Loaded Chicken Sausage Pizzas with Pesto and Balsamic Glaze

These loaded chicken sausage pizzas are a fun and flavorful twist on pizza night. Topped with savory Italian chicken sausage, sautéed green bell pepper, onion and mushrooms, they’re everything you love about a supreme pizza-but made easy at home. A base of marinara sauce and melty mozzarella cheese sets the stage, while a final drizzle of vibrant pesto and sweet balsamic glaze adds the perfect finishing touch.

Whether you’re cooking for two or four, this recipe comes together quickly with store-bought pizza dough and simple prep. The key is letting the dough rest properly so it stretches easily into crispy, golden ovals. Top with as much or as little as you like-these pizzas are fully customizable. Serve them sliced for a casual dinner that’s sure to impress.

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Ingredients

1 unit Green Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon PestoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

18 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Button MushroomsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Mozzarella CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Pizza DoughView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Balsamic GlazeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup FlourView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 ounce Marinara SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 475°F. Wash and dry produce. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over a clean work surface. Remove dough from packaging and place on prepared surface. Shape each piece of dough into a ball. (Tip: Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray or dust with flour to prevent sticking.) Evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over dough balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. While dough rests, halve, peel and thinly slice onion. Core, deseed and dice bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Trim and slice mushrooms into ½-inch-thick pieces (skip if your mushrooms are pre-sliced). Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add sausage; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until sausage is browned and cooked through and veggies are softened, 4-6 minutes.
3. Once dough has rested 20 minutes, line a baking sheet (two baking sheets for 4 servings) with parchment paper. Carefully press and stretch each dough ball into a rough oval shape and place on one side of prepared sheet (you’ll have two dough ovals per baking sheet). Tip: If needed, use a rolling pin to help roll out dough. Cover dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest 15 minutes (this will make stretching into a larger shape even easier!).
4. Using floured hands, press and stretch dough on baking sheet into larger oval shapes, about 10 inches long and 5-6 inches wide. Spread each piece of dough with as much marinara as you like; sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with as much sausage and veggie mixture as you like. Drizzle or brush edges of dough with olive oil.
5. Bake pizzas on top rack until crusts are golden brown and crisp, 14-18 minutes. (For 4 servings, bake on top and middle racks, swapping rack positions halfway through.)
6. Drizzle pizzas with as much pesto and balsamic glaze as you like. Slice as desired. Serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use pre-shredded mozzarella?

Yes, pre-shredded mozzarella works fine. However, freshly shredded mozzarella melts more smoothly and has better flavor.

Can I make these pizzas ahead of time?

These pizzas are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. However, you can prep the toppings and dough in advance. Store the cooked sausage-veggie mixture in the fridge and let the dough come to room temperature before shaping.

What can I substitute for chicken sausage?

You can use any ground meat or plant-based sausage substitute. Italian turkey sausage or crumbled tofu with Italian seasoning would also work well.