Can't decided between pizza and chicken? You can have both in one fun treat! Chizza is breaded and fried to perfection, and topped with choice toppings for a tasty low-carb appetizer or main dish.
Soooo, what do we have here? Chizza, my friends! It's chicken + pizza rolled into one fun bite! I've been seeing commercials and promotions for this ingenious mash up all over the internet these past few weeks and naturally, I was very much intrigued to try it our Filipino spaghetti. KFC Philippines rolled out their newest menu item a day or two after I left the country so I wasn't able to try it. And to add to my disappointment, the chicken-pizza wonder is not even available in U.S. markets.
The teenager behind the counter of our neighborhood KFC stared at me like I was from Mars and spoke an alien language when I tried to order myself a Chizza. The craziest thing to happen to chicken and pizza and I am going to miss it? No way! Time to break out the cast iron skillet and get a-frying!
Ingredient notes
What a great cooking activity it turned out! G and I had fun assembling our individual chicken pizzas with various toppings. He had pepperoni and sliced jalapenos on his while I went Hawaiian-style with pineapple and ham on mine. Your imagination (and pantry) is your limit here.
- Chicken- A good size chicken breast makes base for this low-carb pizza. Pound with a meat mallet to flatten to uniform thickness for even cooking.
- Brine- buttermilk marinade seasoned with salt and pepper for juiciness
- Breading- use a mix of corn starch and flour for extra crunch!
- Sauce- tomatoey pizza sauce or try creamy alfredo for variety
- Cheese- mozzarella provides the gooiest melt!
- Toppings- Mushrooms, bell peppers, red onions, olives, crumbled sausage, plum tomatoes, fresh basil, and crisp bacon bits are just some of the delicious options.
For more recipes to use ham and pineapple? Try this Hawaiian fried rice!
How to make chizza
Remember, though, that toppings are just half the experience. A good part of this chizza is the chicken crust. You want the crust golden and crisp on the outside while tender and juicy in the inside. Here is a brief overview; check the recipe card for the complete ingredients and procedure.
- Butterfly the chicken breast using a knife and place between two sheets of plastic film. butterflying them open. Pound with a meat mallet to ยผ-inch thickness.
- Combine brine ingredients in a resealable bag, place chicken breasts, and marinate in the refrigerator. Drain chicken well, discarding marinade, and pat dry.
- Combine egg wash ingredients in a bowl and breading ingredients on a shallow plate. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture and then dredge again in flour mixture to fully coat. Don't shake off excess flour, pack and press onto meat as possible.
- Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or wide pan. Deep-fry chicken, turning as needed, until golden and crisp. Remove from pan and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Do not overcrowd pan, cook in batches needed.
- Arrange fried chicken cutlets in a single layer on a baking sheet. Top with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and choice toppings.
- Bake in a preheated 450 F oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese and hot sauce as desired.
Helpful tip
Allow the baked chizza to stand for a few minutes before slicing for the juices to redistribute.
How to serve and store
- Serve it with Chinese chicken salad for a flavor-packed lunch or dinner meal.
- This low carb chicken pizza is best enjoyed freshly cooked as it loses its texture over time. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Warm in a 350 F oven or in a 375 F air fryer until completely heated.
More Pineapple recipes
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (4 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets
For the Buttermilk Brine
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
For the Breading
- ยพ cup flour
- ยผ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon pepper
For Egg wash
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
For Frying
- oil
For Toppings
- ยฝ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ยฝ cup pineapple tidbits
- 4 thin slices ham, cut into pieces
- Parmesan cheese
- Chili pepper flakes or hot sauce
Instructions
- With a knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally, butterflying them open. Place in between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about ยผ-inch thick.
- In a resealable bag, combine brine ingredients: buttermilk, salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts and marinate in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Drain chicken well, discarding marinade. Pat chicken dry and allow to sit in room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- On a shallow plate, combine coating ingredients: flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Whisk until well distributed.
- In a bowl, combine egg wash ingredients: eggs and buttermilk. Whisk together until well blended and foamy.
- Lightly dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture and then dredge again in flour mixture to fully coat. Don't shake off excess flour, pack and press onto meat as possible.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat about 2-inches deep of oil until hot but not smoking (350 F). Gently slide chicken into hot oil. Deep-fry chicken, turning as needed, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. With tongs, remove from pan and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Arrange fried chicken cutlets in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on top and spread to cover surface. Divide shredded mozzarella onto each of the chicken pizzas. Top with pineapple and ham.
- Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese and hot sauce as desired.
Notes
- As the breast meat is pounded thin and will be passed through heat twice, marinate the chicken in buttermilk brine for about 4 hours to lock in moisture.
- Fry at the right temperature which is about 350 F. ย Make sure meat is at room temperature to prevent the temp of the oil from dropping during frying and to ensure even cooking.
- Do NOT drain on paper towels as this makes deep-fried foods soggy. Instead, use a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain chicken.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Amber says
I made it by following your recipe and a little my addition. The result was superb.
Lalaine says
Thank you for the feedback, Amber. I am glad you enjoyed it ๐
edelweiza says
I've tried it and it was good, but not so as it was getting cold. But I must say your version looks better. Haha. ๐
joyce says
The only available buttermilk in our local grocery is in powdered form. Any idea of the right ratio of water and buttermilk powder for this recipe? I used 1 tbsp buttermilk powder for every 1/2 cup water when I cooked your mini banana bread. Thank you so much!
Rio Francisco says
woohoo! thank you for this recipe. My kids has been asking me to make this dish for them ever since the newest commercial of KFC chizza has been aired. I have no idea on how I'm going to make the chicken so this is really really helpful. By the way, if I'm not mistaken as of now, the chizza is only available on selected stores. Thank you Ms. Lalaine for this.
Dinah says
Wow! looks better than KFC ๐ I haven't tried it yet though, but I just may try to do this myself ๐ Thanks for the recipe!
Lalaine says
Please do! So fun to make and so delicious ๐