Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza
If you’re looking for a fun new vegan dinner recipe that’s kid-approved, freezer-friendly, and easy to make, look no further than this vegan chicken parm pizza! A delicious twist on two classic comfort foods, you can make this vegan pizza from-scratch OR use the store-bought shortcuts we suggest.
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If you’ve ever read our vegan chicken parm post, you know just how much I LOVE a good (vegan) chicken parm.
The peppery breadcrumb crust, the garlicky marinara, the ooey gooey cheese and the meaty chicken-free chicken at the center of it all? Just THINKING about it is pure delight.
And because I LOVE a recipe that takes a fun twist on classic comfort food, I decided to combine this beloved dish with another favorite dinner of ours: homemade pizza!
As soon as the idea occurred to me, I knew it was going to be epic. Terrence, however, is more of a food purist, so he was harder to convince.
I can hear him right now: “A pizza is a pizza and chicken parm is chicken parm, but chicken parm ON a pizza? I don’t know, Britt.”
But now, several months and about 10 pizzas later, he agrees that this particular combo is one for the books. This Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza has evolved our pizza nights into something much more delicious than I (and DEFINITELY T) could have ever imagined.
Friends, I think you’re gonna love this one.
Meet: The Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza!
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Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
The tofu chik’n bites recipe we include below is super easy to make and unbelievably meaty. You will be shocked you’re eating tofu.
It’s very similar to our vegan chicken parm recipe but a bit streamlined to make this process as easy as possible. AKA: No need to set up a breading station for your cutlets; you’ll just fold everything in a bowl gently with a rubber spatula.
It does take some planning ahead of time though, as you’ll need to freeze and defrost your tofu. The process is what gives the tofu that meaty chicken consistency that soaks up the marinade like a charm. You may have seen us talk about this method in other posts, and it is a total game-changer.
Speaking of marinade, to get that dead-on chickeny flavor, we use our homemade vegan bouillon powder. You can use a store-bought vegan bouillon powder if you wish, but we’re pretty in love with ours and it’s easy AF to make.
If you’re using bouillon cubes, use 1 dissolved in the hot water before mixing with the rest of the marinade ingredients. If you’re using bouillon paste, reduce the amount to 1 Tbsp.
Oh, and BONUS POINTS: This tofu chicken recipe will make plenty of extra crispy chik’n crumbles (almost like “popcorn chicken”), and they’re great for mashed potato bowls with a generous scoop of vegan gravy…if you don’t first eat all of them off the baking sheet like we tend to do!
Of course, you can use any store-bought vegan chik’n you want if that’s more your style. We suggest using something breaded, like the nuggets made by Gardein and Morning Star (Their plain nuggets are vegan but not the parmesan ones, so be aware.).
If you’re using the store-bought option, just bake them according to the directions, but on the lower end of the time range provided on the package. They’ll finish baking off in the oven on the pizza.
FOR THE CHEESE:
For the photos in this post, we used store-bought vegan mozzarella shreds from Daiya. Feel free to use any store-bought vegan cheese you dig. We also loooove the Violife shreds when we can find them.
Or, if you’re looking to go the homemade route, we have a kickass “pizza mozzarella sauce” that when poured over pizza, will thicken and get all gooey in the oven. It’s not necessarily as stretchy as the store-bought versions, but you definitely won’t be disappointed with the dynamite flavor and smooth creamy texture.
BONUS POINTS: It doesn’t require a fancy schmancy blender or $80/lb macadamia nuts to make. Just a little silken tofu, refined (flavorless) coconut oil, lemon juice, and spices.
FOR THE PIZZA SAUCE AND CRUST:
Make it easy-peasy and go with a store-bought crust and sauce or go from-scratch with our homemade vegan pizza dough recipe!
If you’re going the store-bought route, remember to check the ingredients on both the sauce AND the crust before buying. However, we find that there are plenty of “accidentally” vegan brands at almost any supermarket we visit.
We like using the store-bought frozen pizza dough because it usually has a better texture than the refrigerated stuff. However, either will work for this recipe.
How to Make Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza
Whatever you use as the chicken, you’ll cook that first. If your vegan chicken pieces are too big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Yolu want them to be on the small side, so they’re not too heavy on the pizza.
Then, press your pizza dough into a cast iron pan OR a parchment-lined baking sheet.
We prefer the cast iron pan because it creates a deep dish effect and makes the edges sooo beautifully browned. Plus, it’s non-stick and easy AF to do. You can also use a pizza stone but may need to adjust the time a bit.
Next, you’ll assemble your pizza! Spread your sauce alllllll over the pizza in a nice even layer. Be sure you leave room for the crusts! Next, we add a little sprinkle of vegan cheese, followed by the vegan chicken.
From there, brush the crust with some olive oil and sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Finally, you’ll bake it until the crust is just slightly browned and let it cool a few minutes before slicing. In my experience, a burnt mouth really puts a damper on pizza night.
We like to do a light sprinkle of minced basil and/or parsley over the pie itself before serving. Purrrrrfection!
Other Vegan Pizza Recipes
We like to serve this vegan chicken parm pizza next to a pile of potato wedges and a glass of sangiovese.
We hope you have so much fun with this recipe and enjoy making (and eating!) it as much as we did.
If and when you try this recipe, let us know all about it!
You can rate the recipe and leave a comment below or tag us in your pizza pizzazz photos on Instagram. If you’re not already following along, we’re @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
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Until next time, friends! Enjoy!
Vegan Chicken Parm Pizza
Ingredients
For the vegan chicken:
- 1 16- oz block extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp vegan chicken-style bouillon powder
For the breading:
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs be sure to check ingredients, as some contain dairy
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup tapioca starch
- 2 Tbsp hot water + 1 Tbsp vegan chicken-style bouillon powder
For the pizza:
- 1 pizza dough frozen, thawed
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan mozzarella or 1 cup mozzarella sauce
Instructions
- PREP THE TOFU: Place your tofu in the freezer overnight. In the morning, take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. When the tofu is thawed (about 8 hours), squeeze the tofu gently over the sink to expel excess liquid. It should be pretty sturdy and spongey, but still handle with care so you don't break the tofu. Then, press the tofu like you normally would.
- MARINATE THE TOFU: Gently tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces and add them to a medium mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients for your marinade in a large measuring cup with a fork. Pour the marinade over the tofu pieces, using a rubber spatula to gently fold the marinade in with the tofu so all pieces are coated. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- BREAD THE TOFU: Preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with tin foil. Grab the marinated tofu from the fridge and slowly fold in the tapioca starch with a rubber spatula ¼ cup at a time, until every piece is coated. Do this gently, as you don’t want to break the tofu too much. Then, make your broth by mixing the hot water and bouillon until dissolved and repeat the same gentle folding process until all pieces are slightly wet. Finally, fold in the black pepper and the breadcrumbs ¼ cup at a time until all the pieces are coated.
- BAKE THE TOFU: Spread these tofu pieces out on the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F, stop to flip them, and bake another 15 minutes.
- MAKE THE PIZZA: Turn the heat up to 450F on the oven and press your defrosted pizza dough into a large cast iron pan or roll it out to fit a parchment-lined baking sheet with a sprinkle of cornmeal. Spread pizza sauce, sprinkle with half the vegan mozzarella, add the tofu chicken (you will have leftovers depending on how big your pizza is), and finally sprinkle the rest of the vegan mozzarella on top.
- BAKE THE PIZZA: If desired, brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is slightly golden. Let it cool 5-10 minutes before slicing and enjoy!
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