How to make tandoori chicken pizza from scratch

“Just made it and mA it was awesome!!! I’m not a great cook (yet! Lol iA) but this turned out sooo good.”

Saadiyah

There aren’t many joys that can match up to taking a sizzling, bubbly pizza out of a blazing hot oven. I’ve taken this particular pizza out of my oven on many occasions, mostly for guests, because such pleasures (and the results of such efforts) must be shared.

Pizza naturally induces happiness, and this homemade Tandoori Chicken Pizza is next-level blissful.

What is it about pizza that evokes such feelings?

Well first: there’s bread – the backbone of many a satisfying meal. Two: cheese. Need I say more? Three: the sauce. Fresh, bursting with flavor. It’s the last and essential element that elevates bread and cheese, giving pizza its well-deserved stature. Add tandoori chicken to all this, and it’s nothing short of magic, really.

Making pizza from scratch may seem daunting, but there are only a few steps to each component, and the result is more than worth it. That said, I’m all for shortcuts. And this recipe is good enough to withstand changes while still maintaining it’s spicy, savory, smoky goodness.

So make it your own. You can use leftover bone-in chicken if you have some. Just shred it and add a bit of tandoori masala. Give it an extra broil at the end if you’d like. Throw in whatever herbs or spices you have on hand for the sauce. For toppings, I usually stick to the trio of red & green bell peppers and red onions. But jalapeños would be nice, maybe pineapple or whatever neglected veggie you find lurking in your fridge. You can also vary the cheese according to your taste. This article shows how to use various cheeses for different results if you’re like me and take your pizza reallyyy seriously.

Some variations you could try are using shredded Peri-Peri Chicken to make a Peri Peri version of this pizza or even replacing the chicken with some leftover keema!

If you try this recipe, please let me know. I hope you do – I’m quite sure you’ll love it!

5 (2 ratings)

Tandoori Chicken Pizza From Scratch

Yield: 8 servings (2 10-inch pizzas)

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

This Tandoori Chicken Pizza is made from scratch and loaded with intense flavor in every bite!

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Ingredients 

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For the Tandoori Chicken Topping

• 1 (~300 g) chicken breast, cut into thin, small bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup (61 g) plain, whole milk yogurt
• 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp crushed garlic or paste
• 1/2 tbsp crushed ginger or paste
• 1 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
• 1-2 tsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, depending on tandoori masala powder
• 1 tbsp Tandoori masala powder, use less if yours is spicy
• 1 tsp paprika powder

For the Crust

• 2 ½ cups bread flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water, 100-110°F
• 1 (2 1/4 tsp) standard packet active dry yeast

For the Sauce

• 1 28-oz (794g) can Italian Whole Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes, (or sub equal amount fresh tomatoes)
• 1 small (140-170 g) onion
• 1 small green chili pepper, I use Serrano
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 (~1 tsp crushed) garlic cloves
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 2-3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning or basil
• 1/2-1 tsp tandoori masala powder
• 1/4 tsp each cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, red chili flakes, and, increase to taste

For the Pizza

• 2 Prepared crusts
• Prepared sauce
• Prepared tandoori chicken
• 2 cups (8 oz or 227 g) quality mozzarella cheese or a blend of mozzarella and preferred cheese, or more if desired
• Additional toppings such as red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion, sliced

Instructions 

Tandoori Chicken Topping

• Marinate the chicken in all of the ingredients for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
• Preheat your oven broiler to high (mine goes to 550ºF/288ºC) and set the oven rack to the top. Line an oven-safe sheet pan with aluminum foil. If you have skewers, run the chicken pieces through them and place on top of the sheet pan. Otherwise, place the chicken pieces in an even layer.
• Broil for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken pieces over and broil for another 4 minutes. You're going for a tandoor-like (but not burnt) finish. Cover and set aside.

Pizza Crust

• Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stir once and set aside for about 5-10 minutes or until foamy. It must be foamy! If not, something went wrong (i.e. water temperature, old yeast, etc.).
• In a stand mixture with a dough attachment, add the flour, salt and olive oil. Start the mixer, and then slowly add in the water/yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, adding a bit of water, if necessary. (You may also knead the dough by hand for about 8-10 minutes instead of using a stand mixer.)
• Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise for an hour or so or until dough doubles in size.
• Once it has risen, punch it down, knead it a little and then place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to two 8 to 10-inch pizzas. Push the dough at the ends so that it’s slightly thicker on the rim. Use a knife to make small slits on the base to help it bake evenly. Cover the crust with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap while you prepare the toppings.

Pizza Sauce

• Blend the tomatoes, onion, and green chili in a food processor until smooth.
• Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté it for about 20-30 seconds, until the raw smell subsides and it begins to brown. Add the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Lower the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and allow to simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until well cooked (~25-30 min). If using fresh tomatoes, you may need to add water to make sure it’s well cooked and to make it the desired consistency. Remove bay leaf.

Steps and Assembly

• Prepare Chicken. Cover and Set aside. Prepare the Pizza Sauce.
• Prepare the pizza dough and set it aside to rise. If using pre-made dough, thaw and roll out.
• Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) or temperature indicated on Pre-made Pizza Dough. When the dough has risen, follow the instructions to roll it out. Cover it and chop up the vegetable toppings.
• Place the pizza bases on 2 sheet pans lined with aluminum foil. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the pizza. Top with cheese, chicken, and toppings.
• Bake for 15 minutes per pizza (See Note), until the crust has baked and the cheese has melted. I like to broil it again for a couple of minutes to further amp up the “tandoor” factor. Serve hot. To maintain the texture of the crust, this pizza is best reheated in an oven instead of a microwave.

Notes

Note: To bake them at the same time, place one rack on the very top and one on the lower rack. Put the two baking sheets on both the baking racks. Bake for 15  minutes, but switch the baking sheets halfway through baking so that both pizzas bake evenly. Broil separately on the top rack.

 

 

 

 

Calories: 359kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 1142mg, Potassium: 255mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 403IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 166mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Izzah Cheema

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Italian, Pakistani

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