Easy Grilled Chicken Sausage Pizza with Spinach and Mozzarella
Tired of boring takeout? This easy grilled chicken sausage pizza recipe is your answer. With a crisp crust, savory sausage, fresh spinach, and bubbly mozzarella, it’s a gourmet-tasting homemade pizza recipe perfect for any weeknight dinner.
It’s Friday evening. The long week is finally over, and the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. The temptation to order takeout is strong, but you know you want something a little more special, something that tastes truly fresh and satisfying. That, my friends, is where this incredible grilled chicken sausage pizza comes in.
This isn’t just another pizza. It’s a flavor-packed masterpiece that tastes like it came from a gourmet pizzeria but is shockingly simple to make right in your own kitchen. Imagine a perfectly crisp crust topped with a light garlic-infused oil, savory grilled chicken sausage, earthy spinach, and a generous blanket of bubbly, melted mozzarella cheese. It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table. Let’s get started!
Quick Recipe
- Preparation Time:
20M - Cooking Time:
12M - Total Time:
32M - Type of dish: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian American
- Recipe Yield: 4 servings
- Calories: 700 calories per serving
What Makes This Pizza a Winner
| Key Takeaway | Why You’ll Love It |
| Gourmet Flavor, Simple Steps | We use smart shortcuts like pre-cooked sausage to create a pizza that tastes complex without the complicated work. |
| Perfectly Balanced Toppings | The combination of savory sausage, fresh spinach, and creamy mozzarella on a garlic base is a classic for a reason. |
| No More Soggy Pizza! | I’ll show you the one simple trick to prepare your spinach that guarantees a crisp, delicious crust every single time. |
| A Crowd-Pleasing Meal | This is the perfect recipe for a family movie night, a casual get-together, or an easy but impressive weeknight dinner. |
Why This Grilled Chicken Sausage Pizza Recipe Just Works
I’ve made countless pizzas over the years, and this combination always gets rave reviews. The magic is in the balance. Instead of a heavy tomato sauce that can overpower other ingredients, we use a simple base of garlic-infused olive oil. This lets the other flavors shine.
The star is the chicken sausage. By giving it a quick grill (or sear in a pan), we create a wonderful smoky char that adds incredible depth. It pairs beautifully with the fresh, slightly earthy spinach. And of course, the gooey, melty mozzarella cheese ties everything together. This is a homemade pizza recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Gather Your Ingredients
The best meals start with good ingredients, but don’t worry—you won’t need anything too fancy here. This list is all about flavor and simplicity.
- Pizza Dough: You’ll need one 1-pound ball of dough. You can use your favorite store-bought dough or make your own! My biggest tip: let the dough sit on the counter for at least 30-60 minutes before you try to stretch it. Cold dough is stiff and will just snap back on you. Room temperature dough is relaxed and much easier to shape.
- Chicken Sausage: About 8 ounces (usually 2-3 links) of pre-cooked grilled chicken sausage. I love using a spinach and feta or a roasted garlic variety for extra flavor.
- Fresh Spinach: A big 5-ounce container of fresh baby spinach. It looks like a lot, but it cooks down significantly.
- Olive Oil: You’ll need a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. This will be the base of our “sauce.”
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves, minced. This is a key flavor, so use fresh if you can!
- Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese: About 8 ounces, shredded. It’s important to use low-moisture mozzarella, not the fresh kind that comes in a ball packed in water. The low-moisture version melts beautifully and won’t make your pizza watery.
- Seasonings: A pinch of salt, black pepper, and some red pepper flakes for a little kick (optional, but recommended!).
- For Dusting: A little all-purpose flour or cornmeal for your work surface and pizza peel.
Let’s Get Cooking: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making pizza is a process, but each step is easy. We’ll break it down into preparing the toppings, assembling the pizza, and baking it to perfection.
Step 1: Prep Your Toppings
- This is the most important step for a well-balanced pizza. We want to make sure every ingredient is ready to go before we even think about touching the dough.
- First, slice your chicken sausage into ¼-inch thick rounds. Even though it’s pre-cooked, searing it adds so much flavor. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until they get a little browned and crispy on the edges. Set them aside.
- In the same skillet, add your mountain of fresh spinach. It will wilt down in just a minute or two. Once it’s fully wilted, transfer it to a colander or a clean kitchen towel. Now, here’s the crucial part for avoiding a soggy pizza: squeeze out as much water as you can. You’ll be shocked at how much liquid comes out! This ensures your spinach and mozzarella pizza has a crisp crust.
Step 2: Prepare Your Oven and Pizza Stone
- For a crust that rivals a pizzeria’s, you need high, consistent heat. Place a pizza stone or a pizza steel on a rack in the middle of your oven. If you don’t have one, you can use the back of a sturdy baking sheet.
- Preheat your oven to its highest setting, usually between 500-550°F (260−290°C). Let the stone heat up for at least 45 minutes, or preferably a full hour. This step is non-negotiable! A screaming hot surface is what instantly cooks the bottom of the dough, creating that perfect crispy, chewy crust.
Step 3: Shape the Dough and Assemble Your Masterpiece
- Lightly dust your work surface and your hands with flour. Gently press the room-temperature dough ball into a flat disk. Then, using your fingertips, press out from the center, leaving a slightly thicker rim for the crust. You can also drape it over your knuckles and let gravity help you stretch it into a 12-inch circle. Try to avoid using a rolling pin, as it can compress the air bubbles that make the crust light and airy.
- Place your stretched dough onto a pizza peel that’s been lightly dusted with cornmeal or flour. This helps the pizza slide off easily onto the hot stone.
- Now for the fun part! Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and spread it around with the back of a spoon, leaving the outer rim bare. Sprinkle the minced garlic evenly over the oil. Next, add about three-quarters of your shredded mozzarella. Dot the wilted, squeezed-dry spinach over the cheese, then arrange the browned chicken sausage slices on top. Finish with the remaining mozzarella and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Step 4: Bake to Bubbly Perfection
- Carefully open the oven door and, with a quick back-and-forth jerking motion, slide the pizza from the peel onto the hot stone.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. You’ll know it’s done when the crust is a deep golden brown and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and has a few beautiful browned spots.
- Use the peel to remove the pizza from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for a minute or two before slicing. This helps the cheese set up a bit.
Essential Tools for Pizza Night
You don’t need a professional kitchen, but a few tools make a world of difference:
- Pizza Stone or Steel: For that crispy, brick-oven style crust.
- Pizza Peel: To safely transfer your pizza to and from the hot oven.
- Large Skillet: For preparing your sausage and spinach.
- Pizza Cutter: For clean, easy slicing.
A Recipe to Rely On
This grilled chicken sausage pizza is more than just a meal; it’s a reliable, crowd-pleasing recipe that proves you don’t need to order out to get fantastic pizza. It’s perfect for a fun cooking project with the kids or a relaxed dinner with friends. Once you master the basic techniques, you can experiment with all sorts of toppings. I hope you and your family love this pizza as much as mine does. Happy cooking!
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