Easy Pizza Dough For a Perfect Combo | Step-by-Step Recipe

Learn how to make an easy same day pizza dough with a soft, airy crust and incredible flavor, topped with juicy grilled chicken, fresh homemade pesto, creamy Parmesan sauce, and mozzarella cheese. This step-by-step recipe is simple enough for home cooks while producing results that look and taste like pizzeria pizza. Whether you're using a high-heat pizza oven or a regular home oven with a pizza stone or steel, this recipe delivers fantastic results. Ingredients Pizza Dough (4 pizzas) • 720g flour • 442g water (62% hydration) • 3g instant yeast • 18g salt Grilled Chicken • chicken breasts, cubed • Olive oil • Salt • Black pepper • Garlic powder • Paprika • Juice of ½ lemon Fresh Basil Pesto • 200g fresh basil leaves • 4 garlic cloves • 100g nuts (pine nuts, walnuts or your preferred choice) • 50g Parmesan cheese • 80g olive oil • 4 ice cubes Parmesan Cream Sauce • 30g butter • 1 garlic clove, finely minced • 30g flour • 300ml milk • 80g grated Parmesan cheese • Salt & black pepper to taste Pizza • Homemade dough • Fresh mozzarella • Grilled chicken • Fresh pesto • Parmesan cream sauce Pizza Dough Recipe 1. In a large bowl, combine the water and salt until fully dissolved. 2. Add half of the flour and mix well. 3. Add the yeast and mix again. 4. Add the remaining flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. 5. Transfer to a work surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. 6. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. 7. Perform the first stretch and fold. 8. Rest another 30 minutes and repeat the fold. 9. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it ferment for 2 hours. 10. Divide into 4 equal dough balls, shape tightly, and let them proof for about 4 hours before baking. Grilled Chicken 1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. 2. Add olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and the juice of half a lemon. 3. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated. 4. Marinate for at least 1 hour. 5. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat until cooked through with a nice golden color. Fresh Basil Pesto 1. Add basil, garlic, nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and ice cubes to a blender or food processor. 2. Blend until smooth and creamy. 3. Adjust the consistency with a little more olive oil if needed. Parmesan Cream Sauce 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. 2. Cook the minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 3. Add the flour and stir until a smooth paste forms. 4. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. 5. Cook until the sauce thickens. 6. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. 7. Season with salt and black pepper. Pizza Assembly 1. Preheat your pizza oven to its highest temperature. If using a home oven, preheat with a pizza stone or steel at the highest temperature available. 2. Stretch the dough carefully, leaving the outer edge untouched for a light, airy crust. 3. Add small spoonfuls of fresh pesto across the dough. 4. Top with mozzarella and the grilled chicken. 5. Bake until the crust is beautifully browned and the cheese has melted. 6. Finish with a generous drizzle of the warm Parmesan cream sauce and serve immediately. Notes • A 62% hydration dough is easy to handle while still producing a soft, airy crust. • Stretch and folds help strengthen the dough without excessive kneading, resulting in better oven spring. • Marinating the chicken for at least one hour improves both flavor and tenderness. • Adding ice cubes to the pesto helps keep its vibrant green color while blending. • For the best crust, always preheat your oven completely before baking. • If using a home oven, a pizza stone or pizza steel will greatly improve the final result. • Avoid overloading the pizza with sauce so the crust stays crisp and cooks evenly. I bake my pizzas in a Cooking Flame high-temperature pizza oven, which delivers excellent heat, beautiful crust development, and authentic pizzeria-style results. If you're looking for a dedicated pizza oven, it's an excellent option for making restaurant-quality pizza at home. If you enjoyed this recipe, please Like the video, Subscribe for more pizza and bread recipes, and leave a Comment telling me what topping combination you'd like to see next. Your support helps the channel grow and allows me to keep creating new recipes every week. 🍕