Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza

This Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza is fast and easy to make! It's topped with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, and a balsamic glaze.

This Pesto Chicken Flatbread is ready in only 20 minutes! It's made with shortcut ingredients like store-bought flatbreads, rotisserie chicken, and jarred basil pesto, but tastes like you spent hours preparing it.

In Minnesota, the summer months are a treasured time when we pack in as many activities as humanly possible in order to take advantage of the sunlight and warm weather.

To say that summers in Minnesota are a busy time is an understatement. I, for one, do not want to spend those precious snow-free months cooped up in the kitchen making dinner.

These are the times when I give myself a free pass to use shortcut ingredients instead of making everything from scratch. Flatbread pizza is a great dish when you want something flavorful, but don't want to spend hours preparing it.

This flatbread pizza recipe is inspired by Italian flavors and topped with ingredients like basil pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and a balsamic glaze. It's perfect for lunch, or a light dinner.

Jump to:

• What Makes Flatbread Different Than Regular Pizza?
• Is Flatbread Gluten Free?
• Toppings For Chicken Pesto Flatbread
• Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
• How To Make Pesto Flatbread
• How Long Do Flatbread Pizzas Take To Bake?
• What To Serve With Pesto Chicken Flatbread
• How Long Does Flatbread Last In The Fridge?
• Chicken Pesto Flatbread Pizza

What Makes Flatbread Different Than Regular Pizza?

Flatbread and pizza are similar in the fact that they both serve as a type of 'pizza'. However, there are some differences that distinguish a flatbread from a more traditional pizza.

The main difference is that the dough used to make flatbread is unleavened and pizza dough is made with yeast. Pizza dough rises and the dough is more airy in texture. The yeast also provides pizza dough with its characteristic flavor.

Flatbreads may be prepared using any variety of unleavened bread, from naan to pita to lavash to tortillas. Technically, it can be made with any type of flat bread.

Another difference between the two is that flatbreads are typically topped with fewer ingredients and aren't always made with a traditional pizza sauce.

Flatbread is incredibly versatile and can be topped with anything from alfredo sauce to BBQ sauce to hummus to tapenade. They're often prepared with any variety of vegetables, cured meats, cheeses, and fresh herbs.

There is literally no wrong way to make a flatbread. They're also faster and easier to prepare than traditional pizza, because they're often made with pre-made crust, making them a great choice when you want something quick and easy.

Is Flatbread Gluten Free?

It's important to remember that most flatbreads are made with flour, just as is pizza dough and therefore is not gluten free.

This recipe is gluten free and uses gluten free flatbread, but you can feel free to use any type of flat bread if gluten is not an issue for you.

My favorite brand of gluten free flatbread is the O' Dough's Flatbread. I love both the taste and texture of this flatbread. It works great as a crust for flatbread pizza. This is not a sponsored post, I just seriously enjoy this product.

You can also use naan bread, pre-made pizza crust (gluten free or otherwise), pita bread, or any variety of unleavened bread to make this Chicken Pesto Flatbread.

Toppings For Chicken Pesto Flatbread

As mentioned, flatbread pizza can be topped with any number of ingredients and customized to your tastes. I decided to take this recipe in a Mediterranean direction and it is topped with Italian ingredients.

To keep things simple, I opted for premade ingredients like jarred basil pesto, rotisserie chicken, and store-bought balsamic glaze.

These shortcut ingredients ensure that the dish only takes a little more than 20 minutes to make.

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 2 Gluten Free Flatbreads of choice (or regular flatbreads if not gluten free)
• 1 jar Basil Pesto (make sure brand is gluten free)
• 1 cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken (or leftover roasted chicken)
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (or shredded mozzarella)
• Balsamic Glaze (make sure brand is gluten free)
• Fresh Basil (for garnish)

Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?

Absolutely!

