Chicken Tikka Pizza

This post is done in happy collaboration with Don Pepino Pizza Sauce

Chicken Tikka Pizza is the ultimate fusion of comfort and spice. It brings together the bold, aromatic warmth of Indian spices with the universally loved canvas of a freshly baked pie. This dish holds a special place in my kitchen. It is loosely inspired by a memorable style I first encountered at Can-Am Pizza, a iconic Seattle-area spot famous for pioneering Indian-style pizzas.

Bright, savory tomato base with tender, spiced chicken tikka, crisp red onions, and fresh cilantro happily pizza night into something fun and different.

And, since this is inspired by my vegetarian brother’s favorite pizza, I also have a paneer version that I will post for you one of these days.

The story of my Chicken Tikka Pizza/ Giving Myself the Gift of a Quiet Sunday

Sunday mornings are best when they move at an unhurried, gentle pace—the kind of quiet day where you can actually take a breath and let pizza dough rise without watching the clock. There’s a distinct comfort in taking the long way around in the kitchen. I allowed myself to slow down as much as possible this Sunday. By the time I woke up, almost afternoon, without an alarm (true treat), brewed a cup of my beloved ginger Darjeeling tea.

I am still getting the rhythm of cooking and meal prepping for myself. My ultimate goal is to have enough, but not overdo the week. I think, I am still ploughing through the freezer that I have seem to have overstocked. More than 2 decades of effort is not easy to unwind. But, down to pizza. The quite rainy weekend allowed me to put all the pieces together happily.

Anatomy of a Good Pizza in this case my Chicken Tikka Pizza

A Great Crust: To keep things light and flavorful with notes of delicate chewiness. I opted for a naan-style crust. It bakes up with just the right balance of soft interior and delicate crisp on the edges.
A Standout Sauce: The backbone of any good pizza is its sauce. For today’s pie, I used Don Pepino Pizza Sauce. Rich, vibrant, and seasoned to perfection right out of the can, Easy to use and so very versatile. It complemented the seasonings well.

Thoughtful Toppings: Keeping with the warm, spiced theme, I topped this pie with tender chicken tikka, slivered red onions, and fresh cilantro. This offered just enough contrast and complement to the sauce. Now, the toppings need to be flavorful and light. And while this is not submerged with cheese, the magic with this pizza actually rests with the cheese. I used three kinds – mozzarella aka the melty cheese, parmesan, and cheddar. Now, cheddar to me is like my first love, it is the first cheese I learnt to appreciate, I personally believe also the cheese that meshes best with Indian flavors.

Thank you Don Pepino for the gift of sauce. Thank you nature gods for the rainy weather that is my signal and cue to slow down. Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is a slow afternoon, a hot oven, and a homemade slice enjoyed in peace.

Chicken Tikka Pizza

A homemade comforting pizza, this does need a few parts to pull together but is well worth the effort.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Resting/Marinating Time 6

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Fusion, Indian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt

For the naan base

1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for shaping
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or atta
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon olive oil divided
1 egg
2 tablespoons cornmeal

For the Pizza topping

1/2 cup (about 1/2 a can of Don Pepino's pizza sauce
3/4 cup mixed cheeses (mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan)
1/2 cup chopped chicken tikka as prepared above
1/4 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 jalapeno (thinly sliced) Optional
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Method

For the Chicken

Cut the chicken thighs into quarter and place in a mixing bowl.
Add the yogurt, ginger, garlic, kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala and salt and marinate for 4 to 6 hours. The best thing to do is to do this overnight, along with the pizza/naan dough.
Cook the chicken in the oven or air fryer at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, do not overcook, as the chicken does get cooked again with the pizza.

For the naan base

Gently warm the milk about 30 seconds in the microwave, add in the sugar, and stir well.
Sprinkle the yeast over the milk base and set aside for about 5 minutes until frothy.
In a mixing bowl mix together the flours, salt and half the olive oil. Pour in the milk mixture and the egg and mix well to form a well incorporated slightly wet dough.
Cover and set aside to rise for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
Punch down the dough once, and if the dough appears too wet add in up to 3/4 cup flour to add stucture.

Pizza and Toppings

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Prepare the baking sheet, sprinkling with cornmeal. Stretch the naan base into a oval naan shape as thin as possible. I use my hands but a rolling pin can be used if easier.
Pop this into the oven for about 5 minutes, until partially cooked.
Remove from the oven and gently spread with the pizza sauce and the cheeses and allow it to cook for 12 minutes, until the cheese is all melted and the sides are crisp and turning gently golden.
Remove from the oven, top with the chopped chicken tikka, mushrooms, sliced onions and the jalapeno if using and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the oven and let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Sprinkle with cilantro and slice and serve.