Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Pizza

There are several versions of this amazing pizza online. It’s a pizza, it’s chicken parm, and it’s pasta in a vodka cream sauce. All in one!! I was inspired to try the idea after watching a video of this pizza, which was dropped into hot oil in a large restaurant deep fryer. It looked pretty amazing, but I certainly don’t have a deep fryer that size. So I thought I could make my own version, and bake it right in my oven. So I did!!

You will need to place some components in the freezer during prep.

Ingredients for the filling:

1/2 lb penne pasta, cooked per package instructions, and drained.
2 jars store bought vodka cream pasta sauce (1 jar will be used as extra sauce when serving the pizza).
16 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)

This recipe makes 1 large pizza that will serve 6. I used a cast iron skillet. You could use another type of pan, but you will need at least a 2″ edge to the pan.

Prepare a mixture of 1 beaten egg with 1 Tbsp of water, and set aside to brush on the pizza before baking.

For the “crust”, you will need:

2 1/2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 c Italian style bread crumbs (plus additional for coating the pizza)
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients in a large bowl til blended.

Line another large round bowl with plastic wrap. MAKE SURE THIS BOWL WILL FIT INTO YOUR CAST IRON SKILLET (OR PAN) UPSIDE DOWN!

Divide the meat mixture in 1/2. Place 1/2 of the mixture in the lined bowl, and press into the bottom, and up the sides til there is a thin lining all around the bowl (about 1/4″). If you need a little extra, take some from the remaining 1/2. You will use the rest of this to form the cover on the pizza. Place bowl in the freezer to firm it up, for about 20 min.

While the bowl is chilling, place the remaining chicken mixture on a piece of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap, and roll out using a rolling pin, into a circle about 1/4″ thick.

Place the pasta in a small bowl, and pour about 1/2 of 1 jar of sauce over the pasta. Stir together. Remove the bowl from the freezer. Fill with about 1 c of the shredded cheese. Pour the pasta and sauce mixture into the bowl. Top with another 1 c of the shredded cheese.

Turn the rolled out meat mixture upside down, parchment side up. Peel off the parchment paper. Place the rolled out chicken mixture “cover” on top of the pizza. Peel off the plastic wrap. It may fall over the edges of the bowl, but just cut off the excess with a knife – just like a pie crust. Press the chicken edges together. Place bowl back in the freezer for about 1 hour. You don’t need to freeze it solid – but you do want to firm it up.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the pizza from the freezer. Brush it with the egg wash (see above). Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place your pan over the pizza, hold together tightly. Turn the pan and bowl upside down in 1 swift action.

Remove the bowl, then peel back the plastic wrap. BEAUTIFUL!

Brush the pizza with the remaining egg wash, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place the cast iron pan on another pan with a 1″ edge, in case there are any drips! Cut a vent hole in the top, by inserting a small sharp knife. Bake for 1 hour. Remove pan from the oven. It should be lightly browned.

Pour over the remaining sauce, and spread over the pizza top. Add the remaining shredded cheese. Place the broiler on LOW. Return the pizza to the oven, to melt and lightly brown the cheese (about 5 – 6 min). Watch closely!