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Italian sausage sub + homemade pizza = chicken sausage pizza
If you’re a fan of Italian sausage sub sandwiches, then you’ll quickly fall for this Chicken Sausage Pizza with Onions and Peppers. It’s loaded with herby and smoky Italian flavors thanks to the Italian-style chicken sausage, homemade tomato sauce, and sauteed peppers and onions.
Every bite is so well balanced. The sweet sauteed peppers and onions balance the slightly spicy Italian sausage, while the creamy provolone and mozzarella mixture mellow everything out like a pro. All you need is a Caesar salad, pesto sauce, or ranch dressing on the side to turn homemade pizza night into an amazing experience!
Ingredients you’ll need
These rich and hearty ingredients pump this homemade pizza full of Italian flavors. This is what you’ll need:
Chicken sausage
Fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausages have all of the spice and flavor of traditional Italian sausages but are made with ground chicken instead of pork. You can use either spicy or mild chicken sausages. It all depends on how much heat you like.
Although the pre-cooked chicken sausages are ready to go on the pizza as-is, I recommend browning them in a skillet first. This brings out more flavor and develops a crust on the outside, adding a nice crunch to each bite.
No chicken sausage at home? Use any other fully cooked Italian sausage you have at home or swap it for sauteed ground chicken instead.
Peppers and onions
Sauteed peppers and onions are perfect partners for chicken sausage. I like to use red bell peppers but feel free to use a mix for a variety of colors. Also, red onion is best here because the slight sweetness pairs so well with the spicy and earthy Italian flavors in the chicken sausage.
Pizza dough
Make a batch of this easy pizza dough recipe or buy store-bought instead. Most homemade pizza dough recipes are beginner-friendly and made with a few easy ingredients. Plus, it’s easy to make ahead of time and will impress your guests!
Pizza sauce
If you want to go all out, make your own red pizza sauce. It’s so easy! All you need are a handful of pantry-staple ingredients, Italian herbs, and 5 minutes.
Alternatively, use bottled marinara sauce or arrabbiata sauce for extra spice.
Cheese
You need two kinds of cheese for this sausage pizza: whole milk low moisture mozzarella and provolone. Yum!
Grab a block of mozzarella and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt as well as shredding it yourself because it often contains anti-caking agents.
Provolone is typically sold in slices because it’s the supreme cheese for Italian meatball subs. If you can, search for a block of provolone instead (for shredding). The deli counter at your local grocery store is a great backup if you can’t find any. Just ask if they can cut you a 3-ounce chunk of cheese.
When all else fails, buy the sliced provolone and cut it into small pieces instead.
How to make a chicken sausage pizza
There’s some prep work and sauteeing involved in making this sausage pizza, but it’s well worth the extra time! Just follow these step-by-step instructions:
Step 1: Cook the sliced chicken sausage in an oiled skillet until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 2: Next, saute the peppers and onions in the same skillet.
Step 3: Transfer the peppers to the same bowl as the sausage. Add the garlic and stir everything together.
Step 4: Shape the pizza dough into a 12-inch round.
Top with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and the peppers and sausage mixture.
Step 5: Bake the pizza until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Slice and enjoy!
Make it a pizza night!
The first rule of pizza night is to have multiple kinds of pizzas to choose from. Serve this pizza next to a few more favorites, like Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza and a Burrata Pesto Pizza with Crispy Garlic and Chili Oil. Your guests will be SO happy.
Otherwise, chicken sausage pizza pairs well with fresh salads, fun appetizers, and plenty of dipping sauces on the sides. Serve it next to smoky chicken wings, Caesar salad, chopped salad, and barbeque sauce, pesto sauce, or ranch dressing for dipping.
Make ahead tips
Save a little time by preparing your pizza toppings or the dough ahead of time:
- Pizza dough: My homemade pizza dough recipe can be prepared and kept covered in the fridge for up to 72 hours. Otherwise, wrap it well in plastic and keep it in the freezer for months. Just let the frozen dough thaw fully in the fridge before using!
- Pizza sauce: Stir it up and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe for easy pizza sauce is a great one to try!
- Peppers, onions, and sausage: Saute the peppers, onion, and sausage as normal. Once cool, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
🎉 It's time to cook! 🎉
Alright, friend! It's your turn to make this delish recipe for your next get-together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When you do, please leave a comment and star rating below so we can hear what you think! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
Chicken Sausage Pizza with Onions and Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 links fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage sliced into ¼” rounds
- ½ cup sliced bell pepper about ½ a bell pepper
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 one-pound pizza dough
- ⅓ cup pizza sauce
- ¾ cup shredded whole milk low moisture mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup shredded provolone cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken sausage, stirring occasionally until browned about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken sausage to a large bowl.
- Add bell pepper and red onion to the skillet and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, occasionally stirring until softened, deglazing the pan with water as needed, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer to the bowl of cooked sausage, add chopped garlic and stir to combine.
- Shape pizza dough into 12-inch round.
- Top with sauce, cheese and the chicken sausage vegetable mixture.
- Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 12 minutes.
- Cut and serve immediately.
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