro, and enjoy!
- Drain the canned chicken. Use a colander to remove excess water from the canned chicken, ensuring the chicken crisps up properly.
- Replace the parchment paper between bakes to avoid burning. The high cooking temperature can cause the parchment to scorch if reused, so swap it out for a fresh sheet each time.
Emily
Friday 26th of May 2023
I never thought I could enjoy pizza guilt-free until I tried this Chicken Crust Pizza. The shredded chicken crust is genius! It's packed with protein and tastes amazing. The BBQ twist adds a delightful tanginess. This recipe is a keeper!
Michael Anderson
Friday 26th of May 2023
Wow, this Chicken Crust Pizza recipe is a total game-changer! As someone who loves pizza but wants to watch my carb intake, this was the perfect solution. The combination of shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder created a crust that was not only flavorful but also packed with protein. The BBQ chicken topping added a delightful tanginess that complemented the crust perfectly. I couldn't believe how close it tasted to traditional thin-crust pizza! Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe, it's definitely going to be a regular in my kitchen now.
Lori
Sunday 4th of September 2022
I did this crust but for the topping I made chicken bacon ranch pizza. The crust is perfect for diabetics like me. I used 1 can of chicken, bacon crumbled on top, ranch for the sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese. Yummy
Tressa Jamil
Monday 5th of September 2022
Oh my goodness! I love that you changed up the toppings and made it your own. Maybe Chicken Bacon Ranch needs to be the next recipe on the blog.
Lynne
Wednesday 10th of August 2022
My guests loved this chicken pizza crust! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Tressa Jamil
Friday 12th of August 2022
Of course. I'm happy it was a hit!
Giangi
Thursday 4th of August 2022
I was mesmerized by using chicken for the crust, and I am so happy I did. WOW!!! Super delicious and so easy too. Thank you so much for creating this. Love it!
Tressa Jamil
Friday 5th of August 2022
Isn't it a fun way to eat such a classic dish? I am glad you enjoyed it.