Mexican Cornmeal Chicken Pizza
Equipment
- Baking sheet, 14 × 10-inch
- electric mixer
- Fork
- Kitchen towel
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
For the Cornmeal Crust
- 190 g all-purpose flour divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- 180 ml warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 50 g yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon additional cornmeal for the baking sheet
- Cooking spray
For the Chicken Topping
- 225 g shredded Mexican cheese blend divided
- 225 g cooked chicken shredded
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 410 g, drained
- ½ medium yellow bell pepper chopped
- 4 spring onions thinly sliced
- 15 g fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
For the Cornmeal Crust
- Preheat the oven to 230°C.
- Place 95 g flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the warm water and olive oil.
- Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds.
- Increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
- Stir in the yellow cornmeal and remaining 95 g flour.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
- Knead for approximately 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel.
- Leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Lightly coat a 14 × 10-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the baking sheet with the additional cornmeal.
- Press or roll the dough into a 14 × 10-inch rectangle.
- Prick the crust evenly with a fork.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
For the Chicken Topping
- Sprinkle 110 g cheese evenly over the partially baked crust.
- Arrange the shredded chicken, drained tomatoes and chopped yellow pepper over the cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining 115 g cheese over the toppings.
- Return the pizza to the oven.
- Bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden.
- Remove the pizza from the oven.
- Sprinkle with the sliced spring onions and chopped cilantro.
- Cut into 4 equal portions.
- Serve immediately.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pizza with a crisp green salad, avocado slices, fresh tomato salsa or a spoonful of sour cream. Lime wedges and sliced jalapeños can be offered separately.Recipe Notes
Drain the tomatoes thoroughly to prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Warm water should feel pleasantly warm rather than hot because excessive heat can damage the yeast. A shop-bought rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut.Variations
Add black beans, sweetcorn, sliced jalapeños or chopped red onion. Monterey Jack or Cheddar can replace the Mexican cheese blend. Turkey can be used instead of chicken.Storage
Refrigerate cooled pizza slices in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer until thoroughly hot and crisp. Individual slices can be frozen for up to two months.Wine Advice
A fruity Zinfandel complements the roasted tomatoes, chicken and melted cheese. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc is a lighter choice that works well with the cilantro and yellow pepper.Nutrition values
————————————————————————————————–
Mexican cornmeal chicken pizza combines a crisp homemade crust with shredded chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, yellow bell pepper and plenty of melted cheese. Cornmeal gives the base extra texture, while cilantro and spring onions provide a fresh finish. It is a colourful fusion meal for family dinners, weekends or Cinco de Mayo.
Why Cornmeal Improves the Crust
The homemade dough contains both wheat flour and yellow cornmeal. Wheat flour develops gluten, which provides elasticity and allows the dough to hold its shape. Cornmeal contributes a slightly grainy texture, a golden colour and a subtle sweetness that works especially well with the Mexican-inspired toppings.
Additional cornmeal is sprinkled over the baking sheet before shaping the dough. This reduces sticking and gives the underside of the crust a light crunch. Do not add too much, as loose cornmeal can burn at the high oven temperature.
Preparing the Pizza Dough
Warm water activates the yeast, but it should not be hot. Water that feels comfortably warm is usually suitable. Combine it with part of the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and olive oil before adding the cornmeal and remaining flour.
Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. It may feel slightly more textured than ordinary pizza dough because of the cornmeal. After kneading, cover it and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. This brief pause relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to press into a rectangle.
Baking Mexican Cornmeal Chicken Pizza
The crust is partially baked before the toppings are added. This step is particularly useful because drained tomatoes still contain moisture. Pre-baking helps the base remain crisp instead of becoming soft beneath the chicken, vegetables and cheese.
Prick the shaped dough with a fork to prevent large air pockets. Bake until the edges just begin to colour, then add half of the cheese. This first cheese layer creates a barrier between the crust and the moist toppings. Arrange the chicken, tomatoes and pepper over it before adding the remaining cheese.
Choosing and Preparing the Chicken
Any plainly seasoned cooked chicken can be used. Leftover roasted chicken works well, while shop-bought rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut. Remove the skin and bones before shredding, and avoid chicken with a strongly flavoured glaze that may compete with the other ingredients.
Keep cooked chicken refrigerated until needed and return leftovers to the refrigerator promptly. General advice about preparation and storage is available from the FDA page on safe food handling.
Building Fresh Mexican Flavours
Fire-roasted tomatoes add a deeper flavour than plain diced tomatoes. Drain them thoroughly before placing them on the pizza. Yellow bell pepper contributes sweetness and colour without making the topping excessively spicy.
Fresh cilantro and spring onions are added after baking so they retain their colour and flavour. Jalapeños, black beans, sweetcorn or chopped red onion can also be added. Keep the total quantity of toppings moderate because an overloaded pizza may develop a damp centre.
Serving Ideas
Cut the rectangular pizza into four large portions for a main meal. It can also be divided into smaller squares for a party platter. Serve it with avocado, tomato salsa, lime wedges or a crisp salad from the salad recipes collection.
For more homemade options, browse the pizza recipes. Other meals featuring cooked poultry can be found among the chicken recipes.
Dietary Considerations
The original recipe contains wheat and cow’s milk but does not include eggs, nuts or soy as direct ingredients. Check the labels on the cheese blend, cooked chicken and cooking spray when avoiding allergens because packaged products may contain additional ingredients or cross-contamination warnings.
Use gluten-free flour, gluten-free cornmeal and an appropriate yeast mixture for a gluten-free variation. Dairy-free shredded cheese can replace the Mexican cheese blend, although melting performance varies considerably between brands.
Storage and Reheating
Allow leftover slices to cool before placing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until thoroughly hot. These methods restore more of the crust’s texture than microwave reheating.
Individual slices can be frozen for up to two months. Wrap them separately before freezing so they can be reheated as needed. This Mexican cornmeal chicken pizza offers a practical balance of crisp crust, hearty protein and colourful toppings.