Name: Tandoori Chicken Pizza
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 ball (1 lb.) prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (at room temperature); 1 tablespoon cornmeal; ¾ cup store-bought mango chutney such as Major Grey’s; 1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese; 3 Tandoori chicken kabobs, (chopped (about 1 cup)); 1 yellow pepper, (thinly sliced); ½ red onion, (thinly sliced); 1 teaspoon olive oil; Cilantro leaves for garnish ((optional)); 1/3 cup reduced fat Greek yogurt; 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro; ½ teaspoon chopped ginger; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon salt

Published: Jun 5, 2012 · Last Updated: Nov 1, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

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My Tandoori Chicken Pizza has a nice mix of sweet and savory Indian flavors that put a unique twist on classic pizza. I layer spiced chicken, sweet mango chutney, and colorful veggies on whole wheat pizza dough and finish it off with a cooling cilantro yogurt sauce.

I'm a big believer in the "cook once, eat twice" philosophy. That means that I like to make large batch recipes on days when I have extra time. Then I transform the leftovers into an entirely different meal on another day. It's a real timesaver in the kitchen and I also find it to be a fun challenge. My Tandoori Chicken Kabobs are a perfect example of this. Whenever I have some extra chicken, I love using the leftovers to make one of my favorite dishes- Tandoori Chicken Pizza.

I’m really excited to post this recipe because it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser. I love taking international flavors and incorporating them into classic American dishes. This dish has a nice mix of sweet and savory Indian flavors that add a unique twist to pizza.

Ingredients

I like to make my own pizza dough when I have the time. But sometimes I take a shortcut and use a ball of pizza dough from from my local pizzeria or the grocery store. Most pizzerias will gladly sell you some of their dough but you can also use refrigerated or frozen pizza dough from the grocery store. To make the recipe more nutritious and incorporate some whole grains, I use whole-wheat pizza dough. Whole grains have high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It's recommended in the USDA Dietary Guidelines that at least half of the grains we consume should be whole grains.

Instead of tomato sauce, I spread sweet mango chutney on the pizza dough. Then I top it with pieces of spicy Tandoori chicken. To add color and texture, I also sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese and sliced yellow bell pepper and red onion. For a final burst of flavor, drizzle on a homemade cilantro yogurt sauce when the pizza comes out of the oven. The cooling, tangy yogurt sauce nicely balances out the sweetness of the mango chutney and spiciness of the chicken.

Equipment

To achieve the perfect crust with a crispy exterior and doughy interior, you need a really hot oven. Restaurants use wood-burning ovens that reach extremely high temperatures, something home ovens are not designed to do. The best way to achieve restaurant quality pizza in your own kitchen is to invest in a pizza stone. A pizza stone is a heavy stone made of clay or ceramic that holds heat exceptionally well and evenly distributes it. This mimics the effects of a commercial pizza oven. Because it's made of porous material, it also serves to pull moisture from the surface of the dough producing a perfectly crispy crust. To get the maximal benefit from the pizza stone, place it on the lowest rack in a cold oven and preheat it for at least 30 minutes before using it.

Pizza stone

Another great tool for making perfect pizza at home is a pizza peel. A pizza peel is a wide, flat wooden paddle used to transfer the pizza in and out of the oven. Its front edge is tapered so that it can easily slip under the pizza. It is important to use a generous dusting of cornmeal (you can also use semolina or breadcrumbs) on the peel before transferring the dough onto it. The grains act as ball bearings that allow the pizza to slide easily on and off the peel. Without it, the pizza will stick to it and you won’t be able to easily transfer it into the oven.

Pizza peel

If you haven’t used a peel before, you may want to try it out with smaller pizzas first since they are easier to maneuver. You can cut the dough for this recipe in half and make two separate pizzas. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can always bake the pizza on a regular baking sheet but keep in mind that the crust won’t get as crispy.