Best for: Summer basil season — bright, herby, and fast enough for a weeknight.
Pesto in place of tomato sauce changes the whole pizza: bright, garlicky, and green, with grilled chicken and burst cherry tomatoes over mozzarella. The flip method keeps things quick, and a spoonful of fresh pesto swirled on at the end wakes everything back up.
Grill: Direct high heat; 500°F, using the flip method (no stone). Equipment: Grill, metal peel or rimless baking sheet, tongs, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
Rest: 5 minutes. Total: 43 minutes.
Chicken
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pizza
- 1 lb pizza dough (homemade grilled pizza dough or store-bought), at room temperature
- 3/4 cup basil pesto, divided
- 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal or flour, for the peel
Directions
Heat the grill to 500°F and oil the grates. Rub the chicken with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and grill for 5–6 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes, then slice thin.
Stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a peel dusted with cornmeal. Slide it onto the grates and grill with the lid closed for 2–3 minutes, until the bottom is firm and marked.
Flip the crust onto the peel, grilled side up. Spread 1/2 cup of the pesto over the hot crust, then scatter the mozzarella over it.
Arrange the sliced chicken and cherry tomatoes over the cheese.
Slide the pizza back on and grill with the lid closed for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tomatoes slump and char at the edges.
Rest the pizza for 5 minutes. Dollop the remaining pesto over the top, scatter the Parmesan and pine nuts, slice, and serve.
Grilling tip: Pesto darkens under heat — bake with half and finish with the rest fresh, and the pizza tastes like basil instead of cooked greens.
