Naan topped with chicken tikka masala and mozzarella cheese makes this chicken tikka pizza a tasty Italian/Indian combination.
I love unique pizzas - from peach ricotta pizza to apple prosciutto pizza to broccoli rabe pizza to chicken pepperoni pizza.
But at first glance, this might be the strangest to date. Chicken tikka masala is one of my favorite meals. Spiced chicken in a creamy sauce. I mean what is better? But to put it on pizza? I mean why not?
I basically took my chicken tikka masala recipe, put it on some naan and added cheese. And it couldn't have been tastier!
The sauce works great as the base and the spiced chicken pairs well with the melty cheese. And why naan? Well it is easy to buy and very prevalent in India. So mix it up and give this chicken tikka pizza a try! And if you really crave the Indian/Italian combo, you can never go wrong with butter chicken pizza.
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Ingredients Notes
- Chicken - thighs have the right amount of fat where once this pizza is cooked, the chicken just melts in your mouth.
- Spices - Indian food is known for its spices and this recipe is no different. Make sure you use fresh spices.
- Tomato sauce - the tomato sauce is the base for the masala which is complemented by the spices and veggies.
- Heavy cream - makes the sauce more creamy and mellows the spice level out.
- Naan - I prefer homemade naan, but you can buy from the store as well.
- Cheese - mozzarella has that meltiness factor you expect with a pizza.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:
- I'm a fan of boneless chicken thighs for the ease and taste, but bone-in works well too. Or you can use chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Greek yogurt is important in this dish, but whole fat yogurt or sour cream works as well.
- I like jalapeños for some extra spice, however poblano peppers are good substitutes.
- While I like tomato sauce for the ease of it, fresh tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes work too.
- To me, if you are making something Indian, naan is the only way to go, but pita bread can be used too.
- I like a more neutral tasting cheese like mozzarella for this chicken tikka pizza, but you can use cheddar, gouda, or havarti.
Step-by-Step Photos
Place the chicken in a bowl with the marinade and let sit in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours. Once ready, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat and add the chicken, cooking until browned and done.
Start the sauce by melting some butter as well as onion, cooking for 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook for another minutes. Stir in the spices and salt.
Add the tomato sauce, simmering for 2 minutes before stirring in the cream and yogurt.
Top each piece of naan with some sauce, cheese, chicken and onion and bake on the oven rack at 425°F for 8 minutes. Top with some fresh cilantro if desired.
FAQs
It is spiced chicken, usually roasted and simmered in a tomato and cream based sauce that is loaded with spices.
While similar, it is different from curry sauce in that there is no curry.
Curry powders usually consist of turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper, giving it an earthy flavor. Where as masala contains more warming spices like cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, mace, and nutmeg.
Garam masala tends to be sweeter because of this.
No problem. Just make your own! You more than likely have all of the spices on hand.
Yes. I love the pairing but pita bread also works great. Or if you want a more traditional pizza, this no-knead pizza dough is my go-to.
Let's be honest, there isn't anything wrong with cold pizza. But if you must reheat this chicken tikka pizza, don't do it in the microwave or it will get soggy.
Just place on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If you want to save some time, just use rotisserie chicken and toss in the spices.
- You control the amount of heat depending on how much cayenne pepper you use. We don't like overly spicy dishes, but if you want more spice just add ¼ teaspoon at a time.
- Don't go overboard on the sauce. You want to just spread it lightly.
- If you want an extra crispy crust, broil for a minute at the end.
Other Pizza Recipes
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Chicken Tikka Pizza
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into ½" cubes
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ jalapeño, seeds removed and minced
- 2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (8 oz can) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon plain yogurt
Pizza
- 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 4 6 inch naan
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup white onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place cut chicken in large bowl and add yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, salt, garlic and ginger to chicken and combine thoroughly. Cover chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
- Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- To start sauce, melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Stir in spices and salt and cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Once slightly reduced, stir in cream and yogurt.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Top each piece of naan with some sauce, cheese, chicken and onion. Bake on the oven rack for 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Top with some fresh cilantro.
Notes
- If you want to save some time, just use rotisserie chicken and toss in the spices.
- You control the amount of heat depending on how much cayenne pepper you use. We don't like overly spicy dishes, but if you want more spice just add ¼ teaspoon at a time.
- Don't go overboard on the sauce. You want to just spread it lightly.
- If you want an extra crispy crust, broil for a minute at the end.
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