This flatbread can also be made with leftover roasted chicken, homemade pesto, or balsamic glaze that you've prepared yourself. Flatbread is a great blank canvas that can be topped with anything you've got in the refrigerator.

Feel free to use fresh or shredded mozzarella cheese. You can also sub any variety of cheese that melts nicely, such as Fontina or Provolone.

You can add extra toppings such as olives, artichokes, or mushrooms, but it's important not to overload the flatbread, or it may become soggy.

How To Make Pesto Flatbread

This is one of the easiest dishes to make and takes almost no time at all to prepare. All that's needed to is to chop the tomatoes, dice the mozzarella, and shred the rotisserie chicken.

Once all of the toppings are prepared, they're assembled onto the flatbread and baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and the edges of the crust are crispy.

One thing to keep in mind is that it's important not to overload the flatbread with toppings, or it will become soggy as it bakes in the oven. This is especially true of ingredients with a higher water content like tomatoes.

1. Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut 1 pint of cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on how large you prefer your tomatoes. I prefer smaller tomatoes, so cut them into quarters, but cutting them into halves is just fine.
3. Cut 1 package of fresh mozzarella into chunks. You can also shred mozzarella, or any variety of cheese that melts nicely. If using shredded cheese, shred 1 cup of it.
4. Cut the breast portion of a rotisserie chicken into chunks, or shred it with your fingers. Alternately, you can do the same using leftover roasted, grilled, or any type of cooked chicken.
5. Place 2 flatbreads onto an ungreased large baking sheet. Place 3 Tbsp. of jarred pesto onto each flatbread and use a knife to spread it out evenly.
6. Arrange 1 - ½ cups of the rotisserie chicken over the flatbread, making sure not to overload it.
7. Sprinkle ½ cup of diced tomatoes over the chicken.
8. Top the flatbread with ½ cup (or desired amount) of the mozzarella chunks.

How Long Do Flatbread Pizzas Take To Bake?

Once the toppings have been added to the flatbreads, they're popped in the oven and baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.

Keep in mind that cooking times may vary, depending on the type of flatbread used. If using a pre-made pizza crust or larger variety of flatbread, it may require a few more minutes of cooking time.

I recommend cooking them until the cheese is completely melted and the crust on the outside of the flatbread is slightly crispy.

This recipe yields 2 flatbreads, but you can certainly double it if you prefer a larger amount. This may require a slightly longer cooking time.

What To Serve With Pesto Chicken Flatbread

Once the flatbreads are finished cooking, they're ready to serve.

1. Simply remove the baking sheets from the oven and cut the flatbread into slices.
2. Drizzle the top of the flatbreads with desired amount of balsamic glaze.
3. Tear a couple of fresh basil leaves into pieces and use to garnish the flatbreads.

I find that all of the ingredients work together harmoniously to contribute to the overall flavor of this dish.

The pesto is rich, the chicken has a great savory flavor, the tomatoes are slightly sweet, and the balsamic glaze helps to brighten the whole thing up. The fresh basil leaves bring out the basil flavor in the jarred pesto.

I love to serve dishes like this one with a light salad or a bowl of soup.

It's perfect paired with this Italian green bean salad, marinated tomato salad, or pickled beet salad.

You can't go wrong by serving it with some chunky Italian vegetable soup, spinach lentil soup, or Tuscan vegetable noodle soup.

If you've got leftover rotisserie chicken, it can be used to make chicken salad, added to casseroles, made into tacos or quesadillas, or used to make soups or chili.

How Long Does Flatbread Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover flatbread may be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Keep in mind that the flatbread will become more soggy the longer it's stored in the fridge, but it should not effect the flavor.

This flatbread is best enjoyed fresh, or within a few days, so I do not recommend freezing it.

Love Italian flavors? Check out these recipes!

• Italian Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
• Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
• Farmer's Market Pizza
• Arugula Pesto Prosciutto Pizza
• Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

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Vegetable Flatbread Pizza

Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

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