Ever have one of those weeks when you hit the front door at the end of the day and the thought of cooking feels like a colossal drag rather than a delicious task? I bet you do.
And so you’ll relate to my indulging in this made-from-convenience-foods Garlic Bread Chicken Pizza.
We have recipes for every component, so yes, you can make a Fast Blender Marinara Sauce, which takes about 30 minutes to cook down. While it’s cooking, you could whip up Becky Krystal’s scrumptious Triple Garlic Bread, which in total takes about an hour to make and bake. For the chicken, you could bake Ellie Krieger’s Crispy Chicken Tenders, which can be ready in about 30 minutes, unless you marinate the poultry for two hours, as she recommends.
Or you can reach for your favorite brand of frozen garlic bread and chicken nuggets or tenders, along with jarred marinara, to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. If you’ve got these items in your pantry or freezer already, all the better.
Advertisement
I love French bread pizzas and have been making them for years, but I was prompted to make this particular one after my colleague Emily Heil did the heavy lifting during two of her recent best-of taste tests. In September, she gathered a group to sample 10 brands of chicken nuggets. Her team ranked them to name the best frozen chicken nuggets out there.
Then, in January, she assembled a group to taste-test 12 brands of jarred marinara sauce to reveal which was the most delicious.
Thanks to her, with top-ranking Rao’s sauce and Whole Foods’ 365 nuggets (which were the top scorer in that test), I knew I was starting off with quality convenience goods. A few tips if you plan to make any kind of French-bread-style pizza.
- For the loaf, I like using garlic bread because it adds flavor to your crust, but you can use plain — it should be wider and softer than a baguette. If the bread is curled at the edges, put a sheet pan over it and press down gently to flatten it just a bit. Bake the bread — no need to defrost if frozen — until it is crisp and just starting to brown on the edges.
- Then spoon on the marinara, but don’t overdo it. Add just enough to provide flavor and moisture.
- You can use breaded nuggets (for a chicken parmigiana effect). Or this is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken, mushrooms, squash or eggplant.
- To finish, top with enough shredded mozzarella to cover the pizzas, then bake until bubbly and starting to brown just a bit.
You can eat the pizza just like that or let people add their favorite toppings. Just don’t overload it. Sprinkle the baked pizza with a little parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes. Have fresh herbs on hand? Toss a few leaves on top. Want your pizza a little saucier? Heat up more marinara and put little dishes on the table for dipping.
While the pizzas bake, make a green or fruit salad, and you’ll have what promises to be a popular supper. Or you can cut the pizzas into smaller slices and serve them as an after-school or movie-night snack, or maybe for a Super Bowl watch party.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLOwu8NoaWlqY2R9c3uPcGagmaKhtqR5waucmpxdmLWqr8qepWaoma%2FHonnRnpqiqJVk