Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Movie night just got better with this mouthwatering chicken bacon ranch pizza recipe. Made with a DIY white ranch drizzle and a delicious base of cream cheese and shallots, you’ll have a chicken bacon ranch sandwich but in pizza form. Serve it with your favorite chip-and-dip app if you really want to satisfy your cravings.

Ingredients for Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

• Pizza crust: Make your own or buy a prebaked crust.
• Cream cheese: Allow the cream cheese to soften prior to preparing the pizza for easy mixing.
• Shallot: Finely mince the shallot for a more even distribution of flavor.
• Rotisserie chicken: A precooked rotisserie chicken helps to make the pizza assembly less time-consuming, but if you want to cook your own chicken that’s also an option.
• Monterey Jack cheese: Mozzarella cheese would also work well here.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar adds a boost of flavor to the pizza.
• Bacon: Fully cook your bacon prior to assembling the pizza.
• Sour cream: The decadent consistency of sour cream enhances the white sauce.
• 2% milk: If you’d like the sauce to be a bit richer, use whole milk.
• Ranch salad dressing mix: This gives the pizza’s sauce a distinct ranch dressing flavor.
• Shredded lettuce: Opt for a crunchy lettuce, such as crisp romaine, butterhead or iceburg lettuce.
• Tomato: Be sure to de-seed your tomato prior to using it as a topping.

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare crust

First, place the crust on an ungreased pizza pan. Combine your cream cheese and shallots, and spread this over the crust. Top with the chicken, cheeses, and chopped and cooked bacon.

Step 2: Bake

Bake the pizza at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the cheese is melted.

Step 3: Make your sauce and serve

While the pizza is in the oven, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, milk and dressing mix. Once the pizza is out of the oven, sprinkle the lettuce and tomato over the pizza and drizzle with the dressing.

Recipe Variations

• Add onion: Sliced or diced purple onion would be a welcome addition to this pizza.
• Simplify the steps: If you don’t have time to make your own ranch drizzle, you can use ranch dressing as a substitute.
• Make it a calzone: You can make this pizza into a calzone quite easily. Tuck the sauce and pizza toppings inside the calzone crust, then top with lettuce, tomato and dressing after baking.

How to Store Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume the leftovers within three to four days.

How do you reheat chicken bacon ranch pizza?

If you plan on leftovers, don’t top the entire pizza with the lettuce and tomato just yet. This way, you can reheat the leftovers without the lettuce and tomato first, and then add them after. To reheat, warm slices in the microwave, on the stovetop or in the oven on low until fully warmed through.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza Tips

How do I keep the lettuce from wilting?

Add the lettuce to your pizza right before serving. By using a crispy lettuce such as romaine or iceberg you’ll have a better shot at keeping the lettuce from warming and wilting.

Can I freeze this pizza?

You can freeze this prepared pizza, just don’t add the tomato or the lettuce until you are ready to eat. To freeze, wrap in an airtight freezer-safe bag and store for up to three months.

What else can I add?

Your favorite BBQ sauce drizzled on the top would be delicious with the ranch sauce. Green peppers, chopped spinach or kale, garlic and pineapple would all make tasty additions to your pizza.